“I never thought I would see the day when Daisy O’Donnellgot that look on her face for a man,” Devi said with wonder.
“I knew it would happen eventually.”Brianna stretched andhid a yawn.“I like him.He’s nice to her and her friends.I wholeheartedlyapprove and look forward to your wedding if we all survive.”
“Why wouldn’t we?”Daisy asked.Everyone was treating thislike some horrific, dangerous thing.Like a ball of violence rolling inevitablyher way.It was one dude who deserved every bit of prison time the law couldthrow at him.“Da is handling it.”
She had all the faith in the world when it came to herfather saving her.He would never allow anything bad to happen if he could fixit.It was what her da did.He fixed things.
“Yeah, well, my father is worried your father is currentlystarting a cartel war, and we might all get caught in the middle of it,”Brianna confessed.
“Da will be very careful.”Of that Daisy was sure.UncleAdam was on the dramatic side.It was why her short stint at Miles-Dean,Weston, and Murdoch hadn’t worked out.A girl hit one little delete button andit was like the world ended.It hadn’t been the world.It had been a kind ofmean-girl AI assistant, and Aunt Chelsea had sent her a cookie bouquet.Notthat it had saved her job.
“I’m not so sure about that.You are your father’s preciousbaby girl.He’s got to be panicking,” Brianna said.“He’ll do a lot to protectyou.I mean he and your brother apparently scared off all the Doms at TheHideout for years.I can’t believe we didn’t catch that.”
“I knew something was up.I mean when we walk into a bar alleyes go straight to Daisy’s chest, and that’s the women, too.”Devi cupped herown boobs, looking down at them.“I wish you’d grown more.Damn my athleticbuild.I have my mom’s boobs.”
“You have fashion model boobs,” Bri countered.“You canactually wear the clothes you design.”
Daisy was confident in her boobs.Nate liked her boobs.Hetalked about them all the time.
“I don’t design for skinny chicks.I design for all ofwomankind,” Devi explained.“Wait until you see the bridesmaids dresses I madefor Carys’s wedding.They’re beautiful, but the twins and Tash are in thebridal party, so there is definite cleavage.Daisy, tell her.You look gorgeousin yours.”
Would she be allowed out for Carys’s wedding?“They’restunning and very boob forward.”She loved it when Nate laid his head on herchest and snuggled.Was he thinking about weddings?They could go to Vegas andspend all the money they would have spent on a wedding on an amazing suite.Orshe could use it to fix up her house so they had somewhere lovely to live.Avision of Nate helping her paint and hang curtains floated through her head.She wanted to go grocery shopping with him.“I think I’m in love.”
Brianna’s eyes rolled.“Of course you are.You’ve been halfin love with him since you were a kid.I knew what would happen the minute yousaid he was coming to Dallas.I knew you would see him again and it would beover.”
“Over?”It didn’t feel over.It felt like life was justbeginning.
“The flirting.The crazy nights,” Bri said, a littlewistful.“I miss our crazy nights, but I also know you two are moving on withyour lives.You’re going into another stage.”
“I’m not moving on,” Devi replied with a shake of her head.“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m completely single over here.I’m stillone of the nuns of The Hideout.”
“But you are,” Brianna insisted.“You’re completely into aguy.It doesn’t matter if he can’t love you back.You feel something for him.Something I haven’t ever felt.I grew up around this amazing love, and itwasn’t only about my parents.I watched my brother.Tristan’s loved Carys allof his life.I don’t know what he’s doing, but I know he still loves Carys andhe still wants to share her with Aidan.I’ve never wanted anyone like that.Like Daisy wants Nate.Like you want Zach.”
Zach Reed.From what Daisy had put together, he was themilitary liaison for the CIA team.She was fairly certain someone had explainedit to her, but it was a lot of acronyms.He’d come to The Hideout with Cooperfor the first time a year and a half before, and Devi had very quietly lost hermind over the handsome captain.
Not that she’d told him.She’d made Daisy and Bri promisenot to say a word.They were a sisterhood within a sisterhood, and neither shenor Bri would ever break a confidence.
“I can want Zach all day, but we know who he wants,” Devisaid.
“She’s engaged.”Daisy knew what Devi thought.She’d watchedZach, and his eyes always followed Tasha Taggart.A month before they’doverheard Kenz and Kala talking about how Zach had admitted he was in love withtheir sister.“Tash is happy with Dare.Zach is a single man.”
“And Tasha is his type.Not me,” Devi replied.“So while Imight have these feelings, I’m not going to act on them.I’m not going to makea fool of myself.”
“Did I?”Daisy mused.She thought her friend was missing thepoint.
Devi neatly ducked as a pillow was thrown her way.Asorrywas yelled out, and one of the boys ran to reclaim it.“I didn’t say you were afool.It obviously worked out for you and Nate.”
“I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t tried.I think it mightbe more foolish to have these feelings and never give them a shot.Even if hedoesn’t want you.At least you know.And if you’re too scared to be forthright,there’s always masquerade night.But you should probably wear a betterdisguise.Apparently mine wasn’t great.”She reached out to her friend.“I knowhow it feels to want someone you think you can’t have.I also know what Bri issaying.When we were in college we were an unstoppable party, wreaking havocand fun everywhere we went.Now we have degrees and we spend our weekendssitting in the locker room at a sex club trying to figure out what to do withour lives.”
“I think you know what you want to do with yours,” Devichided.
She was wrong about that.“I know who I want to spend itwith.I’m not sure what I want to do.A psych degree sounded like a real thingat the time.Turns out there’s not a lot of call for it.Maybe I should givereal estate another shot.”
Bri groaned.“Or you should go back and get your master’sand become a therapist for children.Just don’t tell them about thesupervillain thing you so recently convinced poor Rand of.”
“I thought we were going to let her come to that conclusionon her own,” Devi pointed out.
The idea played around in her head.She did spend a lot ofher time talking to kids, and most of it was helping them with their problems.When she thought about it… It was…brilliant.“I would be good at that.I wouldenjoy it.”
