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“Oh, yeah,” I nod.

“So I made a deal with him,” Lydia says. “No charges for Lawson, no charges for Jake. And removal of the video.”

Beckett shakes his head. “Fuck.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “My overprotectiveness fucked it all up.”

Lydia shakes her head. “It was going to be tough to get anything on him anyway.” She spreads her arms, only wobbling slightly. “And I’m good. It didn’t break me.”

Beckett gives her a smile. “No. Clearly it didn’t.”

“What about you?” Sutton asks me softly.

“Yeah, it broke me for a little bit,” I admit.

She nods her understanding. Beckett does too.

“But I’m getting better.”

She smiles. “I’m glad.”

“And I still love hockey players,” Lydia says. “Just not that one.”

Beckett laughs. “Want to be my fake girlfriend until my stalker gives up?”

She grins at him. “I would but I think I have a thing for your goalie.”

Beckett looks surprised, but then smiles. “Wes is a great guy. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he has no idea how to upload things to the internet.”

Lydia laughs and loops her arm in Beckett’s, turning back toward Perks and Rec. “Come back inside and sit with us while I flirt with him. Get him talking about himself so I can get to know him.”

“Yeah, okay. He’s in construction, but he’s got a hobby.”

“I like hobbies.”

“How do you feel about men who sew? It’s specific sewing. But he has a machine and everything. Some of it’s sparkly.”

“I…don’t know.”

“Let’s go find out,” Beckett says.

“Great,” Lydia says. “And I’ll sit close enough to you and maybe touch your arm just enough to make those girls wonder if you’re taken.”

“Deal,” Beckett says.

They disappear back inside.

Sutton blows out a breath and looks up at me. “Uh, wow.”

I nod. “Yeah. Our siblings just became friends and, worse, co-conspirators.” Maybe that was enough for tonight. Maybe Sutton has changed her mind about⁠—

“That means we have even more time at the barn,” she says, pulling her car keys out of her purse. “I’ll meet you there.”

CHAPTER 20

SUTTON

Should I be nervous? I feel like I should be nervous. I’m about to have sex for the first time in my life.