Page 54 of Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Mandy never did things in half measures.

“No offense, but your cousin is a selfish bitch. I can’t stand that woman.”

Most people couldn’t, but blood was blood, and Cassie had never been able to shut her cousin out of her life completely.

“Fingers crossed she doesn’t come.” Charlie held up her intertwined appendages.

They sat on Cassie’s couch, thumbing through the mountain of magazines. She had to admit, it was kind of fun planning a wedding, even if it wasn’t entirely real. Most little girls spent hours imagining their future nuptials, and she’d been no different. True, she hadn’t thought about marriage in years; she’d been too busy with her jewelry business and the various charities she helped. But sitting here with her best friend looking at colors, flower arrangements, and dresses felt kind of nice. An indulgence she rarely afforded herself.

“Ooooh, how about this?” Charlie pointed to a picture of a bride and groom sitting in a horse-drawn carriage. “Looks pretty romantic.”

“Yeah, I don’t think Del would go for that. Horses give him the willies.” Something she knew because they’d watched some old western the other night in bed, and he’d shuddered at the horse-riding scenes, remarking on the stupidity of riding an animal that could trample you to death.

Blue eyes, the very same color as Del’s widened as they stared at her.

“What?” Cassie asked. Charlie was looking at her like she had two heads.

“I know that. I’m just surprised you know that.” Charlie shook her head. “My brother never shares his phobia of horses with anyone. He thinks it makes him look like a tourist.”

“Not everyone in Colorado is a cowboy.”

“Yeah, but…it’s just still a little weird, ya know. You and my baby brother.”

“He’s hardly a baby.” Annoyance stiffened her spine, mostly because she did feel a little embarrassed marrying a man two years her junior.

“I know that, but he’s so unlike the men you usually date.”

She raised a brow. “Meaning?”

Charlie held up her hands in defense. “Look, I love my little brother, but he can be a bit immature about things. I suppose it’s just the curse of being the baby of the family, but Delta has always had it easier than the rest of us, and he’s taken advantage of that fact.”

A few weeks ago, she would have agreed, but after spending time with Del, getting to know him, who he really was, she had a different opinion of how his family treated him. Ire rose within her, and she found her cheeks heating with temper.

“You know, I don’t think you or the twins give Del enough credit. You all treat him like a child, but do you even realize he’s a grown man? Has there ever been an issue with him managing Jack’s? No. He’s a very hard worker. He’s not the slacker you all seem to think he is.”

Charlie stared at her with wide eyes. “Wow.”

“What?”

“You really do love Delta. Don’t you?”

Did she? No. The rapid tempo of her pulse was just due to nerves, fear of his sister discovering their ruse. She didn’t love Del… No. Impossible. Sure, the man was kind, caring, sweet, and sexy. Dynamite in the sack too, but that did not add up to love. She just hated seeing his family disregard him the way her own had. He was a kindred soul. That’s all it was, not love.

Too bad she couldn’t tell Charlie that.

“We are getting married.” A non-answer, but one she hoped her friend would accept as agreement.

“I know, but I kind of suspected it was just because of this will stuff. But now,” her head tilted. “I can see it goes deeper than that.”

Sickness rose within her, guilt clogging her throat because her friend was wrong. It didn’t go deeper. Their marriage had everything to do with the will and nothing to do with love or feelings. The confession sat there on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back. She couldn’t reveal the truth. She and Del were in this thing too deep now.

“I’m happy for you, Cassie. And I’m happy for my brother. He’s getting the best woman in the world as his wife.” Charlie’s eyes widened, her hands covering her mouth as she gasped. “Oh my God, I just realized, we’re going to be sisters!”

She squealed—a very rare occurrence for Charlie—and threw her arms around Cassie’s neck, hugging her tight. Cassie returned the embrace, feeling like week-old garbage. She was lying to her best friend. What would Charlie do when she found out the truth? Nothing, because they could never reveal the truth.

But one thing still worried her, a thought that chilled her blood. They might not ever reveal their ruse, but they’d have to separate at some point. She held no illusion that Del would want to stay fake married to her forever. What would happen when they divorced? Would Charlie still be her friend? Not likely. Who stayed friends with their ex-sister-in-law? Blood canceled out friendship every time.

Once she and Del dissolved their union, she would lose her best friend, too. She’d have to distance herself from the entire Jackson family.

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