Her head snaps back up in shock. “Well, of course. You couldn’t possibly. Your first and only priority is Ellie. No time for love.”
I cross my arms. Getting too invested in this story. “Until .?.?.”
She smiles, satisfied she’s got my attention. “Until you saw me with her. We spent a passionate night together—we’ll of course give folks the U-rated version—and when I was about to leave town forever, you stopped me. Confessed your eternal love and asked me to stay.”
“Should probably dial it down a bit if you want anyone who’s evermetme to believe that story.”
She scans me head to toe. “Unless you’ve got a better story, we’re sticking with mine.”
I grumble. “Fine. But you’re going to get a lot of people calling bullshit if you use that ‘eternal love’ crap.”
She crosses her arms. “Fine—when we get to it, I’ll just hand it over to you.” She slaps my arm as if to demonstrate. “Oh, Dallaslovesthis part of the story. You tell ’em, dear.”
I roll my eyes. “Eternal love it is.”
Her eyes light up with the win and it makes my stomach fizz because .?.?. I made her happy. Even if it is for a bullshit reason.
I shift my focus, checking the time for Ellie’s return. “You’ll help me tell her?”
Her grin is soft when she shrugs, meeting my gaze. “Where else would I be?”
Wilder:Sorry for the ambush earlier.
Dallas:It’s fine.
Wilder:Y’all talk?
Dallas:She did most of it.
Wilder:I would’ve guessed. And?
Dallas:We’ll do it. But keep it quiet until we talk to Ellie.
Wilder:Goes without saying. What about Willow? You’re both in agreement?
Dallas:It’s just for three months—give or take. She’s fine with it.
Wilder:And you?
It’s a loaded question. If you’d asked me a day ago, I’d have said no goddamn way I could live with this woman.
Dallas:I’ll do anything for Ellie.
Wilder:Willow hardly classifies asanything.
Dallas:Try spending a weekend with her.
My heart turns to shreds when I see Ellie walk through the front door just a little before supper time. Her usual smile is upside down. Her eyes meet mine for half a second—enough for me to see she’s sad—then dip back down to the hardwood floor.
I lift my gaze to Rose. A faint twitch of her lip. Uneasy and unsure.
My mind races at what it could be. Bad day at school? Was it something Glenda said to her that could make her hate me?
Like the fact that I barely knew her mother? That I have no idea what I’m doing now that it’s just the two of us?
I’m so stunted in my fear, I forget to greet my girl.
“Hey sweetie, welcome home,” Willow says, crouching to her level. “How was your art class?”
