“To start, I need some new bar stools for the kitchen.”
Rhiannon nods knowingly. “Yeah, those old ones you’ve got are rough. I don’t even think duct tape could save them.”
I laugh. “Fair point. They were the previous owners. Apparently leaving behind your old furniture when you sell is a thing here in Brookhaven.”
She nods. “I’ve heard that from my neighbors. Okay, what else do you need?”
“I need a towel holder.”
Her brows knit as she looks at me. “For paper towels?”
I feel my cheeks flush, heat creeping up my neck. There’s no point in lying Rhiannon’s got a radar for BS.
“No… for the bathroom hand towel.”
Her head tilts, confusion giving way to curiosity. “What happened to that cute one with the metal roses you had in there?”
I should’ve known she’d remember it. “Uh, well… Boone might’ve broken it.”
Her eyes widen, and then her mouth stretches into a big, mischievous grin. “What’d he do? Trip and rip it off the wall? I know he's graceful on the ice, but I could totally see him doing that. And with how large he is, there’s no way that thing could stand a chance against his paws.”
The flush spreads hotter now, and before I can stammer out a half-baked response, she gasps, her mouth forming a dramatic Oshape.
“Oh my god. Hetrippedandfellinto yourpussytoo, didn’t he?”
“Rhiannon!” I hiss, mortified, even though the store is empty. It’s just us here, but the idea of anyone overhearing that makes my skin crawl.
Brookhaven thrives on gossip, and as the town’s newest resident—not to mention a lawyer with some big-name clients—I’m already on thin ice with some people. For whatever reason people equate me with celebrities and no one wants celebrities moving to Brookhaven if it means the cost of living is going to go up.
She cackles, completely unbothered by my embarrassment. “Don’t act shy now! You’re the one wrecking towel holders with hot hockey player sex.”
I cross my arms, glaring at her. “Can we not broadcast my personal life to the entire town, please?”
Her smirk softens, but only slightly. “Fine. But tell me this—was it as good as he looks?”
I sigh heavily. “Even better. It was… amazing.” I hesitate, then admit, “I need advice. Sisterly advice.”
Rhiannon hoists Piper higher on her hip and steers us toward the end tables and chairs. She stops in front of three stools that I have to admit, are perfect for my kitchen.
“You know I’m always here for you but what could you possibly need advice on?” She eyes me skeptically. “He’s hot, you’ve got insane chemistry,andyou’re already married. What’s there to stress about? Why fight it? What’s the problem?”
Her words land hard. She makes it sound so easy, so manageable, and my feelings are anything but that. They’re knotted and overlapping and pulling me in too many directions at once.
There’s my dad. His court case. My promotion. All the conversations Boone and I haven’t had yet, like what this looks like outside my bedroom or his place in Brookhaven.
What happens if we step out into the world and stop pretending? If we go out in public and there’s no audience we’re performing for? Would he even want that?
I think he would. The way he talked last night and this morning, the way he looked at me like he already made up his mind about us lasting. But thinking isn’t knowing.
We’ve never been on a real date. Not one that wasn’t planned or scripted or done for someone else’s benefit. We’ve never existed together in public without playing a role. And suddenly, that feels like the biggest unknown of all. What if that’s the only reason that he desires me. Because it all feels… forbidden.
I’ve been with men like that before. In high school, and in college, when my boyfriends figured out who my father was, the power that he had, they wanted more of me. It was the fact that I was so protected by him, so sheltered, so set up for success that they were drawn in. And if he didn’t like them, even better.
And once the forbiddenness wore off, it was no longer fun for them. They became bored and broke up with me.
I nibble on my lip. “Because this is all going to end in less than a month? It’s such an unconventional start. I mean, I want todatethe guy, get to know him more, not marry him...”Yet?
“Sometimes the best relationships come from the weirdest starts. Look at me and Cain. He literally sued me.”
