Page 87 of Claimed By my Frenemy

“You’re a girl.”

“What’sthatsupposed to mean?”

“It means that it’s easier for you to keep things clean.”

“What? When girls are born, they have a broom in their hands or something?”

I start laughing at the offense Mia is taking to my comment, and I wrap my arms around her. “What about if you close your eyes and forget you ever saw anything?”

“I don’t know if that’s possible now.”

I kiss Mia’s neck gently, my lips working away at her skin. I feel Mia melting into my arms. “Are you sure that’s not possible?”

Mia’s eyes start fluttering closed. “I might be able to for you.”

I kiss her cheek loudly. “I love you, Mia.”

“I love you too, Theo. Now, let’s go see your bedroom.”

43

MIA

“We are goingto kick you out,” Aurora threatens playfully.

“No! I may not be a spinster, but I still love hanging out with you guys,” I protest, trying to muster my best puppy-dog eyes. The laughter that erupts around our corner booth at Groovy Grounds reassures me that my plea has been received in good humor.

Groovy Grounds is our go-to spot, and we’re here almost every week now.

Addison takes care of us every time, and we make sure to leave her a big tip because we always hog our table way longer than we should.

Now that I’ve been dating Theo for six months, everyone thinks I shouldn’t be allowed to be part of the Spinsters’ Society anymore.

Madison, always the instigator, grins at me from across the table. “You’re just lucky we like Theo. Otherwise, we’d have to hold some serious friend meetings about you ditching us for him.”

Zoey leans forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Speaking of Theo, how are things going with the bed and breakfast? I saw some awesome reviews online.”

Excited for the chance to tell my friends about my success, I lean forward. It’s January now, so business isn’t too busy. But it will pick back up when people start having their spring breaks. “Yeah, it’s been amazing. The guests love it, and the breakfast menu we put together is a hit. Plus, Theo’s resort is doing really well, too. We’ve both been really busy, but it’s been worth it.”

Aurora, ever the skeptic but also my fiercest protector, gives me a searching look. “And how are you feeling about everything? You know, between you and Theo?”

I smile, thinking about the past few months and how much we’ve both grown. “Honestly, I’m really happy. There were some rocky moments, but we’ve worked through them. We’re in a good place. And honestly, I could see myself with him for the rest of my life.”

Stella squeals happily, and Zoey squeezes my arm in encouragement.

Madison raises her coffee cup in a mock toast. “To Mia and Theo, the power couple of the coast!”

We all clink our cups together, laughing. It feels so good to be here, surrounded by my friends, catching up on life. For a moment, everything feels perfect.

I laugh, shaking my head. “I’ve missed this, getting together all the time. It’s been too long since we’ve all hung out. I feel like someone is always missing for something.”

“Guilty!” Stella lifts a hand. Her hair now has bright yellow highlights. Somehow, the look works on her. “I’ve been working extra shifts for more dough.”

“Sorry, guys,” Madison says. “I haven’t been working a whole lot as you know, but I have been taking those training classes sowhen Idoopen my surf school, I’ll be properly certified. Plus, Samson keeps me on my toes.”

“Did you ever get that dog walker you talked about?” Aurora asks.

“Yes, actually, her name is Emery, and she’s excellent. She is like Samson’s aunt basically. He gets so excited when she arrives.”

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