Page 33 of Falling for Love

“Cupid, huh?” I said, grabbing a towel to make myself look busy. “You’re all delusional.”

Violet snorted, her hands deftly shaping biscuits.

“Delusional, my foot. You’ve been floating around here like a lovesick puppy since you got back from Evie’s place.”

My head snapped up, and they both grinned.

Great. I was never going to live this down.

“If you knew it’s because I’ve been spending time with Evie, then why all this ribbing?”

“It’s the Harper way.” Vi laughed. “You two were pretty ruthless when it came to Owen.”

“She’s a good friend,” I said with a quick shrug. “And her kid’s great.”

“Good friend,” Fifi repeated with a laugh. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Before I could respond, the kitchen door swung open, and Mom walked in, carrying a basket of apples she’d gotten from the cellar.

Her sharp eyes immediately landed on me, and she raised an eyebrow. “What’s this I hear about Liam being in la-la land?”

I groaned, scrubbing a hand over my face. “Not you, too, Mom.”

“Oh, absolutely me too,” she said, setting the basket down and pulling a few sprigs of thyme. “If my son’s head is in the clouds, I’d like to know why.”

Violet grinned, her hands still dusted with flour. “Evie Grayson.”

“Evie Grayson,” Mom repeated, her eyebrows lifting slightly. “The farrier?”

“Yep,” Fifi said with a dramatic sigh. “Apparently, she’s got our big, strong Liam all weak in the knees.”

I shot her a look. “I’m not weak in the knees.”

“Sure, you’re not,” Violet said, smirking. “That’s why you’ve been staring into space like a lovesick teenager.”

Mom chuckled, but her expression softened as she looked at me. “So, what’s the story?”

“There’s no story,” I said, not convincing a soul. “She’s a great mom, and Hayden—her son—is an awesome kid. That’s it.”

Fifi leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Uh-huh. And you just happened to show up at her house with soup and snacks because…?”

“Because her kid was sick,” I said, exasperated. “It’s called being helpful. And how do you know these details?”

“I’ve got my sources.” She grinned. “I just joined the Sunshine Breakfast Club.”

My eyebrows shot up. “The book club?”

She nodded coyly. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

“Why would you do that?” I asked, knowing full well that it was more of a matchmaking club than anything. “You trying to find your soul mate?”

She waved her hands in the air. “Don’t deflect. You’re the one all goo-goo over the town’s cutest single mom.”

“I’m not goo goo. I’m not sure what it is,” I said more gruffly than I intended.

“It’s called being smitten,” Violet said under her breath.

I ignored her, focusing instead on the apples Mom was chopping.

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