She cocks her head, then her soft lips pull back in a smile. “Thanks. It wasn’t my idea, really. My friend Tilly suggested it. I did it once for fun, and it turned out I liked it. I was good at it.”
She pauses like she didn’t intend to compliment herself.
“I haven’t watched, so I can’t say one way or the other.” I offer her a grin that I hope looks friendly. “But if you’re making a living, clearly you’re doing something right.”
Her laugh is so pure and sweet that my balls shiver.
“Thanks. I think I just figured out how to market myself. So much of it is marketing.”
So she has a number of skills, then. I’m not surprised to learn that.
“Jack,” says Bennett, rising from the table, “I think you need to stir?”
I got so caught up in my conversation with Bree that I forgot about stirring. Frantically, I try to push the risotto around, but the liquid’s dried up and now the rice is forming a crust along the bottom. I add more broth and try to save it as best I can.
“Sorry,” I say as I serve the food twenty minutes later. “I really wanted to give you something better than this.” I got rid of as much of the burned part as I could, but there’s still some in there.
But Bree shakes her head, graciously takes the plate and returns to the table.
We’re all quiet as we eat, but something feels… good about having her here. Strangely good, and maybe right, too.
Arthur
I love seeing Jack try so hard. He is clearly attracted to Bree—seeing as how he burned dinner—which is the most I could have asked for.
Now it’s just a matter of him falling for her the way I have, and then I can have everything I want.
I know it now, what I’m after. I need Jack to bring Bree into our herd. But I can’t ask that until he decides how he feels about her, and she decides how she feels about him. Not until they’ve formed a secure bond.
But I’m making it my mission to foster that.
After dinner, I take over cleaning up, though Bree insists on helping. We scrub the plates and load the dishwasher together. Then Jack proposes we all play a game, which isn’t very like him. Usually all he wants is to watch a movie together on the couch.
“Oh, a board game?” says Bree. “Those can be so divisive.”
We get out Monopoly, which makes her laugh, and each pick our pieces. It’s a ruthless game, with Bree buying up lots of property early and then holding onto it. She’s kind of a shark, if I’m being honest, and she gives Bennett a run for his money. He’s usually the king of Monopoly.
Jack curses as she steals a property out from under him, and now she has a monopoly.
“How could you let this happen?” I ask him, nearly throwing my piece.
He moans. “I don’t know! I’m sorry!”
Bree laughs maniacally as she advances across the board and collects another two hundred dollars. It’s not long after that the rest of us are merely tenants in her world, and I must admit this is the most fun I’ve had in ages.
After the game, Bree stands up and stretches. “I guess I should get going.”
My heart falls. I wanted her to stay with us tonight, to fill our big bed. I’m about to open my mouth and object when someone kicks me under the table. I glance up to find Jack shaking his head and mouthing the words, let her go.
Fine. He’s probably right, and I should wait for Bree to decide she wants to spend more time with us. But it sucks anyway to say, “Okay. I hope you sleep well tonight.”
She blinks at me, then grins. “I’m sure I will.” Then I open my arms to her for a hug, and she happily embraces me in return.
Once Bree’s gone, I sigh and sit back down at the table. Jack pats my shoulder, and I place a hand on top of his.
“She just went through a traumatic event,” he reminds me, scratching me behind the ear. “She needs more time.”
I know he’s right, of course, but I hate waiting. I know what I want, and it’s Bree beside us every night.
