Page 69 of Bragg's Love

Soleil ushers us into a corner. “Now they’re gone, tell us what’s happening with Elder.”

Harmony juts out her bottom lip. “But I want to hear about what’s happening between Eden and Miller.”

No way. She’s not changing the conversation and turning it on me. “Nothing’s happening.”

Soleil shushes me. “First Harmony. Then Eden.”

Harmony blows out a breath. “Nothing’s happening. He’s a friend is all.” At her explanation, I cock my eyebrow. “A friend as in I called him to help me corral a few animals when they escaped.”

“Why didn’t you call us?” We’ve helped her out before.

“It was Juniper’s wedding day. You were both swamped.”

Dang. I can’t argue with her there.

“I’ve explained the whole Elder is a platonic friend who catches animals with me-thing. Time for Eden.”

I shrug. “There’s nothing to tell. Miller and I had sex on the night of Juniper’s wedding, which you both know since there’s a picture of us entering his house on the town’s Facebook page. There’s nothing more to it.”

Soleil points to my eye. “Her eye is twitching. She’s definitely lying.”

I glare at her. How dare she know me this well?

“It’s time for the quiz to begin,” Lennon announces. Lennon is the former owner ofElectric Vibes.His real name isn’t Lennon. He adopted the nickname when he arrived in Winter Falls and no one remembers what his real name is anymore.

“We better find a seat,” I say and rush away.

“This isn’t over,” Harmony and Soleil holler in unison after me.

I’m sick and tired of people saying those words. I’m banning them from my vocabulary. Starting now.

Moon joins us as Harmony, Soleil, and I gather around a table. “You don’t want to sit with Riley?” I ask her.

I follow where she points across the room. Bad idea. It’s a table full of Bragg brothers. All of them are handsome, but I can’t keep my eyes off of Miller.

I can’t believe what an asshole his dad was to him. Did his brothers not defend him? They always seem to have each other’s backs. Maybe it’s all an act. I know better than most how families can pretend with each other.

“Why are you scowling at Miller?” Soleil asks. “What did he do?”

“I heard he was in the garden with her yesterday.” Moon wags her eyebrows.

“Is garden supposed to be a euphemism for sex? It’s not a very good one since I actually own a garden. It’s my livelihood. Plants are kind of my thing.”

“Tonight’s quiz theme is,” Lennon pauses, “famous friendships.”

“This sucks. I don’t know any famous friendships.”

I agree with Harmony. Unless friendships include symbiotic plants.

Soleil shushes us. “Don’t be such Debbie Downers. We’ve got this.”

“The rules of the quiz are—”

“We know the rules, Lennon,” Ashlyn cuts him off.

“Very well then. First question. Which painter caused Van Gogh to have a breakdown and cut off his ear before giving it to a prostitute?” Lennon asks.

Soleil’s hand shoots in the air. “Paul Gauguin.”

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