Page 68 of Pretty Little Scars

“If you don’t want to use it, I’ll find a use for it?—”

“Are youcrazy?” She turns and launches herself into me, kissing my face and squeezing her arms around my neck, her legs around my waist. “There’sso muchthis can be used for. Vegetables and herbs and flowers. Medicinal plants.”

Thank fuck she’s not pissed.

“So, you’re not mad.”

“Mad?” With a little laugh, she brushes her lips over mine. “This might be the best thing that anyone’s ever done for me, Hotshot. If you’re trying to impress me, it worked.”

“I just ... wait, I’m impressing you?”

“While you put up the fence, I’m going to gather the arnica before it all dies off and is gone for the season. If that’s okay with you.”

“Pick whatever you want. But first, you’d better take those muffins out of the oven.”

Her eyes widen and she jumps out of my arms.

“Oh shit, you’re right. I totally forgot.” She races inside, and I follow more slowly behind her, walking into the kitchen just as she sets the hot pan of muffins on the stovetop. “They’re perfect. Didn’t burn.”

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the front door, and then Ava comes strolling inside, and her steps falter when she sees us in the kitchen.

Her observant eyes bounce between Darby and me, and then her lips tip up into a knowing smile.

“Well hello there,” she says. “Do I smell muffins?”

“Just out of the oven,” Darby replies. “Huckleberry.”

“We’re keeping you around,” Ava announces before winking at me and crossing over to make herself some coffee. “What’s the occasion? Not that you need one for huckleberry anything.”

“I was hungry,” Darby replies simply, and then grins at me, and her eyes say everything.

Because your brother fucked the shit out of me this morning, and I need calories so we can do it again later.

I smirk back at her and lean in to kiss the top of her head.

Ava’s eyes go round.

“Problem?” I ask her.

“Fuck no, there’s no problem. I just feel super proud of myself because I’m the reason she applied for the job here in the first place, and it seems to be working outverywell.” She’s smug as hell as she sips her coffee and swipes a muffin, then sits at the island to consume them.

“Wait,” Darby says, holding up a hand, and I know exactly what she just saw. “Ava Hendrix.”

“What?” Ava blinks at Darby and then takes a bite of muffin. “Christ, that’s damn fucking good.”

My baby sister has a mouth on her. Always has.

I follow suit and grab my own muffin, and when I bite in and it melts in my mouth, I vow right here and now that I’m going to marry this woman.

“You have a ring on a very important finger,friend,” Darby says, gesturing at the engagement ring. “When in the hell did that happen?”

“It’s new,” Ava admits. “He proposed the other night at Dad’s house when we got together for dinner.”

“Chadproposed,” Darby clarifies, and Ava nods. “I mean, that could be sweet. Did he show up early and talk to your dad and?—”

“No,” Ava says, shaking her head. “He did none of the traditional things, and you know what? It’s fine.”

It’s not fucking fine.