"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.
"You turned the charm up to eleven and convinced Meg's sister to do the painting," Mike elaborated. "That was devious and underhanded, even for you."
"That's not why I'm with her," I snarled.
He raised his hands. "Calm down," he said. "It's just, you're a use-them-and-toss-them kind of guy."
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes, you are."
"I've changed."
"I hope so," Garrett interjected. "Because if Meghan decides you are after her sister for all the wrong reasons, the Svenssons will never be able to do business in the city of Harrogate again."
31
Hazel
Iwoke up the next morning lying half naked on a couch. My face was plastered onto the pillow with drool. I sat up and wiped my face off, blinking in the morning sun.
"She's alive!"
I shrieked as I turned and saw Ida, Jemma, and Olivia standing there, looking at me.
"Rough night?" Jemma asked.
"We were worried," Olivia said. "Jemma came by to make the sandwiches, but you didn't answer the door. It didn't look like you were even here."
"I told them you were probably away, having a soaking-wet evening with Archer," Ida said. "And you did!"
I wrapped the blanket around myself and shuffled to my shower closet.
"So," Ida crowed, "how was it?"
"Grandma, don't you have to take care of the general store?" Olivia asked. "Hazel's obviously fine."
"She's more than fine, I'll say," her grandmother replied.
"Come on. I'll drive you back," Olivia said, rolling her eyes.
"Dare I ask?" Jemma said when I was showered and downstairs making sandwiches. "How was it?"
"Pretty good."
Jemma cackled. "I feel like Archer's going to be upset if you describe him as pretty good," she said, clapping her hands together.
"Was he a good finger painter?"
I nodded. "And tongue painter."
"Wow, he gave you the all-star treatment."
* * *
While I baskedin the afterglow of the admittedly pleasurable evening, I did wonder how Archer would react when he saw me that afternoon for the art retreat. I had fallen asleep on him after all.
"Stud muffin!" Ida called out when Archer walked upstairs, younger brothers in tow. "I see you've been sampling all Harrogate has to offer."
