Maybe I had been wrong to worry about Frankie. He had been a little distracted recently, not as attentive as he usually was.
But today, he was all smiles and affection.
And thewayhe had woken me up! Burrowing under the covers and between my legs to pleasure me in lengthy, leisurely strokes, like he could’ve spent all day down there.
I needed to just shake off this jealousy and move on.
I was sharing breakfast biscuits with Athena when Cash Alden walked in.
He was a tall, dark-haired, rugged man with craggy features and big, rough hands.
We’d gone on a few dates in college, but they had never gone anywhere. He was too serious for me and I had a massive crush I couldn’t shake on the laid-back surfer in my American History class.
“What can I get you this morning?” I asked cheerfully.
But his face looked serious, and he scratched his dark beard with a big hand.
“Jillian, I need to talk to you.”
Shit. My heart started to pound. What could this be about?
Frankie was over on the other side of the café loading up our tray of breakfast pastries.
It could not be anything to do with my husband.
He’d been with me all evening. Snoring beside me in bed all night.
Well. . .except for when he’d had to run back to pick up whatever it was he’d left at the pub.
Had he taken a long time? I didn’t remember. It always took Frankie a long time to run any errands. He was so friendly they always took him a while because he had to chat with everyone. . .
“Can it wait—" I asked weakly, feeling my heart plummet, unable to face the possibilities.
“It’s important.”
“All right,” I said, following him out.
“What is Frankie playing at?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean what is going on with him and Christabelle?”
Fear seized me.
“They’re just friends.”
But he shook his head.
“People are starting to talk. About how he is with her. Like he can’t stay away from her. I’m worried about you.”
“Thank you,” I said, forcing my voice to be firm, when really I wanted to burst into tears. You shouldn’t listen to gossip, Cash.”
He looked unconvinced.
“If you need anything, anything at all, just message me. Anytime.”
“All right,” I whispered.
