Page 5 of From Our First

“Please stop trying to make up words when you don’t understand.” Paris scrunched her nose.

“You just threatened to smite me, so I’m not exactly sure you have a leg to stand on,” I said.

“Speaking of promises, I’m glad you came.” Dakota set an herbal tea in front of me. It smelled lovely and was already made perfectly with a dash of honey and a dollop of cream.

“Oh, thank you.” I brought it to my nose to inhale its scent. “It smells divine.”

Paris sighed. “If you’re done making love to your tea, let’s talk about that promise you made. A pact, indeed.”

I narrowed my eyes into slits as I stared at Paris and casually took a sip of my drink. It was the perfect temperature.

Dakota was a genius.

“Scooch,” Dakota said, and I sighed, setting down my cup and sliding across the booth.

“Shouldn’t you be working?” I asked.

“I have been, but I’m not allowed to be on my leg for too many hours a day or Macon starts growling.”

I winced, having been so entirely focused on myself that I had forgotten that Dakota had been injured. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? What can I do? Do I need to get you coffee?”

Dakota laughed, shaking her head. “No, I got myself some earlier. And don’t worry, I’m fine. This is my allotted break time, though. And it is time for the final straw.”

Hazel clapped her hands in front of her. “Yes. Just wait until you see the list I have for you.”

“Me, too!” Paris said, clapping her hands together.

“You have lists?” I asked, wondering why I felt nauseous and excited at the same time.

I had thought maybe they’d try to put me together with Nate. It only made sense. Everybody could tell something was going on between us. The girls liked to joke that it may sound like hate, but it had to be sexual attraction.

I was not sexually attracted to Nathan Brady.

There.

And since we were all in the same group, four men and four women, and with three couples already paired up, it would only make sense for me to be with Nate.

But itdidn’tmake sense. At all. I was not going to be with Nathan Brady.

And I had to stop saying his name like that, or every memory I had of him would come back to me, and I would likely throw up.

“I have a list, too.” Dakota smiled

“I’m really worried about this. I thought we exhausted our lists with Paris. There were a lot of men on that list,” I said dryly.

Paris discreetly flipped me off. “They were all duds, and the guy we set Hazel up with originally is back with his wife. However, we have been waiting for this. You are the perfect person for the men we couldn’t be with,” Paris added and blinked as her words caught up with her.

I sighed. “Thanks for that. All of your rejects are for me.”

“No, not rejects. Simply not perfect matches. I do believe we can find your perfect match,” Hazel corrected.

I’d thought I already found it.

I ignored that thought once again. What was wrong with me? I had gone years without thinking of Nate like this. Apparently, having him in my life daily and trying to talk to one another and not fight all the time just put him on the periphery more.

I couldn’t ignore him. I couldn’t overlook the memories.

I couldn’t forget that I knew what he felt like hovering over me as he gently kissed me, taking me to sensual places I’d never been before.

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