AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s really kind,” Waverley said, touched by the offer from someone she barely knew. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
Meg rolled her napkin into a ball. “Well, the offer is always available.”
“Now that your ex is in custody, do you think you’ll recover any of your money?” Poppy asked.
“I’m not betting on it. But it’s fine.” Waverley took a sip of her drink. “There’s something satisfying about being self-sufficient. It only took me almost thirty years to get there.”
“But you’re doing it. That’s what counts,” Avery said.
Poppy slurped the last of her green matcha then cleared her throat. “Now that we got all of that out of the way, it’s time we get to the good stuff. I think I can say with great confidence that we’re all looking forward to hearing the details about how you and Reynolds managed to convince everyone you two were an item. Was there a lot of kissing?”
Aha. It was a carefully timed ambush. She was too full to run away.
She grabbed her latte, savoring the last few sips. “A few.”
They all looked at each other, grinning. “And?” Meg pushed. “How was it kissing Reynolds? Was there some tongue?”
“Nope, I don’t think I want that many details,” Poppy cut in then laughed. “He is my big brother. But if there were some fireworks, I’d love to hear.”
“The kissing was…” Waverley remembered the instant heat she’d felt that moment he’d kissed her in the pool in front of everyone and how she’d completely lost track of time, space, sound, and every other sense as she was sucked into the vortex of that kiss. “Pretty good.”
They laughed. “Better than pretty good is my bet,” Avery said.
“Well, I’m going to need a little more,” Meg said. “Was it an out-of-body experience? How many times did you kiss? Did you—”
Waverley laughed at Meg’s excitement. “I stopped keeping count of how many times. But they were all very good. Reynolds definitely has some strong skills in that area.”
Actually, he had strong skills in a few other areas, but that was something she was going to keep to herself for now. Especially since, for all she knew, Reynolds had completely forgotten the experience.
“So? Now that you’re back in town, do you two think you might take the relationship out of the fake zone and into something more real?” Poppy asked.
She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. Today was business as usual. Meaning he was back to closing himself off in his office and trying to forget I’m around.”
They all looked at her with sympathy.
“It’s just been one day,” Poppy said. “As you might have noticed, Reynolds is the most taciturn of all my brothers. So give him some time.”
“She’s right,” Avery said. “Reynolds isn’t a guy who expresses his feelings easily, but I know that he feels something for you.”
Waverley nodded and gave a quick smile before draining the dregs of her latte. She wasn’t as convinced. It felt like all she’d been giving him was time, and it hadn’t changed anything. He ran hot and cold so quickly that her head was spinning.
“I guess time will tell. So how are things coming with the wedding planning?” she asked, ready to get the topic off of her and Reynolds. “Did the guys decide where they’re having the bachelor party?”
It was a relief as the conversation shifted, and Waverley listened idly even while her thoughts were still on Reynolds.
Maybe the problem wasn’t that he couldn’t express his feelings for her as much as that he didn’t have any feelings for her beyond professional and was struggling to find a way to tell her. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t face her.
Well, whatever the reason, she wasn’t going to wait much longer. She’d wasted too much of her life already on dead-end relationships.
The only way she was ever going to have an answer was if she swallowed her fear and pride and asked him. Once and for all.
She’d just have to be ready to accept whatever answer he gave her and move on.
Chapter 25
“Prosecutors have confirmed they’ve reached a plea deal with the defendant, a deal that will provide restitution to the victims of his crimes,” the reporter said late Wednesday afternoon as Reynolds sat in his car outside of a Home Depot listening to the latest news on Spencer’s case.
He’d been tailing a Mr. Ted Whitman for the past two days for his client, an insurance company who wanted to see if the guy’s debilitating back was as bad as he claimed. It wasn’t one of the most exciting cases he’d taken or highest paying, but it had needed his immediate attention, which meant he could get out of the office—and away from Waverley—until he could figure things out.
