Page 68 of The Marriage Deal
“You can vent to me any time.”
She gives the kitten a little jostle in her arms. “He’s a kitten, so he’ll go easier than a cat. The fact he’s black though…”
“I’ll take him.”
Madelyn’s brows wing up. “You will?”
“Absolutely. Yes.” I’m not sure if I’m nodding to convince her or myself. “Senior seemed to like him, and he’ll get used to Senior eventually.”
“And your fiancé?”
“Oh, him.” I absolutely hadnotforgotten about Briggs. Not even for a second. In fact, he’s been on my mind every second since he made me come all the way apart two mornings ago. It’s been two days of agony as I spend literally all the time I can away from the house and myfiancé. In fact, I invited myself home for dinner with Mom and Dad just to avoid him.
Madelyn huffs a laugh. “Yes, him. The man you’re marrying. You know, the one you live with?”
I wave her off. “He’ll be fine.”
“You don’t think you should consult with him?”
I stretch out ‘give me’ hands to the kitten. Madelyn hands him over and I tuck him gently into my chest. His little heart is just pounding. Poor baby.
“Nope.” I drop a kiss to his head. “Spookers is mine.”
“Spookers?”
“He looks like a Halloween window sticker. It suits, doesn’t it?”
“Aren’t spooks supposed to be CIA spies?”
“Well, you never know. He could be a little spy. You’d never see him in the dark.”
“True.”
I huff. “I can’t name him Boo.”
“Overused,” Madelyn agrees. “I’m still concerned about Briggs.”
“Oh, please. The man has to know what it means to get a wife and give her all that land he has. I mean—what woman wouldn’t fill it with animals?”
“Maybe. I mean, if it was real.”
“He wants it to appear real. If it was, this is what I’d do.” I shoot her a big smile as I give Spookers a gentle little bounce. “He should consider himself lucky I’ve not brought home chickens. Or goats.” A maniacal giggle escapes me. “It could be goats.”
Madelyn shakes her head, but she’s laughing too, now. “What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall of that man’s mind. You’ve got to be driving him half mad by now.”
I shrug. “Perhaps.”
Her eyes narrow, sensing there’s something I’m not telling her. She folds her arms over her chest and demands. “Spill. Now.”
I spill because, truthfully, I need a little help decoding the insanity of what happened between us.
27
IT COULD BE GOATS
LILAH
“Damn, it’s hot as Hades out here,” I mutter as I wipe the sweat from my brow with the back of my garden glove-covered hand. I’m thankful Briggs isn’t home yet. His front yard looks like a bomb of earth and flowers went off. Pots areeverywhere.
