Page 71 of Free to Fall

“Good. Now that you’ve shown you have your big girl G-string on, pull it out of your crack and ask him to escort you to the ball.”

I completely fell into that trap. Kalie holds up her hand. “Laura, all the bullshit aside, do you like him?”

I open my mouth to tell her it’s none of her business, but what comes out is, “Yes.”

“And it’s not residual because you’re falling in love with his daughter.”

“No.”

“Then, for the love of all that’s holy, ask him to escort you to an event you’re already going to. Let the rest of the night figure itself out.”

“All right! Fine! I’ll do it when I see him tomorrow.”

“You swear?” She holds out her pinky.

Crap. I know if I swear with my pinky—lined with amaryllises—she’s going to hold me to it. Resignedly, I hold up my finger, red ink on full display. “I swear.”

She slides out of her seat and drops cash on the table. “Good. Now, let’s go get your gown fit. It’s gorgeous.”

From the Journal of Dr. Laura Lockwood

Did I seriously allow myself to be goaded by Kalie into asking Liam to the ball?

I did.

I am a mature woman. I’m a doctor. I feel pressure stronger than this when a patient is wheeled into my ER. And yet, my cousin taunting me to ask out the man I’m wildly attracted to flung me off some invisible ledge.

And I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

But now, it’s an honor thing. I hope I haven’t misinterpreted the intent in Liam’s eyes.

Chapter

Thirty-Six

Every moment I spend in Laura’s presence is driving me slowly mad.

When I first met her, I likened her to a siren, and I wasn’t wrong. Without effort, she’s alluring—calling me to her in ways I haven’t ever experienced before.

Maybe it’s the way she’s with Bailey. Maybe it’s her natural beauty. It could be the small things—the way she always makes certain there’s a warm meal waiting for me and Bailey at the end of a long day, the way she curls next to my daughter when they’re plotting something, or simply the way she pushes her long dark curls away from her face when she doesn’t realize I’m watching her.

Which I do quite a bit.

Today, Laura brought over a stack of magazines and a neon pasteboard, and they made a collage of Bailey’s summer adventures. Laura teases her, “Don’t forget to leave room, Bailey.”

“You mean if I ever run into Kensington? Like that’s ever going to happen.” Bailey rolls her eyes at Laura, obviously used to Laura teasing her about running into the infamous DJ.

Laura chuckles. “Hey, you never know. Her family has a place not too far from here. It might happen at a grocery store ...”

Bailey lays down her scissors and demands we go shopping when I know we need absolutely nothing. Laura and I both crack up over the normal childish behavior we endured when she stuck her tongue out at both of us.

Laura asks Bailey to give her and me just a moment. My brows shoot directly into my hairline when she leads me out of the kitchen and into the living room, outside of Bailey’s hearing. Her arms cross beneath her breasts. She takes a deep breath before releasing it. “I may have misunderstood something the other day and if I did, I’m going to feel really foolish.”

I lean against the back of an armchair and wait for her to continue.

I don’t have to wait long.

She drops her arms and clasps her fingers together, twisting them anxiously. “It came across ... I don’t know. I might have misunderstood. Maybe you were just looking for some information, but ...”

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