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“Obviously he didn’t want to pick up his friend’s cousin early in the morning, and I thought it was the least I could do was to pay the gas.”
Pierce’s face had reddened with more laughter. He slowed down his driving and we entered a part of Paloma’s Edge that was very different from the rest of the houses I had seen when Chase had driven me. These houses were big with sculpted lawns. Two houses had elegant statues in the front.
“You sure know how to bruise a guy’s ego, Noodles!”
“I am not skinny anymore,” I replied. “And I was being considerate.”
“You’re such a noodle head. You could’ve let Chase do the chivalrous thing, ’cause he doesn’t do it often.”
My phone vibrated and I unlocked my phone’s screen to view my text message.
Jake: How’s Paloma Edge livin’ so far? =)
From the corner of my eye, I saw a small smile play on Pierce’s lips.
Me: Uncle Anton gave me a job in HR. No interview necessary. He was happy to see me. How’re you and Mariska?
Jake: Now that you’ve got a roof over your head for the summer, I am good. She’s ok but worried about you. I’ll be picking her up from work soon. And then we’re getting Pete.
Me: Take care of them. Tell them I said hello.
Jake: K. TTYL.
Pierce parked in front of a huge white house that reminded of me of the nice ones I had cleaned during the school year. This one, though, made those houses look cute instead of spectacular, like I had thought they were. “Are you stubborn with your boyfriend too?” Pierce asked in an amused tone as I locked my phone’s screen.
“I don’t have a boyfriend. Jake’s one of my best friends.”
“Uh huh. And how long has he been your”—he made air quotes—“friend?”
“Since I was six years old.”
Nodding, Pierce didn’t respond.
***
Chase
As soon as we heard Pierce driving in with Bethany, Nancy and I came to the front of the house. When they both came inside, I took a deep breath. How’d Bethany look even better than earlier? She already began to tan and she took those high heels she had put on earlier and was in those sexy flip-flops.
“What’s up, Chase?” Pierce and I fist-bumped while he laid a light kiss on Nancy’s forehead. Bethany gave me a tentative smile.
“Nancy and I had lunch. We came back twenty minutes ago.”
Pierce nodded. “Nancy, this is Bethany.”
Bethany inched closer to Pierce, extended her arm, and widened her smile. “Nice to meet you, Nancy.”
Nancy returned a smile to Bethany like it was a reward, and her body relax more. Man, what I would give to ease tension in her body.
“I’ve heard such great things about you,” Nancy said. “Let me get—”
Pierce and I stepped in. I carried that heavy-ass backpack and one suitcase, while Pierce had the other. We walked through the long hallway and started up the steps. I heard Nancy ask Bethany about what she needed. When we went into Bethany’s guestroom, which was all the way across the hall from mine, she couldn’t hide her stunned expression.
After Pierce and I placed her stuff by the walk-in closet, he stood beside her and nudged her with his arm. “Everything here is brand new. Mom and Nancy didn’t know what you’d like,” he said.
Bethany cocked her head in Nancy’s direction. “It’s beautiful. You and Aunt Deborah have amazing taste. The shades of brown and gold against the off-white wall are so…what my dream room would look like.”
Pierce looped his hand around Nancy’s shoulders. “See, I told you that she’d love it.”
