Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 658(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 658(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“Crazy good, you mean.” She doesn’t gasp or stare in horror; she just sips her drink calmly. “See, I called it.”
“What do you mean, called it? Called what? You haven’t seen me since… what? When you got back from your honeymoon?”
She waves a hand. “All I’m saying is, I knew this would happen. I mean, look at you. Look at him. Stuck together in close quarters since Gramps left you this big wild responsibility. You had to know what was coming.”
“Margot, he used to babysit me.”
I’m being defensive and dumb.
“Yeah, but it’s not like you’re still a kid.” Her smile curls wickedly. “You don’t look anything like you used to back then, so there’s nothing creepy about it.”
“No, but…” I sigh. “How did you know?”
“Kane. One minute, we were strangers tossed together from a rental snafu, and the next we—”
“You started a no-strings-attached friends-with-benefits situation?”
“I—” She squints at me. “No, not quite. But we didn’t put a label on it either. Is that what you guys are?”
“Um, no!” I look away and cough awkwardly. “We haven’t really discussed what we are, but it’s temporary. It’s just—it’s casual.”
My face must be hell-red.
There’s a quiet desperation in my voice.
“And it’s also a secret,” I say, just in case she wants to blab to anyone like Kane or Ethan. “I don’t want Kit finding out.”
“Wait, who’s Kit?”
“His daughter.” I give another sigh, inwardly this time.
“Holden has a daughter?” She’s yelling.
“Margot! Inside voice.”
“But we’re outside. No one cares.” She gestures at the park across the street. “I could yell that you’re sleeping with him to the entire city, and no one would look twice.” She cups her hands to her mouth like she’s about to, and I grab her wrist.
“Don’t you dare!”
We both burst into laughter as I fight her.
“You suck so much. But thanks, I needed that trip back to high school,” I say.
“Totally did. Now, give me tea.” Her eyes gleam with mischief. “Whose kid is it? Was he married?”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s only ten and she’s so sweet. And no, he’s not married. He’s not involved with anyone anymore.”
“Don’t you count? I’d say that’s involved.” She reads my face like a book.
“We’re not—”
“But you are. I can see it in your eyes. You’ve caught feelings.”
Why even try to deny it?
I drop my head into my hands, hiding the blush that’s spreading up my neck.
“This isn’t like me. I swear.”
“Oh, I know. You don’t do random hookups or go after older guys. What happened?”
“I don’t know. I used to hate him when I was a kid. When we reconnected over the will, I thought he was awful. Didn’t think he had a life beyond work. But once I got to know him…”
“Things got sexy?”
I straighten up and glare. “I realized he was actually a decent guy.”
“Oh, well, yeah. That too.” She takes one last drink and puts the glass down beside my hand. “You’ve been through this before, right? Serious dating?”
…that’s not what this is.
But obviously, I’ve dated.
With Finley, I got pretty serious for a few months, until I found out he was throwing around my pics for his eyes only like trading cards.
After that, I knew casual was it until I could find a guy more grown up. A man who wouldn’t be such an immature emotional troll.
When Holden and I started our fling, serious wasn’t on the radar.
But before I could blink, before I could breathe, we’re in this grey place, uncomfortable and awkward and messy. There’s this longing in the pit of my stomach that won’t go cold.
“He scares me,” I admit, my voice weak. “He makes me scare myself. I want to be with him even when we’re not just stressing over egg thieves and museums. I like waking up with him. I love the way he humors me. I miss the way he makes me smile. And I… I want to paint him.”
“Oh, shit. It’s worse than I thought.” She sighs. “You’re in love.”
Total uppercut.
Holy crap, no. I’m not in love.
I can’t be in love with Holden Verity.
Maybe I’ve let this go too far and caught a nasty case of wishes, but that’s as far as it goes.
Love, that’s a whole different ballgame. A different freaking arena.
Different rules and bigger disasters.
A thousand different ways to die from heartbreak.
“I knew this would happen, too,” Margot says while I stew. “Proof you’re a Blackthorn girl, after all.”
“Blackthorn or not, I’m practical,” I hiss.
“Screw practical, that’s boring. Does he make you happy every time you wake up the next morning? Because if he does, it’s not just sex.”
My mouth twists open helplessly, but there’s no way I can deny it. And I don’t want to because he’s a god between the sheets.
“Yes,” I say. “It’s… it’s good. Really good.”
“I knew it.” She laughs loudly, clasping her hands together and throwing me this doe-eyed look. “You’re so lucky. This is every teenage fantasy come true.”