Page 36 of Major Love

Well, just kill me now.

“I had a sleepover with–” she begins, but I hold up a palm, already wincing.

“You know what, I take it back. I don’t wanna know,” I say hoarsely, hauling up my work-gear from the mat and stepping half-out of Casey’s front door.

And then, in less than a second, I’m storming back inside.

“Okay, just tell me,” I say roughly. “Who was it? Was it Beckett?”

Sunday chokes back what sounds like laughter before arching an eyebrow and asking, “Uh, what?”

“Beckett,” I repeat. “He’s one of my employees. Told me he bumped into you and, you know…”

I make a vague gesture with my hands, my neck burning hotter by the second.

Sunday tilts her head to one side, those wide eyes sparkling as she watches me.

I stare at her for a moment before averting my gaze. “So, are you?”

Sunday’s eyebrows almost hit the ceiling.

“Am I what?” she asks, half-laughing.

My heart races in my chest. “Are you going out with him?”

And then I drop my eyes to my boots, until Sunday takes a small step toward me.

I meet her gaze with mine, my temples throbbing as she smiles up at me.

My chest pumps unsteadily up and down as I try to work out what that look means.

“I spent the weekend with Haven,” she tells me slowly, before adding wryly, “you know, mysister-in-law?”

A hot surge of relief courses through me as I stare down at her, and then she cocks her head to the side and asks, “What wereyoudoing this weekend?”

“Work,” I say immediately, jerking my thumb toward the back of the cabin. “Filled in the hole yesterday morning, and then headed up to help Nature and Wildlife rescue an injured elk. Got home a little later than usual, and came back to Casey’s first thing today.”

Then I decide to put my pride on the line, shifting my boots gently against the hardwood.

“Tried calling you a couple of times.”

Sunday’s eyes widen. “That was you?”

Then she presses her fingertips against her temples and bites her bottom lip, understanding dawning.

“We were doing a forest trek with Tucker and I thought the only person with my number was Case. But obviously, I sent you a text that morning… so I guess he’s not the only person who has access to it.”

We share a silent look and, in the next second, we’re laughing. I rub my knuckles across my stubble, eyes on Sunday’s legs as she slips off her snow shoes.

“Which forest did you go to?” I ask, and she grins up at me as she pulls on her cowgirl boots, wearing them around the cabin like a pair of slippers.

“We were barely in the mountains,” she admits. “Just the lower forest trails.”

And then I’m following her into the kitchen, checking her out from behind as she opens up a cupboard.

When she pulls out a large tub of cocoa powder, I tell her, “I’ll pay you back for the drink you lost to my shirt.”

“Jason,” she laughs, shooting me a gorgeous smile over her shoulder. “I practically scalded you. You don’t need to pay me back.”

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