AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I should have been happy he was changing the subject, instead I really wanted to know what he was going to say. He didn’t want to forget the kiss. Did that mean he still wanted something more, even though he wasn’t saying it? It didn’t matter. And we weren’t talking about it, because I would not be sucked into that conversation by him teasing me with unfinished sentences. Moving on.
“Nothing’s up, I’m fine.” I forced a smile onto my face despite the fact my insides were squirming.
“Chastity Heather Linden, you did not justfineme.” He nudged me with his elbow. I swatted him back.
“Milton Alfred Carmichael, you did not just full name me.”
“Back atcha, although you missed the Kent.”
“Four names is too long.”
“Don’t I fucking know it. So, come on, spit it out.”
I dropped my head into my hands and groaned. Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? I knew the answer, because he was him, and I was me, and we didn’t leave things—we poked until the other person was so frustrated they wanted to throw a punch.
“You are stuck with me until we get to Pip’s suburban mansion, so you might as well start talking.”
I turned my nose up and looked out the window. “I don’t want to talk.”
“Which usually means you need to.”
And we were there already. I wanted to punch him right in his perfect, smug face. I would, too, if doing so didn’t endanger my life. And his nose. He had a really nice nose. Not perfectly straight, thanks to a rogue punch, and yet somehow symmetrical. I wanted to run a finger down the bridge.Stop staring at his nose.
“I finalised those interviews for Tuesday.”
“As you already said, and I resisted making a comment about the fact you scheduled them on your day off.”
“We can hardly afford to wait around. We need people now. We needed them yesterday. I shouldn’t be taking tonight off.”
“One: Greyson and Micky can handle one night without us. Two: you are a workaholic and will take literally any excuse not to have a day off. You can’t come in Wednesday to make up for it.”
“We’ve got the last of the interviews Wednesday,” I fired back and he made a low growling sound that had me simultaneously smirking and clenching my thighs.
“Mom got married and she’s selling the house,” I said in a rush, because it was a solid distraction to the riot offeelingsin my chest.
“That’s—”
“If you say that’s good news I will punch you, I don’t even care that you’re driving.”
His laugh was more of an awkward bark. “I was going to saythat’s a surprise. When did this happen?”
“A few days ago.” I picked at my thumb nail. “Went to city hall, found a couple of witnesses and boom, married. They didn’t bother to invite me. Didn’t even bother totellme. And then decided that they don’t need two houses in Queens and his is bigger, so bye-bye house. No discussion, justit’s happening.” I slumped low in my seat. I’d been trying to wrap my head around it since she dropped the bomb over egg rolls and kung pao chicken.
What stung the most was the fact she didn’t talk to me about any of it before it happened. I tipped my head back, ignoring the tightness in my throat and the sting behind my eyes.
Mack’s hand landed on mine and squeezed.
“I’m sorry she didn’t talk to you about any of that before it happened.” Because of course he knew what I was thinking.
Not crying. I was not crying. “Thanks. I know it’s stupid, and probably selfish of me to even be upset about it. But—”
“You don’t have to justify it to me, Chase, your feelings are valid, no matter what.”
I rolled my head to look at him, a couple of hot tears tracking down my cheek. What the fuck would I do without him? This was why I couldn’t—why Iwouldn’t—risk what we had. “I’m ridiculous.”
“You are,” he agreed and I gaped. “What part of this outfit says fairy to you?”
My snorted laugh was swift and thoroughly unladylike. “I’m a dark fairy, our wings are invisible. And what about you? This shirt isn’t screaming fairy to me either.”
