Uhm, yes? “I haven’t had sex in two years, what do you think?”
“I think you should hook up with the guy in the computer. He looks like he wouldn’t run scared at the first mention of a dildo.”
Neither would Rafe.
“Ew, are you—“ Dani squeaked buried her face in a throw cushion. “You’re thinking of my brother right now, aren’t you?”
“Jeez, maybe Jake was right to make a high school joke, you brat,” Olivia said without malice. It wasn’t fair that Dani’s crush would never be returned. The last thing she needed was a friend poking holes in her self-confidence too.
“Come on. You’re not looking for a rebound, are you?”
Olivia shook her head and smiled.
“Oh my god, my mom’s going to have a heart attack.” Dani fluttered her hands in the air. “Well, she’s going to pretend to have one. Then she’ll go out and buy baby stuff.”
“Whoa there, chickadee. That’s putting the cartwaybefore the horse. We haven’t seen each other in almost a month.”
“Then what has you smiling?”
“He’s been leaving me notes.”
Dani squealed and kicked her feet in the air. Sex was gross, but romance was one hundred percent shareable. Olivia grinned. “So now I need to find a way to make a move. But not, like, you know…a big move. Something PG-13.”
Her sister-in-law clapped her hands together. “Haunt the Park. Hayride in the dark, spooky goblins…it’s sweet and sexy and totally public. He’s going to be there, working, but we can probably work it out so he has a break around when you get there.”
“We?” The thought of others knowing her and Rafe were…were…whatwerethey doing? Flirting again? Oh, jeez. “Hang on, maybe this isn’t a good idea.”
“Sure it is. Just Dean needs to know, and he’s good with secrets.”
But you aren’t, sister-of-mine. Olivia offered a weak smile and nodded. “Sure.”
After Dani left, Olivia pulled the note from its hiding place in the kitchen and lay on her bed, reading the words over and over again. Yes, she’d make a move. And if it didn’t work out, they’d have Christmas together as friends and then she’d move on in the spring. That would give her seven weeks to gird her heart in impenetrable steel and find a way to truly just be friends.Or not. The tiny voice that represented her heart squeaked the ever-so-seductive alternative.Maybe this is the start of something new and special.
But hehadn’twritten any love letters when they were married. And while she wanted him to have turned a new leaf, this wasn’t really proof of that. This was just another attempt to woo her back to the same old, same old.Which maybe you gave up too quickly, too easily. Yep. Maybe she had.
With a growl, she shoved to her feet, stashed the note beside her bed and put on some running clothes. Not that she was actually going running—she’d done the Couch to 5k app on her phone a few times and decided that week three was her favourite workout. So that’s where she stayed. It also had the best playlist.
She left the house at a brisk walk, hoping the fresh air and extra oxygen pumping to her heart would help her sort out her mixed up feelings about Rafe.
Thirty minutes later she was sweaty, marginally healthier, and had absolutely no more clarity regarding her gorgeous hunk of an ex-husband.
Love notes.
Seriously.
What was a girl to do with that?
— TWELVE —
SHE was going to Haunt the Park in two days. To surprise Rafe. Right after Olivia tucked into bed with a book that night, Dani texted to confirm Dean would point Rafe in her direction, and they’d take a wagon ride together. It would be fun.
So why did she feel so damn nervous?
All the way through Friday morning breakfast rush, with everyone talking about the event, she was flustered. What would she wear?
That was a stupid question. It was the end of October in the Bruce, she’d be wrapped in warm stuff from head to toe.
Her phone chirped at ten o’clock, and then again at quarter after. By the time she sat down with a fresh cup of coffee, four messages were waiting from Greg.Good to go on the town meetingread the first one. Then,You’re working this morning, sorry.She laughed to herself.When you get a chance, call me. And then the last one was the longest.Will you call sooner if I tell you we want to offer you a full-time job until June?
