“Shit,” Jordan said.
Astrid scrambled off her, and they both spent a panicked twenty seconds locating all of Astrid’s clothing. Jordan hooked her overalls back on—Astrid had the brief, inappropriate thought that she’d never gotten to see Jordan’s breasts, a fact she’d have to rectify very soon—and they’d barely righted themselves when the pantry door flew open.
“What the hell?” Jordan said when Simon appeared in the doorway.
Simon looked from Astrid to his sister. “Yeah, I could ask the same, sis.”
Astrid felt her cheeks go warm. This wasn’t the most professional situation Simon could’ve found her in—she was almost positive she had a major case of sex hair right now, and the pantry... well, it reeked of sex. Simon had to smell it. Still, she knew, deep down, she wasn’t doing anything wrong, and she was sure everyone at Claire’s party last week knew exactly what had happened in Claire’s bedroom.
“None of your business, bro,” Jordan said.
He just rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“It’s on the counter,” Jordan said, nodding her head toward the pristine butcher block. “Now if you’ll excuse us, I’m sure whatever this is can wait.” She went to pull the door closed, but Simon guided it back open in one smooth motion.
“Except it can’t,” he said, and then he sighed—a tired, resigned sigh of someone who did not want to be dealing with whatever he was talking about right now—and looked off to his right.
Where what had to have been one of the most beautiful women Astrid had ever seen stepped into view. She was white and had shiny black hair, cut short to just below her ears, creamy skin, and eyes that could only be described as amber, as though she were a vampire who fed on animal blood. She was tall and lithe and somehow curvy all at the same time.
She felt Jordan go slack against her before uttering a single, horrifying word.
“Meredith.”
Chapter Twenty-six
“HI, JO.”
Jordan blinked.
Meredith smiled, that dimple Jordan used to kiss at night before they went to sleep pressing into her left cheek.
“What...” Jordan managed, but that was pretty much it.
“If you’d answered your phone, this wouldn’t be such a surprise,” Meredith said.
Jordan flicked her eyes to Simon, who looked like he wanted to both rip Meredith’s head off and pull Jordan into his arms at the same time. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, but he met her gaze, a million silent questions passing between them.
You okay?
Do you want me to stay?
I will kick her off our property right the fuck now, just say the word.
Honestly, Jordan wasn’t sure about the answers to any of them.
Then Astrid cleared her throat, and everything sharpened and got really, really real.
“Shit,” Jordan said. “Hey, sorry. Um, Meredith, this is Astrid.”
“Hello,” Astrid said coldly, the woman who’d yelled at a stranger in front of Wake Up back in full force. But Jordan kind of liked that woman right now.
“Nice to meet you,” Meredith said, her amber eyes flicking to the pantry in which they were most definitely still standing. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”
“It’s fine,” Jordan said, the words coming out of her mouth before she could stop them. It wasn’t fine. Her head was spinning. Meredith washere. She was beautiful and healthy, and the very center of Jordan’s chest wouldn’t stop aching.
“I should go,” Astrid said. “Give you two some time.”
No. Don’t. Please don’t leave.
