Shit.
He had a point. This is exactly why he is such a problem for me. He scrambles my better sense. Obviously, or I wouldn’t be in this situation.
“Go get changed and fixed up. I need to finish my shower so we don’t make them late. We can finish this later.”
I search his face for a minute and then smile, a stupid giddy one because Colton St. George makes me feel like a girl with a crush rather than a grown woman who should know better.
“Okay.” I push off the tile wall and move around him, glancing at myself in the mirror. I look a little drowned but a quick change of clothes, makeup wipes, and a round with the blow dryer should fix most of it. As I reach for the door handle, he clears his throat.
“And Joss?” he calls after me.
“Yeah?” I answer without looking back because if I do there’s a good chance I’ll go running back to him.
“Wear a skirt.”
I grin to myself but walk out the door without saying anything.
TWELVE
Colt
I don’t knowwhat magic she has, but she manages to look gorgeous by the time we’re leaving for the aquarium a bit later. I smile when I see the skirt she has on, and she gives me a sly grin behind their backs.
When we’re in the car she keeps a chaste distance, and we get sucked into several conversations about the team, Violet’s work, and the plans the girls have for the nonprofit Joss and Harper are launching.
“You’re going to have to get your board members lined up pretty quickly, so you can adopt your bylaws and get everything in order to start taking donations. The sooner the better.” Violet turns to look at Joss in the back seat.
“I know, but I don’t want to pick just anyone. The board’s going to have to be good. Have a lot of reach in the community and enough standing that they can hit the ground running building partnerships. Ideally, someone who already knows some of the museum and arts organization directors because we need their buy-in quickly for this to have staying power.”
“What about someone who knows a bunch of directors, the mayor, and just won the city keeper award for their involvement with the local nonprofits? Allegedly the last fundraiser they had raised over ten million dollars for the charity in one night,” Ben adds from the front seat.
“Sounds like a magical unicorn who wouldn’t want to work with a startup nonprofit. You’ve got a special in with them, Benny? Cause I’ll buy you all the appetizers you want if you can get them interested.” Joss grins at him through the rearview mirror.
“I think I could convince him. He’d probably want a prominent position though, where he had some real sway in the organization.”
“I mean with those credentials I’d make him president. Well, they’d have to vote—the board. But if he is what you say, no way a sensible board would want anyone else in that seat.”
“I think he’d probably agree to that.”
“Don’t get my hopes up, Benjamin.” Joss gives him a look like she doesn’t quite believe it.
“If we’re talking president and it means I get to boss the co-directors around on occasion, I’d do it.” I turn to Joss, raising my eyebrow and giving her a smug grin as she lets out a tiny, shocked sound.
“No.” Joss looks to me with accusation but a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
“Yep.” Ben looks incredibly pleased that he managed to walk her straight into that trap.
“Vi, I thought we were friends. You’re just going to let your husband bamboozle me like that?”
“It was for your own good.”
Joss folds her arms over her chest and gives me a sidelong glance. She pretends to look irritated, but I honestly think she’s a little proud. Like she’s assessing me differently with the new information. I give her half a smirk, and I get a huff and a small smile in return.
When we getto the aquarium the place is nearly empty, and Ben looks to Violet quizzically as he pulls the door open for her.
“So when I said it was an after-hours event, I actually meant we have the place to ourselves.” Violet grins at him.
“What? The whole place?”
