Page 4 of Accidentally Matched

The blanket of silence is so deafening, I tap my heel on the floor to make sure my ears are working.

“You tried to kill us the last time we saw you, and you think we’re going to let you anywhere near our dicks?”

Chapter Three

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TIERNEY

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Of course, I knew theywere going to bring up that rather unfortunate incident. I wasn’t trying to kill them.

They’d come for a barbecue to our house. We were on the beach. The mare I’d been riding went berserk. I lost control of her, and out of all the guests at the barbecue, Mariella, the mare, made a beeline straight for Colter, Nolan, and Jace, who had been standing there with drinks in their hands, minding their own business. So yes, it looked as if I wanted to run them over with my horse on purpose.

But I was, in fact, screaming like a mad person because Mariella was also heading directly toward a small cliff.

Lucky for me, Colter commandeered Clementine’s horse. Nolan and Jace jumped on Haley’s horse and came after me. Colter blocked Mariella’s mad gallop, and as soon as Jace got close enough to me, Nolan jumped in behind me and took control of Mariella.

They sold Mariella to my dad knowing she was the sweetest, kindest equine soul to ever grace the earth, so I must have done something to spook the mare, to have her react that way. I didn’t. I still don’t know what happened.

They’ve looked at me funny ever since, no matter how much I tried to apologize and thank them for saving my life. In gratitude, I sent them gifts: rare editions of the classics Colter likes, rare baseball cards for Nolan, and uncut versions of popular movies for Jace. I bought them personalized thermoses, designer gloves, and tickets to see plays that were already sold out everywhere else. I offered them my time for anything they wanted me to do. I more than made up for it, I think.

“I kind of knew you were going to bringthatup, but I never come unprepared.” I reach into my pink Chanel handbag and retrieve a pink cookie tin.

“I baked you these. My signature choc-chip cookies, designed to melt your heart and all your inhibitions. Also, this might interest you.” I remove an envelope from my bag and slide it across the desk.

Colter opens the envelope. I can see them inhaling the air because, of course, my stationery smells like me.

He pulls out a single sheet of pink paper. I know the words written on them. I wrote them myself, and the signature at the bottom is unmistakably authentic; even they can’t deny it.

“How did you do this?” Nolan asks, a heavy frown making him narrow his eyes at me.

“Well, you see, Jeffrey Greenward is... was a client of mine. As is the case with most of our clients, he’d given up on love, but Sweetpea and I made him see the true love of his life was right under his nose—his secretary, Rose Ellen. He took the plunge, and now he’s so happy in love; he told me there is nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for me. So I asked him for this. Say yes, and the land is yours.”

I lean back in the very uncomfortable chair, cross my legs again, and swing my foot clad in my six-inch heels.

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