Page 74 of Catching Feels

“You sure?”

“A hundred percent.”

“Aw … look, the family is staying together.” CeCe smiles. “That makes me so happy.”

“Now that that’s settled”—I point to the paper—“what’s this?”

“Jillian’s buying a flower shop,” Rome says proudly. “Made the move with none of our input but has a solid plan to?—”

“Do more grown-ass woman shit?” AJ asks.

Jillian smiles as she looks down at the paper. “We’re just drawing it out to see if what I want will actually work.”

“So, no more graduate school?” I ask.

“Definitely not in Montana.” She smiles at Rome. Then looks at me. “The two schools I wanted the most, I was waitlisted, which was a kick to the ego.”

“Sucks,” I tell her.

She lifts a shoulder as she looks back down. “Maybe it all happened for a reason.”

The fact I want to believe it has something to do with me is fucking wrong on every level, and yes, I will be checking to see if my balls have been removed ASAP.

Cora chimes in, “She’s taking classes online from both schools toward a different degree as a backup, and we’re going to be roomies someday.”

“Damn right, we are,” Jillian agrees.

Cora points to the paper. “We’re going to have the penthouse, with exclusive roof access for our party pad.”

“It sounds so much better that we’re going to have walls and a running toilet and have to rough it out until all the other apartments are done and rented out so we can afford to upgrade our air mattresses.”

“The Harts are buying up Trenton. I like it. Fucking real estate tycoons.” AJ claps his hands and rubs them together.

“And Jillian can join the very exclusive, nepo baby club.” Blaze looks at her. “We meet the first Monday of the month.”

“Oh no, she won’t have that. No help from us,” Rome states.

“Get over it.” Jillian hip-checks him.

“You changing the name of the shop?” I ask.

“Not a chance.” Roman chuckles.

“Actually, I am changing it.”

“What?” Rome asks, seeming offended.

“I mean, can you blame her?” AJ laughs. “Etta?”

“Oh, AJ …” CeCe whispers.

“What?” he asks.

“That’s our grandmother’s name, and it stays.” Jillian laughs as AJ slowly sinks down until he can’t be seen behind the island. “It’ll be Etta Harts, with no E like our last name, and flowers.”

“That’s beautiful, Jillian.”

“Thanks, Nour.”

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