Page 4 of Wilde Flame

Glancing up, I asked, “Do what to me?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t even act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’re miserable. You hardly ever go out. Have you even dated anyone in the last two years?”

“I’ve fucked a girl or two.”

She quickly looked around, then hit me. “Shut up! We have friends here, not to mention Grams and Grandpa. Do you want them to hear you talking like that?”

I set the last plate down and grabbed the napkins from her. “Nothing is wrong with me.”

“What happened to the carefree brother who was always down for a good time? Sneaking into bars when we were underage. Going to wedding receptions we weren’t invited to. Going out and dancing at the honky-tonk. Where is that guy? I want my brother back.”

I glanced at her and paused putting the napkins on the table. “To quote your favorite person, Caden can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Because he’s dead.”

Her mouth twitched. “Extra points for totally nailing the exact words. You’re a closet Swiftie, aren’t you?”

I rolled my eyes. “No.”

“Why are you letting her win? You don’t have to be dead, Caden. There are so many women who would die to go out with you.”

Sighing, I set the last napkin at its place. “Ensley, I don’t want to say this, but I’m going to. All women are the same. They lie, cheat, and think only about themselves. Excluding you and Emeline, of course.”

“Not all women are like that.”

“Rachel? Caroline?”

“That’s two out of millions!”

I needed to stop the conversation before I got frustrated and left. That would only make my mother and father angry, and I didn’t want that.

“Ensley, we’re done talking about this.”

She slammed the last knife down on the table. “Fine. But someday, Caden Wilde, there’s going to be a woman who makes you change your mind, and for your sake, I hope you don’t let her get away because you have this fucked-up idea that all women are bad.”

The doorbell rang, and my mother rushed by. “That will be our last guest!”

Ensley and I exchanged looks.

“Who else did she invite?” Ensley asked.

I shrugged and headed back into the kitchen to see if our grandmother needed more help.

“Grams, what else do you need me to do?” I asked, as I glanced around the spacious room.

“Well,” she said, as she pulled rolls out of the oven. “We’re waiting on Emeline and Levi. I do believe he said not to wait to eat in case they were running late.”

“They’re here!” I heard Mom cry out. “They’re here!”

My grandmother lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Go, Grams. I’ll get the rest out.”

She took off without a second’s hesitation. A few moments later, I heard cheering, and I smiled.

“So, you do know how to smile?”

I turned to see Lilibeth Asher standing there. She was one of my sister’s best friends, and the owner of a perfumery and gift store on Main Street called Wonderland Whimsy. From the moment we’d met, we had done nothing but sparred with one another. And I knew exactly why I was such a dick to the woman.

If it kept her at a distance, I wouldn’t be tempted by the way I felt when she was near.