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There’s a quiet beat of silence and yet, it’s the most comfortable it’s been between us. Of course, I nearly ruin it by staring at her mouth too long, but I think I curb it in time.
“All joking aside, I’m glad you stepped in today and forced the issue,” she says.
“Anytime.”
She leans in slightly and I catch her citrusy gardenia scent. I inhale greedily.
“I’m really glad we’re not biting each other’s heads off anymore,” she says under her breath.
“Me too,” I breathe out.
Those familiarshe’s marriedbells do eventually go off, albeit more delayed than usual, but I’m just happy that we’re having a conversation where I can walk away without guilt over how I’ve spoken to her or confusion over the way she’s spoken to me.
Maybe we’re on our way to finding a professional friendship balance.
Her words come back to bite me in the ass: Balance is overrated.
Because when we get right down to it, there’s never been anythingbalancedabout the way I look at her…or the way Ithinkabout her.
But if I can just ignore the way I’m starting to want to kiss those lips senseless, maybe, just maybe, we can survive being in the same space all the time.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
PAGEANTS AND PROGRESS
MARLOW
Just as I think we’re making progress and maybe actually becoming friends, Wyatt backtracks.
Our exchange over the hospitalruleswas lighthearted and playful.
But he’s avoided me ever since.
And now it’s the weekend and I don’t know why I’m thinking about him at all. He shouldn’t occupy my mind as much as he does.
I drive down Theo and Sofie’s driveway and Dakota gets out of her booster before I’ve fully parked.
“Hey, slow your roll. Someone’s sure in a hurry,” I tease.
“I’m excited to see all my aunties,” she says.
Sofie’s Aunt Hilary and her wife, Abby, will be here today while the bridesmaids try on dresses. When Dakota asked them if she could also call them Auntie, you’d have thought a party was going on, the way they laughed and carried on.
Holly opens the door when I knock and Dakota runs in, beelining to her Auntie Sof first and then making her rounds hugging Hilary and Abby. Scarlett, Grinny, and April come in a few minutes after me, and they fawn all over Dakota too, like she’s the princess of all. It brings tears to my eyes the way everyone dotes on her. She hasn’t had that in her life before coming here, and I’m just so grateful that she does now.
“There are brunch-y things to eat…these little egg bites and mini pancakes and salad…apple juice, orange juice, and mimosas,” Sofie says, holding her hands out toward the spread on the island. “I’ve been so excited for everyone to get here today, I just kept making more things.” She laughs.
“We should have been doing all of this for you!” I say. “Oh my goodness, these are so cute!” I hold up the little cookies that have our names on them.
“My aunts have helped and we’ve had so much fun,” she says. “Things are slower for me right now, and all of you have full-time jobs. I’ve put everything on hold with Morgan’s Sanctuary until after the wedding. This has been a lot of fun.” She grins.
“How is everything going with that?” April asks.
Sofie is starting a nonprofit horse rescue that she’s named after her mother, and I’m in awe of how much she’s already accomplished getting this new venture underway.
“It’s going great,” Sofie says. “We have a ways to go before we’re fully running, but it’s coming along slowly but surely.”
“Don’t let her fool you,” Hilary says. “Between wedding stuff, she’s exercising the horses, designing the new space over at the other property, and doing the finishing touches on the stables here. I don’t know how she’s pulling it all off.”
