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“What about her appearance?”
“She said I shouldn’t consider her lazy because of her weight.” Daisy gestured up and down her ample and beautiful plus-sized frame. “Wait till she gets a load of me.”
Ben muttered about some men not knowing their arse from their elbow and drove us on. At the cottage, he jumped out to open the garage door then reversed in. Once safely hidden away inside, I climbed out and stretched my legs, happy to see anything other than the inside of the tower.
With us delivered, Ben gave Daisy a kiss and me a parting warning about staying away from the windows, then left us to it. I swept through the rooms, taking in all the changes they’d made in the past few days. Daisy had hung pretty floral curtains on newly installed iron rails. The walls downstairs had been painted a warm cream, which offset the dark-wood staircase and door surrounds. It was the prettiest place, and my best friend had barely got started making it her own.
“Every time I come here, it’s that much more perfect.”
Daisy beamed. “I love it, I can’t wait to move in.”
“When’s the big day?”
“We need bedroom furniture and for broadband to be installed. Maybe a week?”
I bounced up to hug her. “Seriously, if there’s anything I can do, just give the job to me.”
“Want to help paint? I’ve got an afternoon off in a couple of days and a plan to take on the spare bedroom.”
“Deal! I am so happy for you.”
Hearts danced in her eyes. “It’s hard to believe how fast this has come around. I keep wanting to reality check myself, but when I said to Ben a few nights ago that we still needed to get to know each other, he sat down and instructed me to ask him anything. He said I’d met his family, been on a road trip with him, and knew what he was like under pressure—that he gets stubborn and action-focused but eventually becomes reasonable. If that’s his worst trait, damn, sign me up to be Mrs Graham.”
“You’d marry him?”
She took a deep breath. “God. Yes?”
Another happy sound came from me, and Daisy laughed, the image of a contented woman.
We’d missed years of seeing each other after I’d relocated away. Having my best friend follow me was a dream come true.
She led me into the kitchen, and I forced back my grin to give her my news.
“So, guess who Jackson was caught kissing earlier?”
Daisy spun around, brandishing a coffee pot. “No! He did not. Just a day after kissing you?”
I faked astonishment, widening my eyes. “Well, technically I kissed him, but isn’t it shocking? He was right there, inviting this girl onto his lap. Demanding kisses.”
A laugh fought to bubble up. My lips crinkled.
Daisy squinted at me, then the penny dropped. “You? Ohmigod. What…how? I’ll make the coffee while you brew that tea.”
Quickly, and with utter glee, I relayed the story.
My friend fanned her face. “Where did that version of him come from? He’s always so reserved. Who knew that underneath he was just dying to get another taste? Do I need to make myself scarce later so you can kiss a little more? Then I can fake a reason why I can’t take you home so he has to.”
“No, you devious mastermind. It won’t happen again. But on the topic, there’s something else spillable. Raphael’s exam week is coming up. He asked Jackson to move back to the tower so I have someone there overnight.” I pulled my list from my pocket and wafted it. “What if he’d agreed to help me with this? That would’ve been awkward.”
The expression of shock on her face was a delight. “Or very nice. Live-in boyfriend.”
“God, no. It would’ve just been for sex.”
Which I could barely think about without overheating.
“Sex can be hard to keep in a box, unless you’re dealing with a dildo, and honey, he’s a real-life man. Getting that close would create a bond.”
I considered that. “Not if we were friends, right?”
