Page 12 of Poppy Kisses
I scoffed. “He’s hung up on her. I know it.”
“To be fair, you’ve never known him to not be hung up on her. But a lot of time has passed. He’s raising their kid, and I haven’t seen her around.” She tipped her head. “If it makes you feel better, he never mentioned Hassie once when he was putting in the cabinets.”
The sound of an engine came from outside. I continued my back and forth, my hands on my hips. I could have the house. It could be mine. I’d just have to marry a guy who might still be obsessed with his ex.
It wouldn’t be a love arrangement. Just because it’d worked out for Lily, Violet, and Alder didn’t mean it would be the same for me. I wasn’t interested in Jensen anyway. Or his abs. Those broad shoulders. That ass I could bounce a quarter off of.
I shook my head just as a knock resounded at the door.
Violet poked her head in. “Alder said we could just come in. I want to make sure.”
I stopped with a stomp. “He told you?”
“I’m the guilty one,” Daisy said with a timid raise of her hand. “I thought all the experts could weigh in on this one.”
I couldn’t be mad. The only reason I hadn’t texted all of them was because Alder had arrived home right after Jensen had left. Then I’d ranted to Daisy. She must’ve sent an SOS text to my sisters when she’d changed clothes. Had I been that unhinged?
Violet entered, and Lily was right behind her.
I waved a hand toward the couch and recliner. “Might as well sit.”
When they were settled, I dropped to a cross-legged position on the floor. “I can’t marry him.”
“I thought you two used to be tight,” Violet said.
“Not tight.” We’d been each other’s biggest competition as kids. Who could kick farther, run faster, throw harder. Who did the best on a test. Who told the funniest story. “I was never a girl to him.”
“I bet you are now.” Lily chortled. “You were wearing those pants today?”
I frowned at my leggings. They were comfortable. I never did go for my run today, but I’d kept them on. “Yeah?”
The smile still played along Lily’s lips. “And that shirt?”
“If his eyes could leave prints,” Violet said, “I bet we’d find evidence on yourTandA.”
I pulled my shirt out. When I let go, it clung to my torso. “Why would he?”
“Your ass is fire in those,” Lily said. “You might as well not be wearing anything.” She waved her hand like she was clearing a cloud of smoke. “Regardless, he offered a deal. What was it exactly?”
I took a steadying breath. “If he married me, he could renovate the house and use it for marketing material and brochures.” The Perez house was a piece of local history. If he did good work, and if Alder and Daisy’s cabinets were an indicator, he was excellent, it’d go farther than a few typos. “I’d get the house, but in turn, I proof the pamphlets and brochures. Get him set up with some software.”
“That’s it?” Violet asked.
I nodded, unable to tell them specifics. Jensen could tell them, but not me. I couldn’t reveal that I tutored Auggie without risking my reputation and my job. My sisters wouldn’t tell anyone, but I had enough on my mind.
My oldest sister inspected me.
I wrung my hands together, trying not to wither under her scrutiny. “We ran into each other. He was more excited to see me than I was him.” They all nodded like they had bought my story. “I can’t do it. It’d be crazy.”
A little giggle left Daisy. Her eyes flared. “Sorry. You sound like I did after Alder proposed his bargain. I thought he’d lost his marbles. It was crazy,” she agreed. “It was also the right decision. Even if we didn’t fall back in love, it would’ve still been my best option.”
She’d had to move and had nowhere to go with Laila. Alder had wanted the house. The difference was that he had really wanted Daisy back. There’d been no falling back in love. They’d never been out of it. This house was a nice bonus.
“I can’t,” I said weakly. Jensen wasn’t a stranger, but this was marriage. Living with him. Hearing about Hassie.
Concern crinkled Violet’s brow. “Why not? What bothers you so bad about it? Don’t you feel safe with him?”
“I’d probably be the safest,” I said bitterly. “I’d probably be one of the guys to him. He was all about Hassie. Always comparing us. I never measured up.”
