She took his hand, a sense of something magical rushing through the clearing and shaking the leaves overhead. “And no funny business.” She pointed at him. “I’m holding you to the whole roommate thing.”
He held up a hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a scout,” she bantered, even as she got out of the car and shut the door.
This time he moved to let her. “But I beat one up once.”
She rolled her eyes, knowing darn well that Cash might look like the big, bad wolf, but he was a puppy dog on the inside. Maybe that’s why she was okay with marrying him.
Still. Living under the same roof with his ex was going to be a challenge.
She headed to the house.
“Where are you going?” Cash asked, hurrying to catch up.
“To design my kitchen.” She walked with purpose. “Take good notes. I expect it to be ready to cook in by the time I get back.”
He mumbled about high-maintenance women under his breath. “You do realize that a kitchen remodel usually takes a month—minimum.”
“Half that is coming up with the layout. I already have that.” She tapped her temple.
He grinned. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“Let’s hope one of us has.”
“Why?”
“Because otherwise we’ll end up hating each other again.”
“I never hated you, Mags.” He used her nickname like a caress—making him ache for what could have been.
“Well, if you loved me, you had a horrible way of showing it.”
He stopped walking, needing the space between him and what she’d revealed, but she kept going. He’d broken her heart—broken it beyond repair. If he knew what was good for the both of them, he’d stick to his own rules.
They’d reached a truce of some sort, an agreement that benefitted both of them. They could just leave it at that.
She marched into the kitchen, where James was measuring the brick wall, his back to her.
“I have the sheetrock measurements,” he said over his shoulder. With a snap, the tape measure rolled back into its holder. When he turned around and found Cash and Maggie looking at him, his eyes grew wide.
Maggie smiled. “You won’t need them for that wall.”
“I won’t?” His brow furrowed.
Cash’s fingers traced her lower back. “James, this is Maggie—my fiancée. She’s designing the kitchen.”
Maggie’s knees sagged at the word “fiancée.” He pressed his hand tighter against her, giving her something to lean on.
The tape measure dropped to the floor. “Your what?” James gaped. “Bro—you move fast.”
Cash laughed, the sound bouncing off the bricks. Maggie steeled herself and stepped away from his touch. He instantly missed the strength she’d given him, without him even noticing.
“What?” he joked with James. “I wasn’t going to let her get away.”
Maggie’s head swiveled, and she stared at him.
“Not again,” he added softly. His hand touched her side as he moved past her to the plans laid out on the counter. “Tell me what you had in mind.”
