“Don’t you freaking dare.”
Snickering, she glanced at my screen.
Hey, Tom.It’s Danica.I totally forgot to grab those documents from you.Gabrielle says she doesn’t need the originals.Any chance you can scan them on your phone and send them over?She wants to take a look first thing in the morning, then send them to her contacts.
“To the point.Very matter of fact.Very … boring,” my cousin said.“He’s going to be so turned on.”
“No more wine for you,” I threatened, grabbing the bottle and emptying the rest of it into my glass.I needed some liquid courage before I hit “send.”
Taking a long, thorough gulp.I let the merlot sit on my tongue for a solid couple of seconds before finally hitting “send.”
No turning back now.
I set my phone face down on the table and glared at my cousin.“Now that you’re all happy and in love, you’re a real shit disturber, you know that?”
Gabrielle smiled coyly.“I just want everyone to be as happy as I am.”She glanced over her shoulder at Maverick in the kitchen, who beamed at her and then blew a kiss.
“You two make me sick,” I muttered, just as my phone vibrated and chimed.
“Ooh, that was fast.”
Glaring even harder at my cousin, I grabbed my phone where, sure enough, Tom had responded.
Of course.I will attach the scans now.Thank you for your help.
Then a flurry of attachments came through one after the other.I immediately forwarded them all to Gabrielle, and then when they stopped, shot off a quick reply to Tom.
Perfect.Thank you.See you tomorrow.
Buona notte, Danica.
Gabrielle snatched my phone from my hand.“What’d he say that has you grinning like that?”Her mouth made anO.“Oh shit, he’s speaking Italian to you.”
My face was on fire as I grabbed my phone from her.“I don’t know if I like this new, happy, in-love Gabrielle.She’s annoying.”
“She’s here to stay, so get used to it,” Maverick said.“I’m not going anywhere.”
I glared at the handsome young hockey player who had turned my slightly bitter, very closed-off, no-nonsense cousin into this mushy, love-sick fool.“I blame you.”
“Guilty.”He winked at me.
“Sam!”I called out, standing up from my seat and finishing my wine.“Home time.”
“Awe, is the truth a tough pill to swallow?”Gabrielle asked, sipping her wine.
“We have things to do,” was all I said as I made my way to the front door, slid into my shoes, and grabbed my cardigan from the hook.“I also have to finish that spreadsheet for this summer’s staff budget.”
Sam emerged from the hallway, along with Laurel.
We said goodbye to everyone, and I thanked my cousin for dinner, then my daughter and I left, climbing the stairs to our carriage house.
“Laurel said she overheard Aunt Gabrielle teasing you aboutlikingTom,” Sam said as we toed off our shoes and stowed them in the coat closet.“Is that true?Do youlikehim?”
Stupid Gabrielle and her happy, loud voice.She absolutely would not have appreciated any of this if the shoe were on the other foot.In fact, ithadbeen on the other foot not too long ago, and she didn’t appreciate Raina and Naomi’s ribbings.I stayed out of it though.Mostly.
I loved the woman, but she was a hypocrite in love at the moment.
“You’re not answering me,” Sam said, making her way into the kitchen and opening the fridge.She pulled out the shawarma-style tofu I made earlier today and started preparing herself a wrap for lunch tomorrow.
