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Maybe then, the two would be even.
Keeping her face free of any emotion, Sevyn released a light sigh. “Fine, Dal. Seven days.”
“Cool,” he nodded. “Go get dressed. I’ll be in the living room.”
He’d been inside of her home so many times that she didn’t need to instruct him where to go. Taking the steps two at a time, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand where she’d left it and barricaded herself inside, dialing Lorren.
“Bitch,” Lorren answered groggily. “You better be dying. If not, I’m going to kill you.”
“Shut up and listen,” Sevyn whispered. “I can’t talk long, Dallas is downstairs.”
Lorren yawned loudly. “Oh shit. Did y’all finally figure everything out?”
“Not exactly.”
Sevyn gave her a quick run-down, including her plan, while turning on the shower water, allowing it to get hot. She was nearly out of breath by the time she was done.
“Sev, I love you,” Lorren replied after a brief moment of silence. “But I want you to know that this is the dumbest and most vindictive shit that you’ve ever done. Call it off before you fuck around and destroy things between you two to the point where it’s beyond repair.”
“I won’t.”
“Sevyn—”
“I’m not letting Dallas waltz in here like everything is sunshine and rainbows, allowing him to get whatever he wants.”
“Then tell him that you’re not interested in his proposition instead of handling this like a kid. It’s not okay, Sev.”
Sevyn wasn’t sure what she was anticipating before calling Lorren, but to be on the receiving end of a lecture wasn’t it.
“I gotta go. I’ll text you later.”
Hanging up the phone before Lorren could get another word in, Sevyn gathered the items she needed before stripping down and stepping into the shower. It didn’t matter that no one else knew where she was coming from. She understood. That was all that was important.
* * *
“Uh,”Sevyn sat up a bit in her seat, eyes narrow as Dallas pulled into a residential driveway. “What are we doing at your mom’s house?”
“I told you we were going to breakfast.”
“Okayyyyy,” she dragged out, removing her seatbelt as he parked. “And you conveniently left out where.”
“On purpose.” Killing the engine, Dallas pushed his door open. “Bring ya ass. Isis has been asking about you since she got here and my mom still ain’t got around to putting the tree up yet. I figured she could use a little help and since your mom has been training you for this since you were born—”
Sevyn released a hearty, genuine laugh. Punching him in the shoulder, she replied, “I see you got jokes. I’ma make sure I tell my mama too so she doesn’t slide you anything extra at the party.”
“Oh, you inviting me?”
“Maybe, we’ll see how it goes.”
Climbing out of the car, Sevyn scolded herself. She wasn’t even three hours into her plan and already fumbling.
Following him up the icy driveway and porch steps, Sevyn absently admired Dallas from behind. She hated how everything, down to the definition of his shoulders, was attractive to her.
He unlocked the door, granting them access inside, and almost immediately her nose was assaulted by the smell of maple syrup wafting through the house.
“Ma!” Dallas called, dragging his feet across the runner in front of the door to free them from debris before removing them.
With one hand against the wall, Sevyn did the same, nearly losing her balance while working one of her boots off.
