Page 5 of Their Forever Daddy

“Yup,” Edie said without bothering to open her eyes. “Just need a minute.”

“Does that minute have anything to do with Jesse Walker?”

“Congratulations, you figured it out. Want a fucking prize?”

Dammit. No matter how pissed she was, she didn’t have to be such a bitch. Forcing her eyes open, Edie spun the chair around and sighed at the hurt on Taylor’s face. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s okay.” But Taylor’s smile wasn’t as bright as usual, and Edie’s stomach twisted into guilty knots. Knots she couldn’t do anything about, because she no longer had anyone to confess her sins to, no longer had anyone who could cleanse her soul at the end of a long, hard day.

Fuck that. She didn’t need to get her ass beat to do the right thing. Rising from her chair, she placed her hands on Taylor’s shoulders, pinning her with a stern gaze. “It’s not okay. I’m having a shitty day and I took it out on you, which isn’t right. I’m sorry for snapping at you. Forgive me?”

Some of the hurt faded from Taylor’s eyes as her lips spread into a wider smile full of mischief. “I’ll forgive you if you tell me what Jesse’s doing wandering around our store like she didn’t up and disappear on you for nearly ten years.”

It was a fair exchange. And people were going to find out the truth sooner or later. One of the facts of living in a small town that was both a blessing and a curse. “She came to talk to me.”

“About?”

“She’s getting married.” The words were bitter on Edie’s tongue. “Some restaurant guy, from what she told me.”

“Oh, wow.” Worry flickered across Taylor’s face as her eyes seemed to search Edie’s expression for… something. “Are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Don’t insult me, Edie. We both know you still feel something for her, or else you wouldn’t have lost your shit on Carly when she wanted to watch one of Jesse’s movies.”

Ah, fuck. Carly. The newest resident of Lost River was going to flip when she learned her favorite actress, whose stage name she happened to share, was in town. “Mostly what I feel right now is annoyance.”

“Uh huh.” Judging by the way Taylor’s eyebrow raised, she wasn’t buying what Edie was selling. “Annoyance. That’s why you looked absolutely miserable when I walked in here.”

“That wasn’t…” Blinking back a fresh wave of tears, Edie swallowed hard. “I was thinking about Ken.” Granted, she was thinking about Ken so she could figure out the Jesse problem, but that part was irrelevant.

It was.

“Oh, honey.” Before Edie could blink, Taylor’s arms were around her neck, squeezing her tight. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.” But she let herself be held, just for a moment, just long enough for it to stop feeling like her heart might shatter into a billion pieces all over again whenever she looked at Jesse. “It sucks and it’s hard but it’s all right.”

“I’m still giving you a hug because if it was Carly hiding away in an office crying over Danny, you’d do the same.”

Since she couldn’t exactly argue that point, Edie gave her friend a hard squeeze before pulling away. “You’re right. And thanks.”

“Any time. Want me to go kick Jesse out of the store for you?”

The uncharacteristically wicked gleam in Taylor’s eyes surprised a laugh out of Edie as she shook her head. “Wouldn’t do any good. She’s staying with me.”

Taylor’s jaw literally dropped. “She’s what? For how long?”

“I have no idea.” As long as it takes for you to stop hating me. “She didn’t really say.”

“That’s… wow. Okay. I guess I’ll play nice, then.”

Now it was Edie’s turn to smile, slow and wicked. “I didn’t say anything about playing nice, now did I?”

Chapter 3

Jesse

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