Page 17 of Mixed Motives

I take that as just him being kind, but when we finally get out of bed and pull on clothes, I find that he’s not treating me like someone who needs to get going.

“It feels funny to be waking up at this time,” I say.

“I think you’re worn out from getting up early and running a bed-and-breakfast.”

I nod. “I totally am.”

“Need some help?”

“I need so much help.”

“Then I’ll be over?—”

I hold up a hand. “Wait, I didn’t mean you needed to help. I just meant that I need help, you know. In general.”

Keane tugs me to him, and the warmth of his arms around me is comforting. “I’d like to help. If you’d allow me.”

I give him a kiss. “Okay. Just maybe give me a day or two. Let me figure out what my questions are.”

“What if I come over on Saturday night?”

That’s in three days. “I could deal with that.” I hook a finger in his belt loop. “And maybe spend the night?”

“That’s the idea.”

I don’t really want to leave, but I need a moment to process all that’s just happened. I got way more than I bargained for when I signed up for CUPID on a whim. I’m surprised that I’m not worrying about the spell we’ve cast being broken once I leave.

I guess that’s because Keane feels like home.

When I get back to my rooms at the B and B, Zayden calls me on FaceTime. He texted earlier, but I put him off until now.

“Sooo,” he says. “How did your CUPID date go?”

I can’t keep the grin off my face. “It was awesome.”

“See? I told you. Who is he?”

I chuckle. “Well. Are you sitting down? It’s so much better than I could have imagined.”

“Sure. Keep me in suspense,” he grumbles.

“Keane Fitzpatrick,” I blurt. “I got matched up with Keane, as in Kerrigan’s dad.”

“The one you wanted to sleep with in the first place?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, shit,” Zayden says. “That’s kind of fucked-up and kind of amazing. Both at the same time.”

“I know.”

“So I take it you guys hit it off?”

“We did.” I think about how wonderful it felt to be with Keane. How caring he was, in bed and out of it, and how he offered to help me with the B and B, but not like he wants to boss me around. It’s just … support. The kind of support I love. “What’s Kerrigan going to think, though?”

Zay shakes his head. “Who cares what Kerrigan thinks. He’s a fucking cheater. He had a chance with you, and he lost you, and that’s on him. You don’t need to live the rest of your life—or even another minute—based on him.”

“I suppose,” I say slowly. “It’s just… I was so pissed at him, but now I don’t know how to feel. Bottom line, though, I like Keane a lot.”

---