Page 25 of Building What's Meant to Be

Christina and Camellia exchange a glance as if to say that I have a point.

“Maybe you got power hungry and are trying to usurp Stoll and take the throne for your own,” Bess says dramatically. She lives in a castle now so this isn’t entirely surprising.

“I’m not a monarch nor do I have any intention of lording over anyone.” I lower my voice and indicate they gather close. “Stoll and I had locked horns too many times to count. I wasn’t making progress, so I decided to change my approach. Butter him up as it were.” That’s entirely true, but not exclusively for the reasons they’d assume. After I discovered his dealings with the governor, I had to get intel and fast.

Mae rocks back on her heels and narrows her eyes, studying me.

Bess nods slowly as if she’s slightly closer to believing me than our little sister.

The guys shrug like it makes sense. The other ladybosses seem to agree.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Bess asks.

“I don’t have a good reason other than that y’all have been busy with your respective projects and partners.” I didn’t think before I spoke, but this is also entirely true.

With all of them paired off, I’m the last man standing. The sole bachelor. I can’t claim to be jealous, but it’s hard not to notice how happy they all are...well, except right now. They’re not too pleased with me.

Preoccupied with this colossal dumpster fire of a confrontation, I catch Taylor’s gaze. Forget missiles, the guy’s glare is nuclear...and it’s aimed at me as well as the figure in a sequined dress standing just left of my six.

There is a tiny, yet important, detail that only reaches me now, on this side of freedom.

If I remember correctly, Taylor and Tinsley have a past. Not a sordid one and not a particularly involved one...unless there’s someone else named Tinsley. Likely not. She was instrumental during the period we call his “Midlife Blues.” And it wasn’t all musical. She was one of the reasons he took a break from the band and decided to come home—the attention was too much. From fans and from her. In fact, I had some choice words to remind him that she was a manipulative, lying, cheater—not that I knew that last part for sure. All I heard were his routine complaints about a woman named Tinsley. I never met her but slim chance there are two Tinsleys.

I clear my throat, and say, “Everyone, this is Tinsley—”

“I know,” Mae and Taylor say in unison. Though it’s more of a gnashing and grinding sound than regular speech.

“Tinsley, you’ve met Taylor and Mae, I belatedly realize.” To say I was distracted by her bombshell beauty, not to mention the case, is an understatement and not something I feel too good about. “Mae is my sister and Taylor is one of my oldest friends. Meet Louella Belle, she’s a Butterbury local, born and raised along with Bo, her husband.”

“Hey, you’re Mr. Fix-It,” Tinsley says, body angled away from Mae and Taylor as if she thinks by not facing them, she can avoid them. Not likely in this small town.

Forget a dumpster fire. This is a flaming cesspool of discomfort.

Bo’s stony nod suggests he picks up on the general vibe of the situation.

“Louella Belle, Christina, Camellia, and Mae are the ladybosses.”

“From Designed to Last. I love that show.” The bubbly tone Tinsley tries for pops with each word.

“Yep. Then you remember Buck from the Easton Estate makeover. He and Christina are married. Camellia and Nash fixed up the inn on Main Street just down there.”

“The Christmas special was so romantic. Congratulations.” Tinsley smiles warmly.

“Thank you,” Camellia says.

Mae elbows her.

“And this is Bess, my other sister, and her husband Cassian. They’re the latest and greatest additions to the town.”

He’s ex-military and is aware that I’m not the jet-setting lover boy I make myself out to be. He also made it clear he doesn’t want to know more than that—about my job and love life. I’ve had a few flings. More than a few. But the longer I’ve been in Butterbury, the more I want to linger. To settle down. To grow roots. No one knows that and probably assumes the worst about Tinsley and me exiting the jail together.

This crew is my real-life family, so I don’t want to do anything to mess it up. But I also have a duty to my country and the two cannot overlap.

“This is like a who’s who of Butterbury,” Tinsley says.

I spread my arms grandly. “They’re the best. Can I buy y’all pie and we can talk some more?”

“Don’t try to butter us up like you did with Stoll,” Mae says.

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