Page 52 of The Wish List
“I’m not looking for a relationship.” Her words hung in the cool, quiet air.
Declan nodded. “I’ll be there until eleven,” he said and walked toward his car.
Beth felt anticipation skitter through her even though she had no intention of going to Champions to meet him.
She thought about returning to her empty house and found the idea held no appeal. Instead, she walked across the street to her mother’s house. As she climbed the porch steps, a low-level panic gripped her. What if Trinity and Freya were doing something they wouldn’t want her involved in?
Her sisters had always been tight, although she and Freya were closer in age. Even before the divorce and the book, Beth had felt like an outsider, unsure how to deal with Freya’s big personality or Trinity’s exuberance about even the most minute aspect of life.
Beth had been what her father termed an “old soul.” At that point, it sounded like a compliment. As she grew older, she wasn’t so sure.
Did she walk in or knock on the door? What if they were disappointed to see her? Maybe she should just turn around and—
The front door opened, and Trinity yanked her inside. “What are you waiting for—an invitation?”
Beth chose not to answer that specific question. “How did you know I was outside?”
“We saw you talking to Declan on the street,” Freya said, closing the buttery cardigan she wore and crossing her arms over her chest.
Trinity looked embarrassed like she’d been caught snooping. “I forgot that I picked up some fresh cookies today, but I left them in my car. I was about to go out when I noticed you and Dec.”
“Are you spying on me?” Beth demanded.
“Absolutely,” Freya confirmed. “Although it was kind of hard to focus past the blinding chemistry between the two of you. He’s a perfect rebound guy.”
Beth sniffed. “I’ve been divorced almost a year now. How do you know I haven’t already had my rebound?”
“That’s a rhetorical question, right?” Freya grinned. “Because I would hope if you’ve had a rebound worth anything, you wouldn’t still be so tightly wound.”
“I am not wound tight.”
“I’m going to get the cookies,” Trinity said, clearly not wanting to get in the middle of her older sisters. “There’s wine in the kitchen if you want it. Freya already has a glass. For the record, I think it’s rude for the two of you to drink in front of me.”
Freya tipped the stem of her goblet. “I toasted you. Doesn’t that count?”
“It was a nice touch,” Trinity admitted. “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone.”
“It’s still weird when she says adult things,” Beth said as the front door closed behind her baby sister.
“And shows more maturity than either of us.”
“That, too.”
“Why did you let Dec leave by himself?”
“He had to work.” Before she thought better of it, Beth added, “He asked me to stop by the bar before he gets off. I think that means something.”
“It probably means he wants to walk you home, and I am talking about the horizontal walk.”
Beth blinked. “You can’t walk horizontally.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do, and it terrifies me.”
“What did I miss?” Trinity asked as she came through the door, already taking a bite of cookie.
To Beth’s surprise, Freya didn’t immediately blurt out her secret. But she did cock a brow.
