Page 28 of Too Sweet

“Seven!? How do you know that?”

“Because I’m the one who’s been poring over the paperwork and the data, brother. The only thing getting in the way of the Mosley sisters is us.”

“What are you getting at?”

“We screwed up. We shouldn’t be forcing them to locate their shop in Gold Hill.”

“Come on, dude. Fate is in the middle of nowhere.”

“Let’s go, then,” I tell him, waving for him to follow me.

“Where are we going?”

I make my way toward the garage. “We’re going to take a drive across the state line.”

“No way. I’m not going there? I won’t.”

“You will if you want to pursue things with that girl.”

It doesn’t take much more arm-twisting to get him into the car, and soon, we’re on our way.

chapter

twelve

Summer

Am I losing my mind?

Did I manifest this?

I called in sick from work last night and instead stayed up all night talking things out with Harmony.

We’d decided to take up our retired mother’s offer to co-sign a business loan. We hadn’t wanted to ask her, but she offered.

We’ll just have to get a lease on a smaller location off the beaten path instead of our dream location on the courthouse square. We’ll have to work harder at spreading the word, but everything will work out once people know about us.

I think.

And I might have to keep my job at the nightclub a little longer.

Today, I’ll tell the boys we’ve changed direction. If that puts our potential dating situations at risk, so be it.

The biggest downside of all of this is I’ve never been this instantly sexually compatible with anyone as I seem to be with Carter. But sex isn’t everything. I’ll get past it. Besides, it’s better not to mix business and dating.

Honestly, what was I thinking, using my feminine wiles to lure investors? The more I think about it, the more I realize I should have listened to Harmony in the first place.

But now, despite preparing all night for our meeting at the bank, I feel unsteady on my feet at what I see before me.

Am I sleep-deprived?

That must be it. I’m sleep-deprived and hallucinating because there is no way that Carter and Cooper are here, chatting up our mother in the lobby of the First National Bank of Fate.

Mom is bent over laughing at something, her hand on Cooper’s shoulder.

“What is happening?” I blurt.

Mom dabs her eyes, catching her breath. “Good morning, girls! So nice of you to join us. The boys here were just telling me stories about the amazing Gabriella MacKenzie. I can’t believe you two didn’t tell me you knew such an interesting family!”

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