Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
She doesn’t even look in my direction. And I hate it so much.
(Why’s that? asks DeLuca’s voice in my head, and I tell him to shut up.)
Eventually, as the light fades, I see her gathering up empty glasses and heading for the kitchen. And I know an open net when I see it. So I grab some dirty plates and hustle in there at the same time.
“Darcy,” I say, coming up beside her at the sink. “Hey. You okay?”
“Just fine,” she says, turning on the sink. “Pass those over here. I’ve got it.”
But I’ve had enough of this, so I turn the faucet off instead.
She turns to me with a look of shocked irritation. “What the hell, Captain? I’m working here.”
“Not right now, you’re not. Come on. Take a walk with me.”
She frowns. “No. I don’t think so.”
Then her hand makes another trip toward the faucet, and I catch it in the air and hold on. “Darcy. Are you avoiding me?”
Her eyes flare. They turn pointedly down at our joined hands. “Maybe. But are you restraining me?”
“Do you want me to? ’Cause I could do that.”
She makes a hot gasp.
And whoops. That’s not what I came into the kitchen to say. So I drop her hand and take a half step away. “Listen, let’s back up. I just want to know why you’re ducking me. I’ve had an entire day to think of ideas, and some of them are doozies.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. The bikini has disappeared, but its replacement is a tiny little ruffled top that I’ve already memorized. “Like what?”
I sigh. “Well, maybe I said something stupid. But you’re going to have to tell me what it was. Because my other idea is worse. Did the cardiologist tell you something awful? And can you please put me out of my misery?”
Her mouth opens with surprise, and for the first time all day, she looks me right in the eye. “I haven’t been to the cardiologist yet. My appointment is next week.”
“Oh.” My shoulders drop in relief. “Thank fuck.”
She tilts her head and considers me. “Thank you again for sending me that info, though. That was considerate.”
“It was nothing.”
“I disagree.” She refolds the dishtowel on the counter. “I was pretty clenched up about it, and you made it easier for me to get that taken care of.”
“Good. I’m glad. But then… what’s up with the cold shoulder thing? I mean, I’m a fan of your shoulders but…”
She gives me a confused glance. “Well, when I called the cardiologist, they put me on musical hold for, like, half an hour.”
“Ouch. Like… Elton John performed by an orchestra?”
She shakes her head. “Hall and Oates on a plinky piano. But it gave me a lot of time to think about you and that stupid party.”
Hell, I’ve been thinking about the party, too, but it sure didn’t make me sad. “What about the party?”
She leans against the counter and lifts a cool gaze to mine. “Tell me this—when my sister hit on you at the party? What did she say, exactly?”
Oh.
Oh shit.
My mind reels, because I’d given Darcy this little white lie without even thinking. It was a kindness, right? Who wants to hear the shitty things your own family says about you?
But if I make something up, she’ll probably see right through me. I’m not that good an actor. And Darcy’s laser gaze is asking for the truth. “She, uh, didn’t hit on me, exactly. Not in so many words.”
Her eyes narrow, and I’m suddenly unsure if I made the right call. “So why did you tell me she did?”
I give her a deer in the headlights look, and keep my mouth firmly shut. Then I shrug, like a kindergartner who’s just been caught stealing toys.
“Let me guess—Tessa was talking smack about me. Did she do this to your face?”
“No.” I try to shove my hands in my pockets, but I don’t have pockets. So I fold my arms instead.
That’s when Chase and Zoe suddenly enter the kitchen, interrupting our conversation. But I welcome the distraction. Or I would, if Chase or Zoe felt like talking to us. Instead, Zoe opens the refrigerator, and Chase leans in. He grabs…
Is that the Hershey’s syrup I brought for making sundaes? “Um, dude? What are you…”
Zoe shoots me a shut up look, and Chase smirks at me. Then he scoops an arm around Zoe, his hand landing possessively on her ass, and they waltz out of the kitchen together.
“Hold up,” I say. “Did they just steal the chocolate syrup and head upstairs? Is that really a good idea? It sounds… sticky.”
“Don’t change the subject,” Darcy says tartly. “In fact, follow me. You’re going to explain yourself.”
Oh shit.
She marches outside, and I follow her like a puppy. She leads me around to the quiet side of the house, where there’s nothing but the hot tub gurgling to itself. Darcy sits down on the stonework ledge and dangles her bare feet into the tub. “Sit. And tell me why you suddenly decided we should be a couple at that party. I want the truth.”