Page 100 of My Wife
“We have a professional relationship. I’m just confused. Can’t possibly have a crush. Even if one of us does, he’ll do something dumb or I’ll smile too much and—” I slap my hands together. “Blam, it’ll be over.”
“Newsflash, it could grow stronger.” Delaney describes how things went with her and Hayden.
That’s when I realize that maybe my feelings for Liam have graduated from a crush to something more. But what? I’ve never felt this way before. Not about any previous boyfriend, of which I can count on one hand, and certainly not about Rexlan.
But what is it?
Cara squeals. “When you think about him is it like all those warm, cuddly, cozy feelings but enhanced like on the jumbo screen at the arena?”
I stare dumbly at her, wondering if she read my mind or if I’m so far gone I have one of those screens above my head, advertising my feelings, complete with pulsing little love hearts.
Margo adds, “Is he all you can think about?”
Pfft. As if. “He’s my boss, so he’s often on my mind.”
Gracie asks, “Does he stretch a lot?”
“He’s an athlete.”
“I mean like put his arm across the back of your chair? Lean in the doorframe, surreptitiously flexing?” Gracie lifts and lowers her eyebrows.
Yes, actually, but his muscles are probably tight.
“When your skin brushes his does it feel like it left a mark that you can’t ignore?” Leah asks with a sigh.
I swallow. “He’s left-handed so we bump each other a lot.”
Whit wears a mischievous smile. “Those little tingles inside lead to heart flutters which lead to feeling like you’re floating away.”
The girls giggle.
My phone beeps, but I ignore it. Another text follows and I check in case it’s the guy I want to simultaneously tell myself I’m not thinking about and trying to decide what kind of cake I should bake for him. Maybe that’s my measuring tool. Then again, I bake for the likes of Mrs. Kirby.
Instead, it’s Rexlan. I ignore the message as the conversation shifts from my so-called crush to the girls discussing the big gala coming up. The Knights are being honored with the Huckle-Strout Award and they all have to attend after a game in Colorado.
Cara describes her formal dress in a sapphire hue with a ruffled skirt that she’ll wear with her mother’s pearls.
“We have a dog sitter arranged,” Margo says.
“It’ll be nice to travel. I haven’t been to an away game in far too long,” Delaney adds.
“Did Liam get you a dress?” Cara asks.
“I already arranged for KJ to stay with Grandma Dolly for the two nights we’ll be gone, but I’m only joining Liam in an administrative capacity.”
“Then why did he ask Hayden my dress size?” Delaney asks.
“Because he wanted to get punched in the face?” I hazard a guess, thinking of the way Liam reacted when Grimaldi breathed in my direction. Okay, he called mebabyand said some stupid things too, but Liam probably didn’t want me getting distracted.
Delaney smirks. “No, he asked because you and I are about the same height and weight.”
I’m not sure how the conversation escalated from the girls asking about KJ to accurately intuiting my crush on Liam, claiming he has one on me, and now masterminding our big takeover of Denver, but here we are.
I can’t help but think about the last time I wore a gown and in one big avalanche of words, I tell everyone the details I’d withheld about being a jilted bride … and the lizard cult.
They look at me in wide-eyed silence.
Seated closest to me, Gracie pats my arm and says, “Darlin’, you’re safe here.”
