Page 67 of Love, Hate, Love

After that day,I’d made a determined effort to force her out of my mind and my heart. I’d thought it had worked, at least somewhat. What a fool I’d been. She wasn’t the type of woman you forgot about. She was the type who could take down an empire with a look.

Chapter30

Leah

The black garmentbag was hanging off the mantel in the living room while I plotted how it could accidentally catch fire. The grate was closed, and the logs weren’t burning, but that wasn’t a high hurdle. Just a few careless moments, and it would be gone.

Unfortunately, so would the small fortune Cassie had probably spent on it. I’d also have to be cautious not to burn down the ranch, which was possible, since I was new to arson.

Although therewasa handy-dandy little fire extinguisher just a few steps away in the kitchen.

But no. It would be wrong. Very, very wrong.

Kade walked in the door and glanced at my face, then the bag.

“You planning on burying me in that bag or something? Because that look is usually reserved for me.”

I jerked my attention to him. “No. That bag isn’t big enough for you. They sent the wrong one. You’re off the hook.”

“Ah, that’s why you’re mad.”

He was staring at me with that flirty smirk of his, like we were in on something together.

“Don’t look at me like that or I’ll cut you up and squeeze you in somehow,” I said, reminding myself that I couldn’t let myself get pulled into his little flirtations. He was unreliable at the best and a real bastard when he was in a mood. I needed to stop joking around with him like this. It made our relationship feel too good.

“So what’s in the bag that you’re so angry at?”

There wasn’t any point in not telling him. It wasn’t like it would be a secret. He’d see it when I wore it. “If you must know, it’s a dress from Cassie.”

“The dreaded bridesmaid dress? Is it a confectioner’s dream come true? All whipped frills and lace? Too many ruffles? Weird neck that chokes you?”

“No. It’s none of those things. I mean, it’s nice enough. It’s just… It’s, it’s—nice.” He kept staring at me, waiting for more details. “We really don’t need to talk about this.”

“Have to. I’m invested now.”

“You’reinvested? In my dress?” I said, raising my eyebrows.

“Yes.” Kade kept eyeing the bag, like he was hoping for x-ray vision.

“If you have to know, it’s just a lot. She knows Greg is coming and so she wanted me to stand out in the most obvious ways.”

“ForGreg? She wants you to lure that asshole back in?”

“Why do you care if Greg is coming?” He was really taking this truce, this fake-friend act, to the limits now. He was even getting more color in his face, as if truly insulted by the notion.

“Idon’t. But I’m stuck here, while he’s off living life, and Cassie wanted me to look my best to stick it to him. The gesture and thought is appreciated, but I think this dress might be a little too muchstickingit to himfor me. What I care about is everyone on the ranch thinking I’m a hussy.”

He walked over to the bag and unzipped it before I could stop him.

There it was. The Jessica Rabbit dress. Only difference was it was black instead of red.

“It’s pretty,” he said, like a man not used to looking at or caring about fashion. He ran a hand over the slightly shimmering fabric. “And shiny.”

“Oh, it’s shiny, all right. Wait until you see it on. I look like a desperado. I’m trying to figure out how to return it without pissing off the only friend I have left. It’s not like I can spare any at this point. Being a criminal tends to alienate the more upstanding individuals in your circle.” I walked over to the bag, zipping it back up.

“You’re very likeable.”

“I might’ve been, but not anymore. Do you realize what painting I got caught with? It was a historic masterpiece stolen during World War II from a prominent Jewish family. That’s not something you can bounce back from. It sort of sticks with you for life.”

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