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Juniper snorts. “Gee, thanks, big sis.”
Aspen ignores her to continue. “We came here to get Lilac sorted.”
Ellery raises her hand. “I came here to get a break from a screaming baby. Don’t get me wrong. I love Willow with every beat of my heart, but she’s an asshole when she has colic.”
“Have you tried—”
“Yes!” Ellery shouts. “I have tried everything you can imagine for a baby with colic. Pacifier, hikes in her stroller, rocking her, swaddling her…the list goes on and on. I don’t need you – my motherless sister – to lecture me on how to deal with a baby.”
I lift an eyebrow. Ellery doesn’t usually lose her temper. She’s stubborn, but she doesn’t have much of a temper.
Her shoulders deflate as she lets out of huff of air. “I’m sorry. This no sleeping with a baby stuff is tough.”
“I hope my baby sleeps through the night,” Ashlyn says as she rubs her belly. “I have other things to do in the night than rock a baby if you get what I’m saying.”
Juniper grunts. “The astronauts on the International Space Station caught your sexual innuendo.”
“If everyone’s finished discussing babies, can we get to the reason for this evening’s adventure now?” Aspen growls.
As the oldest sister of the West family, Aspen’s pushy but she doesn’t usually growl at people. My brow wrinkles as I study her. Something is up with her. Two possibilities come immediately to mind. One, she’s upset she’s not yet married to Lyric. Or, two, she’s trying to get pregnant and has yet to be successful.
Based on her annoyance with the baby talk, I hypothesize she’s trying to get pregnant. This is mere supposition, however. I’ll need to observe her closer for factual indicators before I can make a proper conclusion.
“There’s no need to ‘get Lilac sorted’ as you so eloquently put it.” I have no chance of changing the topic once Aspen has put on her matchmaker hat, but it’s worth a try.
“Beep!” Ashlyn pretends to push a buzzer. “Wrong. We want all the deets on Beckett.”
“I told you everything there is to know about Beckett. He’s the CEO of Clean Mountain Environment and as such my boss. There is nothing more to tell.”
“Lilac. Lilac. Lilac.” Aspen tsks at me. “There’s obviously more to the story. He didn’t show up at Juniper’s moving-in party for nothing.”
“And left before I got a chance to meet him,” Juniper whines.
“Hold up. I have a picture.” Ashlyn digs her phone out of her pocket and unlocks it before handing it to Juniper.
“Yowzah. Mr. CEO is a hottie.”
“For sure,” Ashlyn says as she puts her phone away. “I’d totally add him to my spank bank if I wasn’t married to a former NFL quarterback who can bake like a dream and is the star of all my wet dreams.”
“Ahem! We all agree Beckett is attractive, can we discuss another topic now?” The very last thing I need is my sisters reminding me of how attractive my boss is. It’s difficult enough to forget as it is.
“Personally, I think Cole’s more attractive. Beckett is too big and burly for me. I prefer a leaner man,” Ellery says.
“Two cheers for leaner men!” Juniper raises her hand and they high-five.
“Anyway, we’ve given you a few days since the party. Time’s up.” Aspen motions for me to proceed. Proceed with what is the question.
I purse my lips. “What are you referring to? Why is my time up?” My sisters are baffling at times.
She rolls her eyes. “Beckett wants you. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to jump in bed with him? Are you going to make him work for it?”
“Yeah, sis,” Ashlyn jumps in. “What’s your plan?”
“I believe you are confused. There is no plan. Beckett doesn’t want me. He thinks I’m incompetent and that I can’t meet my deadlines.”
I can’t help it – a snarl spills out at the end. How dare he think I’m incapable of meeting my deadlines? My personnel file clearly shows how capable I am.
“Has he told you he thinks you’re incompetent?” Ashlyn asks.
