Page 59 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

I’m saved from possibly sticking my foot in my mouth in an attempt to cheer her up when the doorbell rings.

Arching a brow, I ask her, “Expecting someone?”

Brows pulled low, she shakes her head. “No. Did you order pizza?”

“No.”

When the bell rings a second time, she rolls her eyes. “It’s probably a delivery that needs a signature or something.”

“It’s after eight. Do they really deliver packages this late?”

She narrows her eyes at me and scowls. “I didn’t invite someone over, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

With a sigh, I stand. “I’ll get the door.”

“I’ll get the door,” she mimics in a sarcastic tone, following me.

As I approach, I make a mental note to have a peephole installed. If that’s a thing. If not, I’ll have a new door put in. Without a clue who’s waiting on the other side, I swing it open.

“Bertie!” Rosie shrieks before the identity of the girl in front of me registers. Rosie practically shoves me out of the way so she can hug her best friend. “I missed you.”

“You were going to see her tomorrow anyway,” I grumble at the intrusion.

“Hey, just because you stole her from me doesn’t mean you get to keep her all the time.” Bertie pokes me in the shoulder. When she turns back to Rosie, she gasps. “What happened to you?” She makes fists at me, like she’s ready to fight. “Did you hurt her?”

“What?” Rosie asks, closing the door. “Oh! My eye? It was an accident. I tried to break up a fight. I shouldn’t have stepped in.”

Bertie narrows her eyes on me. “I take it you were the one in the fight?”

Head tipped back, I plant my hands on my hips and sigh. “Perhaps.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Rosie grabs her friend’s wrist and tugs her over to the couch. “Look, we finally have furniture. I don’t have a proper bed yet, but it’s coming.”

“How’s this fake marriage of yours going?”

I stand awkwardly in the doorway of the living room, watching the two of them. I’m not exactly ready to go up to bed, but it feels weird interfering with their girl time.

Rosie settles on the couch, looking my way at Bertie’s question. “It’s going fine, I guess.”

“Hey.” Bertie snaps her fingers at me. “Make yourself useful and pop some popcorn.”

Rosie laughs, her dark hair swishing around her shoulders. I watch her for a moment too long before I shake myself out of my stupor.

With a grunt, I take a step back. “Any other requests?”

“Wine if you have it.” Bertie snaps her fingers. “Ooh, or champagne.”

“Why would we have champagne?” I mutter, turning for the kitchen. “I don’t even know if we have popcorn.”

I locate a bottle of wine in the fridge, but we don’t have wineglasses. The girls will have to make do with plain ole drinking glasses. I fill each halfway, then search the pantry for popcorn. There’s not much in there, so it doesn’t take me long to deduce that there is none.

Taking their glasses of wine to the living room, I tell Bertie, “No popcorn.”

“That’s okay,” she says with an unaffected shrug. “Order us pizza or something.”

Rosie giggles, flicking a brief glance my way. “She’s testing you,” she mouths.

Testing me? Am I passing? And why do I care?

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