Page 77 of Torrid Passion
“They’ve been at the warehouse all morning. They should––”
“I think you’re wrong, Stella,” Hayden’s voice forces my attention to the door. “Coral will be the—” She freezes at the entrance when she sees me.
“Shit,” Stella lets out when she bumps into her cousin. “Why did you just–– Oh.”
“Loki? How are you?” Hayden says approaching.
“I’m good. And you?”
“I’m good.” Hayden turns to her cousin. “Look Stella, it’s Loki.”
“Oh wow, it’s Loki,” Stella acknowledges.
They’re both looking at me as if they’d just witnessed an appearance of the Virgin Mary.
“It’s been a while,” Hayden says, still visibly stunned.
“Time flies by, doesn’t it?” Stella says in a high-pitched voice.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on. They know.
“Sorry to drop by unannounced––”
“You don’t need an invitation to stop by our little boutique, Loki,” Hayden says.
“Pfft,” Stella says, swishing her hand in a semi-circle. “Nonsense. You can drop by anytime. You’re like family. After all, Harlow is practically a sister––”
Hayden gives her a hard stare.
Stella’s face turns as bright as a tomato.
They know.
“Is there a place we can talk?” I ask.
“Sure,” Hayden says. “We can go to the sitting room on the third floor.”
“Sounds good. Lead the way,” I say, extending a hand.
I follow Hayden and Stella through the shop, up the stairs and down the hallway.
“Please, have a seat,” Hayden invites.
“Thanks,” I say sitting on one of the armchairs.
Stella and Hayden sit across from me on the white couch.
“By the way, congratulations on your success,” I say. “I’m impressed.”
“Thank you,” they chime in unison.
“Nearly-couture is big business,” I chuckle.
“Charlene?” Hayden laughs.
“I had never heard the word before.”
“She takes almost-designer wear very seriously,” Hayden explains.
