“Ha. Get on out of here and do your shopping, Daniela Holman.”
There were a few people who came around to shop after Daniela left the table, a few sales, and a few people who just wanted to chat with me, people who mostly knew me through the market and didn’t know the Birdhouse drama and were just happy to see me again. But despite it all—despite the rush of activity and the chatter with the other vendors and the continuous adjustment of my table to keep it enticing for buyers—my mind stayed fixed on one point, one topic, and that was the girl who came back with a box, lighting up as she thrust it across the table towards me.
Alyssa Taylor. That damn woman, blue eyes and smiles and everything.
“Look what I got,” she said.
Got me a friendship back. “A box,” I said. “It’s beautiful.”
“Iknow.And furthermore, I’ve been told there’s even something coolinsidethe box. As a bonus!”
“Oh, wow. Living large.”
She giggled, standing up taller. “It’s a board game! I thought it’d be fun to play with you and Cat at some point if you’re down. I’m still trying to find more people to invite. I’ve always wanted to have a board-game-night party.”
God dammit. I had a crush on Alyssa Taylor. She just came in and swept everything up like a whirlwind, slapped me in the face, and the next thing I knew, I had all these feelings for her I didn’t know what to do with. It wasn’t just how frustratingly pretty she was, just… her. Her and those damn eyes and that damn smile. I wanted to kiss her, and now that I’d had the thought, I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
I hated pretty girls.
“One problem,” I said.
“Ooh. What’s that?”
“Cat’s incredibly cutthroat when it comes to games. She takes no prisoners.”
She laughed. “I’m cool with that,” she said. “I’m terrible at them, so she’ll love having the chance to beat me.”
“We’ll make a night of it, then,” I said. “Maybe after dinner. Daniela invited me around one of these nights. Told me to bring Cat too, if she’s down.”
She blinked. “Oh—seriously? I wouldn’t be intruding?”
“Not at all.”Please come have dinner with me.My god. I wasn’t ready to have a crush on someone right now. “It’ll be the board-game-night of your dreams.”
“I’m so glad.” She squeezed the box to her chest, absolutely glowing, and I was completely, totally lost.
Chapter 14
Alyssa
Linda gave me what was her rough equivalent of a smile, stepping back into the doorway. “Hey,” she said. “Come in.”
“Hi,” I said, stepping into the house, turning to look at the foyer, tall windows and an elegant chandelier, big beautiful Impressionist paintings on the walls. “Wow. Nice house.”
“Charlie actually paid Daniela to help design it,” she said, and she adjusted her outfit, a sleek forest-green dress that was beautiful but that she seemed a little ill at ease in. “Which means we get continued free consultation on the design, because Daniela likes to come around and make suggestions of what we should move or redecorate. Honestly, we’re taking her for a ride, but she seems to be fine with it.”
“Oh, you know her. She’s just a control freak. She’s happy to tell other people what to do.”
She laughed, smiling wider, which—she had a smile that more pinched in downwards at the corners, more like someone holding in laughter, and it was more her eyes that smiled. It suited her. “Amen to that,” she said. “Charlie’s still at work right now, and I’ve been told in no uncertain terms I’m not to start thecooking without her, but if you want a drink in the garden, I’m at least trusted with picking herbs.”
Yeesh, I knew they were a high-up administrator and an accomplished lawyer, but a garden you could have drinks in really did drive home how nice the place was. Felt like we were in some Regency film going out to the gardens behind the manor.
If this was Pride and Prejudice, I felt like Jade would make a good Mr. Darcy. Then… would Daniela be Elizabeth Bennet? The thought bothered me for whatever reason, but I pushed it aside and went to go join Linda in the garden.
It was a beautiful, manicured garden space, with a white stone pathway to a patio under the shade of an elm tree, and Linda brought a tray of coffees and little cookies, and we sat at a heavy stone table like the kind you’d find in a park. I didn’t even know you could buy them for a house. Fancy people life.
“Cheers,” Linda said, tapping her mug to mine. “I know I’m not the best host, but I’m working on it.”
“Oh—” I laughed, cradling the coffee cup in both hands. “I don’t know about that. This is really luxurious.”
