With a jerk, my gaze focused on my cousin, whose expression had grown soft. “Sorry. Lost my train of thought.”
Addie’s blonde brows lifted high on her forehead. “Did you? Or were you thinking about your Viking?”
We never kept secrets from one another, not for longer than a day or two—I regretted revealing this particular secret, however. Did my cousin really need to know that I’d made the first and possiblyonlywild, impulsive decision of my life the night I stumbled upon a comic book convention? Should I maybe have limited the details about the tall, auburn-haired man who’d provided more orgasms than I'd ever had in one night?
“Too late,” Addie muttered.
I glared. “Are you reading my mind now?”
“When you’re clearly questioning life choices that brought you immeasurable pleasure? Yes.”
“I’m not questioning that choice,” I countered. “I’m regretting telling you about it because I can sense that you are never ever going to let me live it down.”
“Live it down? Eden, I’ve spent all of our lives wishing for you to find true happiness. I’m not teasing you for your nerd-boy hookup, I’m just baffled that you didn’t at least get hisphone number. Or last name. Or literally any identifying information so you could hook up with him again in the future!”
I sighed, trying not to let my too-astute cousin hear the echo of heartbreak in the sound. “Well, I didn't, and it’s too late. Yes, he was sweet and attentive and funny, but I’ll probably never see him again.”
Her big brown eyes locked on my face, but she reached over and took my hand without speaking. I returned her squeeze and forced off the melancholy before it could settle too firmly about my shoulders.
“Celebration. Right. My place, cupcakes from that food truck lady, wine from the place we toured in Geneva, and at least a hundred of those red pepper feta cups you brought to Christmas Eve at your parents’ place last year?”
“Oof, you like labor-intensive celebrations, huh? What if we set that aside for a bit and go for drinks at The Mermaid to celebrate your first day? I promise I’ll make you more feta cups sometime soon.”
I rolled my eyes, but she was right, easy would be more relaxing for us both. “Deal.”
“Let’s get this roast beef back to my brother and see if he managed to succeed where all of the cleaning supplies in Spruce Hill have failed,” Addie suggested.
Since I appreciated her letting the subject of my Comic Con Viking go without further discussion, I flashed a grin as I grabbed the paper bag containing Rob’s sub. The two of them were miracle workers in their own right. If Addie had faith inher brother’s ability to save my store from the curse of cat pee, then I would, too.
It was time to set aside regrets and face the future head on.
“What did you think of the window display ideas I sent you?” I asked as we strolled back down the sidewalk toward the shop. “Good enough for a grand opening?”
“I want one of everything, so I’m going to say yes, it’s perfect. I’m so proud of you, Eden. This is going to be amazing.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly, and she elbowed me in the ribs.
“Seriously, babe. A place where every shopper of every size and shape can find something sexy, a safe space for those who need it, an opportunity for everyone to learn and grow in their sexuality—this is big, Eden. Epic. And it’s your dream, the one you’ve worked your ass off to accomplish. You should be proud of yourself, too.”
I elbowed her back, too moved to voice my reaction to her support. Thiswasbig, and dammit, I was already proud of all I had accomplished.
And if I wished I had a tall, sweet Viking to help me celebrate each future success, well, I shoved that twinge of regret deep down into the recesses of my mind.
Chapter Three
Milo
“UncleMilo!Didyousee the naked lady shop going in next door?”
I was reading through emails about my newest ad campaign and twirling the daisy hair clip I’d turned into a fidget toy when my nephew burst into the shop. Baffled, I blinked as he hurtled through the store to join me.
It wasn’t unusual for him to make dramatic and puzzling proclamations when he arrived at Dueling Dragons after school two days a week, but this one was particularly confusing.
“The what?”
Carter tossed his backpack to the floor, spilling crumpled papers and a handful of colored pencils out onto the dingy carpet. A carbon copy of my oldest brother, Maverick, Carter was tall and lean with dark, tousled curls that never quite lookedunder control. He’d sprouted up in height over the summer, right around his tenth birthday, but even his gangly limbs couldn’t detract from the charming grin he’d inherited straight from his dad.
Like the rest of the Davies men, Carter had also inherited eyes that could only be described as gray. In some lights, they might appear blue or green, but as Carter leveled a solemn stare in my direction, his were the shade of slate.
