“Well, is there something about him that makes you not want to live with him or marry him? Is there something wrong with him?”
“No! There’s nothing wrong with him at all. He’s adorable, he’s kind, and he’s funny. I do love him.” She flops back down on the bed, her head hitting the pillow with a thud. “I do want to live with him,” she whispers.
Tara starts to chuckle, which sets me off.
“What’s so damn funny?” Lottie asks in a grumpy voice with the frown to match.
“Oh, nothing, babe.” I slip my arm around her shoulder and kiss the side of her head. “You’re so damn stubborn, do you know that?”
“Yes, I know that,” she snaps.
“Well, does Spike know you want to live with him?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Tara probes.
“Because I keep telling him I don’t want to.”
“Lottie! Why?” I say, already knowing the answer before she replies.
“Because he loves me because I’m strong and feisty. If I admit that I need him, even that I want to need him, that I like needing him, he’s going to think that I’m weak, then he won’t love me anymore.” She throws the words out fast, all in one breath and drops her shoulders, shoving her head into her hands when she’s finished.
“Lottie,” I say softly.
“What?” she mumbles into her hands
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Tara says, joining our hug. Lottie is sandwiched between us and squeezed tight.
“Ugh, you girls are mushy. I don’t like this soft side you bring out in me.” She pushes us both away and hops up off the bed. “Time to wash these masks off.” She strides into the bathroom and I can hear the water being run. That’s her way of finishing this conversation. We’ve given her enough to think about, and I’ll revisit this discussion another time.
“She’s such a crank,” Tara says affectionately. “I always wanted a sister. Now it’s like I have two. You’re sticking around, aren’t you, Ari? You’re not going to leave me and my brother broken hearted?”
“I’m sticking around,” I say with a smile. “For as long as you’ll have me.”
Chapter 13
Arianna
Work is hectic. I don’t know what gave me the impression that Wednesday would be a quiet day, but it isn’t. I have paperwork stacking up on my desk, and the shop floor has been so busy that Beth and I have been out there since eleven and it’s now three. We haven’t had lunch, and I have managed two mouthfuls of a coffee before it went cold, and a quick bathroom break. There’s been no sign of Jonny and while it’s always on my mind whenever the door opens, I know that he can’t hurt me here.
The words on everyone’s lips are about the summer ball. It appears that it’s a far bigger event than I had expected and now that I’ve dressed some of Las Vegas’s elite in their finery for the occasion, I am starting to feel a little worried that I don’t have anything planned yet.
“Arianna,” Beth calls, as I see the most recent customer out of the door. I smile at commando, who is standing there scanning everyone and everything in sight.
“Yes,” I say as I turn in her direction.
“Let’s take a break. The girls can handle it from here.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I’m grateful and by the sounds of it, so is my stomach as it growls loudly. Beth makes us both a coffee and places a brown paper bag on my desk, along with the mug of steaming hot caffeine.
“Eat,” she orders.
I open the bag to a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, and my mouth immediately starts to water.
