Page 344 of Love Bites

COCO

His dad. Magnus was Nico’s dad. I couldn’t wrap my brain all the way around that one. Or wouldn’t—it was totally embarrassing to have been caught in the hallway after sleeping with Magnus by his son whom I’d also slept with. Two generations…linked to me through sex.

I was going to puke.

I hadn’t gone to work, instead, texting Ginger that I wasn’t coming in. Not until later—after the storefront had closed. I’d finish the damn macarons for tonight from my own kitchen if I had to, but there was no way I was facing the town or the possibility of seeing either Magnus or Nico. I couldn’t.

And Magnus…I’d really felt something for him. Something deep down in my soul. What we’d done hadn’t just been sex, but that didn’t matter anymore. I’d slept with hisson. He’d never speak to me again. And even if he did, I couldn’t be with him. Not after that. I couldn’t come between the two men. I couldn’t have Magnus because I’d had Nico.

Fate was a cruel, cruel bitch.

“You had better be dressed,” Ginger hollered, storming into my bedroom with a frown on her pretty face. “What is this? What’s happening? Why are we hiding? What did that man do?”

Madeleine crept in after her, much quieter than our brash sister. Looking more concerned than mad. “What happened, Coco?”

I grabbed a pillow and shoved it over my face, unable to look at them. “He’s Nico’s dad.”

Ginger snatched the pillow away, climbing onto the mattress to hover over me. “Try that without this thing in the way.”

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes for just a moment. “Magnus is Nico’s dad.”

Silence. Neither woman said a word for a solid ten seconds as they stared at me. It was Madeleine who broke it, surprisingly.

“That explains so much.”

I bolted upright. “How does that explain anything other than that I slept with father and son?”

She shrugged one delicate shoulder. “It just does. Nico was sort of a jerk, and I never understood what you saw in him. But Magnus—he’s kind and caring and absolutely perfect for you. Maybe there’s a part of Magnus in Nico that was what attracted you to him.”

Ginger snorted. “Half his DNA is from Magnus—that’s more than a part.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said, trying to cover myself with the quilt but having to fight Ginger for it. “It’s done. Over. Nico can run off and marry Fiona, and Magnus can go back to…wherever he’s from. And me? I can sit here and be humiliated for the rest of my life. And celibate. Maybe I should join a nunnery.”

Madeleine scrunched her nose. “We’re not Catholic.”

“And you look horrible in hats.” Ginger sat down beside me with a huff. “Look, so you slept with father and son. It’s not like you knew they were related or you did it intentionally. It’s nothing more than a weird coincidence. You’ll forget about it in no time.”

But I didn’t want to forget—if I did, that would mean I’d be forgetting about Magnus. About the way he had made me feel last night. About how much my heart beat just for him. The very thought broke something inside of me.

“I really, really liked him,” I whispered as the first tears began to fall.

Madeleine settled in beside me and patted my hair, offering comfort in her own quiet way. “We know, Coco.”

No promises. No empty words likehe’ll come backormaybe things will work out…because they both knew how unlikely that was. And so did I.

“I can’t face them. If they come to the bakery, I won’t—”

A sob ripped from my chest, a picture of Magnus looking at me with disgust slamming into my head. No, I couldn’t face them. Couldn’t deal with Nico’s mocking or Magnus’ disgust. None of it. I simply didn’t have it in me to stand strong right then.

“No one is saying you have to face them at all, sweetie,” Ginger said as she grabbed my hand. “I wouldn’t even ask you to come to work, but we need you. The rehearsal dinner is tonight, and there’s no way we can get the macarons done without you.”

“Please,” Madeleine added. “I can’t make the filling taste like you do, and Ginger has no patience for almond flour anything.”

“It’s true. Almond flour is bullshit and hates me. All my macarons crack and dry out worse than some old spinster’s vag.” Ginger inched closer, cocking her head and looking serious. “We need you at the bakery or else we’ll fail at this job. You can hide in the back—no customer service required. But please come make the cookies.”

I had two pleading sisters and a heart that wouldn’t stop aching no matter what. Maybe being busy would do me some good. “Fine. But no customers—none. I don’t care who it is.”

“Pinkie swear,” Ginger said, holding out her pinkie as we’d done since we were kids. The three of us joined fingers, dissolving into giggles as we tried to hold on to one another.

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