“Wait, what?” I blurt out, and everyone’s head turns in my direction.
She smiles softly as she adjusts the sleeping newborn in her lap. “I had a huge Landry crush of my own once upon a time.”
“You did?” I ask, sounding way more desperate than I intend.
This time she laughs. “For the better part of junior high.”
A wave of jealousy and longing hits me as I realize Loren was referring to Tenley and Landry as a couple in her story earlier. I know there’s a good chance Landry will never feel the same way about me as I do about him. But hearing that someone like Tenley had her sights set on him just reinforces the idea that he’s way out of my league.
“So what happened?” I venture.
Tenley looks a little forlorn. “I was going through a lot at the time, and I pushed him away, but none of it was his fault. Even worse, I pushed my best friend away, too.” She glances at Loren, and they share a secret smile. Then I realize what Tenley’s done by taking the heat off me again, and I couldn’t hate her if I wanted to.
“Aw, Ten,” Loren intones. “That’s so cute, the way you think you’ve saved Daisy from having to confess to thinking my hairy, old, grumpy brother is …sexy.” She shivers in disgust.
I take another sip from my wine glass and inhale deeply. “Fine. If you really want to know, I do think Landry’s sexy. In fact, I actually like all of those things you just said about him, even though he’s not as grumpy as he pretends to be. At least not when he gets to sleep in and have his coffee first.”
A relieved exhale breaks free once I’m done. I figured it would feel good to finally say that out loud, but I hadn’t realized how badly I needed to talk about my crush tosomeone.
Lilley reaches out to stroke my arm again. “Then I’m glad he has you around to make his morning coffee,” she tells me, warming my chest.
“Thanks,” I reply before turning to Loren and measuring her reaction.
“So am I,” she says, smiling. “He could use a little more sunshine in his life. In fact, maybe you could teach him a thing or two about gardening.”
My eyes brighten. “I have been making him water my plants. I mean, I’ve been tending to my own garden for as long as I can remember, but it’s nice to have his help sometimes. Especially while he’s already got the hose out to wash his ...”
But I gasp and cover my face when I notice the way Loren’s eyes are nearly bugging out of her head with the effort it’s taking her not to laugh.
Her chin trembles as she replies. “I agree, wholeheartedly. We could all stand to benefit from him learning to plant a few daisies.”
She slaps a hand over her own mouth when a loud snort escapes, and that’s all it takes for the entire room to break out into a fit of cackles once again. Eventually, Loren wheezes out an apology as she swipes at the tears staining her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Daisy,” she says breathlessly. “It was too easy.”
I giggle as I tuck my hair behind my red-hot ears. “Understandable.”
By the time everyone settles down and we get through another round ofSpill the Tea, Tenley announces that it’s time to call it a night. Jada says she’s right behind her, and I text Landry for his ETA, hoping to avoid admitting I can’t drive myself home.
But between the delirium and the wine, I’m afraid I end up coming off a little too flirty. I bite my lip as I await Landry’s response, and those butterflies start bustling around as soon as his replies start to match my tone.
“Need a lift, Daisy?” Lilley offers, bringing me back.
“Oh, um, Landry said he’d take me home once they get back to town, but I guess I don’t need to wait on them. That is, if it’s not too much trouble for you.”
I press my hands to my cheeks to cool them off, and Lilley smirks. “It’s no trouble at all. And even if it were, I still wouldn’t mind. But I think I might actually leave you here, because I like Tipsy Daisy’s chances.” She winks.
My face heats again, just as another message comes through from Landry. “Thanks. He says they’ll be here soon, so I might as well just hang around a little longer, if it’s okay with you?” I glance at Loren, hoping I haven’t overstayed my welcome.
“Of course not,” she replies, standing up to embrace her older sister. “I’m also a huge fan of Tipsy Daisy. She’s adorable and plenty sober enough to help me get the twins to bed after their last feeding. I could use the help, since they tend to fight their sleep when Blake isn’t here to put them down.”
Loren thanks Lilley for her party then, and I turn to pick up one of the babies, attempting to give them a little privacy when they get slightly emotional. Penny and I settle in a rocking chair, and Loren brings me a bottle before she grabs Charley.
“Thanks for letting me crash your bachelorette party,” I offer after a while. “I hope you had fun, because I certainly did.”
“This was the best, wasn’t it?” she grins. “And I’m so glad you were here. I love having you around. We all do.”
“I love it here, too.” I shrug shyly. “You’ve all been so welcoming. I never want to leave.”
