Her mouth screwed to the side. “Ford is influencing your language.”
“Ford is amazing. I’m in love with him.”
“That’s what I’m saying.” Half laughing, half crying, Laylee smiled at her. “He loves you, too.”
Forgetting her rush, Skye grabbed those words and held them tight. “Do you really think so?”
“Good grief.” Laylee gave her an affectionate push. “You can’t tell? Because anyone can see it.”
“You’re sure?”
“Skye.” This time Laylee smoothed Skye’s hair. “For real, you’re the best sister in the entire world. The most amazing, most generous, sweetest person I know. But you’ve never been that great at understanding guys.”
“They’re complicated.”
“Nah.We’recomplicated.” Laylee grinned. “Thankfully, guys are awesomely basic. Most of the time anyway.” She gave that quick thought and added, “Good guys, I mean. Creeps are everywhere, but Ford is definitely not a creep, and he most definitelyisin love with you.”
Skye agreed that he wasn’t a creep. He was the most protective, bighearted, insightful, and caring man she’d ever known. “So what do I do?”
“Tell Ford you love him. Flat out. Just say it. Here, like this.” Laylee sat a little straighter, and she put on her serious face, which Skye guessed was supposed to look more like her. In a quiet but firm voice, she said, “By the way, Ford. I’m madly in love with you.”
Skye snickered. “I couldn’t.”
Still in that mimicking way, Laylee added, “I think we should boot my sister out of our way and spend all our free time having wild, uninhibited sex.”
“Ha!” Skye pushed her back on the bed, but she was laughing. “I’m not booting you out. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. Move in. Permanently claim this room. In fact, I’m dubbing it Laylee’s Lair. There. It’s official.” Before her sistercould stop sputtering, Skye added, “I told Ford I was half in love with him, and he didn’t mind.”
“Didn’t mind.” Laylee scoffed, sitting up one more time. “I bet it rocked his world. And don’t fib to the man. Tell him you love him madly, permanently. Forever more, amen.”
“I’ll consider it.” Skye again took her hand. “If you promise me you’ll stop talking about leaving.”
There was no mistaking Laylee’s cautious relief. “I’d actually love to stay.” Her admiring gaze traveled around the room. “Your house is so you, and yet it suits me, too. The soothing colors and patterns, the . . . calm. I love it here, and I especially love being close to you.”
“Good, then that’s settled.”
“I need to pay my own way—and I don’t mean by doing a little grocery shopping or keeping an eye on the dogs, though I’m happy to do that, too.” She bit her lip, then blurted, “I was thinking, if you and Ford work things out, and you decide to live with him, I’d buy this place from you.”
Those words stole Skye’s breath. She loved her house, but . . . The truth hit her: being at Ford’s now felt like home, as well.
Laylee rushed into explanations. “If Ford doesn’t work out, then it’s his loss. Please,pleasedon’t think I’d want you to accept him just to make things easier for me. I’d gladly live in a tent with you, as long as you’re happy. I swear. It’s just that I can see how much you care for him, and it’s so obvious that you’re the one for him, so if you two make it permanent, and if you decide to live at his place, I’d be thrilled to buy your house.” Laylee pressed her lips together and waited.
Daring to even imagine it, Skye whispered, “It would be awesome to live right next door to each other, wouldn’t it?” Her relationship with her sister had gotten even closer with Ford around.
“Heck yeah, it would!” Laylee grabbed Skye, tugging her up from the bed and dancing her around the room, only drawing to a halt when Skye tripped. “Just so you know, Paul is working with me to help me get over my fear of Maybelline. He’s an excellent teacher. I often join him on the dog walks. We’re fast friends now, and he’s been super patient.”
They both heard the double knock on her back door, then the stampeding of dogs and the combined woofing of high and low voices. Ford called out, “Skye, everything okay?”
She smiled at Laylee, squeezed her in another hug, and dodging dogs, went out to the hall. “We’re here, having a heart-to-heart.”
* * *
Cautious, Ford approached Skye in the hall. A heart-to-heart? About what? he wondered.
“I saw your car still in the driveway and wondered if anything was wrong.”
Skye grabbed him, planted a hot one on his lips, and then stated, “Our dogs need something different from us.”
His heart lodged in his throat. He’d thought things were getting better. No, he and Skye didn’t get enough alone time, but the situation was improving and with the fence done soon . . . Holding her closer, he asked, “What does that mean?”
