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After I’m out of the bath, I put on some jeans and an oversized sweater. Today, Archer and Gemma are modeling the new items I’m launching this week. Thankfully, Lexie and Dana are working today, so I have plenty of time to take photos. I can’t wait to post the pictures of Archer in the new clothes because with his good looks, tattoos, and golden-brown eyes, selling them won’t be an issue.

I never planned on carrying a men’s clothing line until my customers asked, wellbegged. They wanted to buy them for their husbands, sons, and grandsons, so I looked into it after being asked for months.

There’s already a men’s store in town, but they only have basic things like fire-proof jeans and fishing shirts. I’ve researched all the new trends in men’s fashion, and Lawton Ridge isn’t gonna know what hit them when I launch, especially since I have a secret weapon—my new roomie, Archer Boone.

It’s just past ten, and I’ve been up for a couple of hours doing laundry and cleaning up around the house. I asked Gemma to meet me at eleven, and considering she’s just as punctual as my brother, I need to get going. I go into the living room and find Archer on the couch. He looks up at me with a boyish grin. I love it when his gaze slides up and down my body.

“Wow, you look nice. That color really suits you,” he says.

“Thanks. It’s called holly berry.” My cheeks heat to the same color as my sweater. Not wanting him to notice, I move into the kitchen to grab some water. “Are you ready?”

“Absolutely. I already took Sassy out too. And fed her again,” he admits.

I give him a look. “You’re gonna fatten her up, and then she won’t fit into her doggy sweaters.”

He chuckles with a shrug. “She looked hungry.”

“She’ll give you those begging eyes even when she’s full. Sassy played you big time!”

As soon as I say her name, she jumps up on the couch and rests her head on his lap. “Told you it wouldn’t take long for her to warm up to you.”

Archer pets her and tries to get up so we can leave, but Sassy’s dead weight.

“Wanna treat?” I bribe. Once the magic word is spoken, she immediately makes her way to the kitchen. I pull some bacon treats from the bag and give her some commands to sit and shake. Archer stands and stretches, allowing his shirt to ride up. After catching a glimpse of his abs, I turn and grab my keys before he notices.

As we’re pulling out of the driveway, he seems nervous. “Today’s gonna be fine. I promise.”

“I’m sure it will. I’m just not used to…the attention.”

I glance over at him and smile. “I’m happy to help debut you to the world.”

“That sounds absolutely terrifying.” He chuckles.

We park a block away from the shop because the lot is full. Before I unbuckle, Gemma pulls in behind us. “I knew she was gonna be here thirty minutes early!”

When we get out of the car, Gemma greets us. She looks amazing with glammed makeup and perfectly curled hair. Not a strand is out of place.

“Damn, woman. Aren’t you a reminder of exactly why my brother married and knocked you up?”

She snorts and flips her hair. “You’re damn right. Guess I still got it.”

Archer laughs. “Tyler was always obsessed with you, and I don’t think that’s ever gonna change.”

“Oh, it won’t. He can’t keep his hands off me. I mean, at this rate, I’m gonna be pregnant for the next decade.”

“I’m not complainin’,” I tell her. “Gimme all the nieces and nephews because I’m not getting pregnant for aloooongtime.”

“You don’t want kids of your own?” Archer carefully asks, and I find it sweet how gentle his words are. He seems sensitive to those things, maybe because of his sister and how close he is with her. One thing I can say, the man knows how to respect women, something I’m not always used to. Just like that, Archer checks another box on myHusband Wish List.

He hurries to add, “I’m not trying to pry. My sister thought since she had endometriosis, she’d never get pregnant, but she did. The doctors aren’t always right.”

My face softens when I meet his eyes. “No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just best to be in a solid relationship before you start having babies. Single moms are rock stars, but it’d be really hard with my business, so I’ve always tried to be super careful. Also, I don’t want to raise a kid in the same shitty toxic environment that I grew up in. I want them to have parents who actuallywantto be involved in their life. It was a promise I made to myself when I was younger. I refuse to repeat the cycle.”

“I can completely understand that,” he says, and there’s a moment of unspoken words.

Gemma walks in step beside me. “Reason number 5,784 why you need to find a nice Southern gentleman to settle down with to have some cute babies. You gonna let Katie and Noah give me all the nieces and nephews?”

I loop my arm in hers. “Yep. And if she keeps spitting out more than one at a time, you’ll have nothing to complain about. Keep it up, Katie!” I shout into the air with a fist pump.

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