Page 30 of Make Her Mine

“Oh, no. It’s not that,” I assure her. “Especially after talking to him this morning. There is nothing there. But the idea of me dating Jefferson really annoys him. He and Jefferson have some old history too. We figured we might as well have some fun with this.”

“Well, okay,” she says.

I frown. That was way easier than I expected. “That’s it? Just okay?”

She laughs. “Far be it from me to question you or Jefferson. Jefferson has always known how to handle Zach. If you guys decided this was your plan, I’m sure it’s great.”

I frown. Jefferson has always known how to handle Zach. What does that mean exactly?

Then I sigh. It’s probably nothing. Jefferson is like me—we’re problem solvers. And the thing about being the one who fixes everyone else’s problems all the time is that they assume you don’t need help with your problems.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I tell her. “I think it will be fine. It's just for this week until the wedding.”

“Well, when people asked me about you today, I just asked what they heard. They said that you and Jefferson were together at the diner and said you were dating. I just asked them why they thought I would tell them anything different.”

I laugh. “That seems like a perfect answer.”

“Yeah,” Mia agrees. “Seriously. Why would they think that they could come to me and get any kind of other story?”

My sister has a lot of residual trauma, not the least of which is trouble trusting. But she is loyal, protective, and amazing.

“Thanks, Mia.”

“Of course.” She pauses. “Let me know if there’s anything else you want me to say or do.”

I smile. My sister is also one of the most loving people. It takes a long time to get close to her, but once you’re there, she won’t let you go. “I love you. “

“Love you too.”

We’re disconnecting when Jefferson steps out of the bakery with his stupid froo-froo coffee.

“We need to tell our friends,” I tell him. “Group text or something. People are already talking.”

He shakes his head, swallowing mouth full of coffee. “No texts. I don’t want that all in writing. Zach might see somebody’s phone. We’ll just tell everyone in person. Or they can tell each other. We have a very efficient grapevine. Oh, and we’re having dinner tonight.”

“You’re asking me out to dinner?”

“You’re my girlfriend. Of course we’ll be eating dinner together tonight.”

“If I was actually your girlfriend, you would still have to ask me out,” I inform him. “I wouldn’t be a sure thing.”

He steps in close. “If you were my girlfriend, you would be a sure thing. You would be at my house every single night, where I could cook for you, make sure you were happy, cuddle your ass on the couch, and then carry you into bed where you would for sure spend the night.” He leans in. “You’d be more than a sure thing. You’d be begging for it.”

My breath sticks in my throat as heat and shock hit me in equal measure.

What the hell is that?

You should shove him back. And laugh. You should definitely laugh.

But wait, is Jefferson sexy?

I don’t want Jefferson making me feel those things.

I stare at him. “I…um—” I clear my throat. “Begging for dinner? You’d try to starve me? That tracks.”

His grin is slow. “To hear you beg? I do just about anything, I think. And I’m an excellent…cook.”

That pause before ‘cook’ feels very innuendo-ish and I don’t like it.

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