Page 85 of Fool Me

And I let her go because if I strip her down to help her clean up I’m going to get us both going again and her heavy eyes confirm that tonight has already been a lot.

We’ve got time,I silently remind myself. And with Harlowe, that feels true. The nonstop chatter in my head is lazier when she’s around. It could be the after effect of being with her, but I think it’s deeper. Being near her puts me at ease because she sees me and she gives me what I need without hesitation. Harlowe accepts me implicitly. After everything my brother, running from town, and the uncertainty I felt coming back, I have a person who wants me for all of me. And that’s a feeling I’ve never known before.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE

HARLOWE

Atlas is a man of many talents—something he proved last night. One of those talents is looking far too good in anything he wears. At this point, I’m convinced he could wear a wine barrel to the wedding and bring me to my knees.

Each look, from the cutoff shirts he favors when he works out, to the scrubs that test the elasticity of cotton blends, to the jeans and boots he wears on date night, puts me under its own unique spell.

But Atlas Kane in a suit . . . it’s enough to make a girl weep. He’s unfairly beautiful, and he’s all mine.

“You’ve got some drool right here,” Vivienne says from where she snuck up next to me. I let the sheer curtain fall shut and step back from the window. Haze is sleeping in my arms yet again. I can’t get enough.

“And you look—God, Vi, you’re stunning. Xavier is going to lose it.” And she’s not even in her wedding dress yet. But it’s almost that time. The team Vivienne hired to get us ready is finishing with Poppy and Mia.

The bride’s eyes drop to her son in my arms, who is currently smacking his pouty lips together, and then lift again. “That smilelooks good on you, and I don’t think it has anything to do with my baby.”

“It has a little to do with this sweet nugget.” I drop a kiss on his head.

“I should feed him before I have to get dressed. And you should sit with me and tell me all about why the vet has you looking at him like that,” Vivi says, scooping Haze out of my arms.

I taste lipstick as I bite my lip and pull back before I wreck my makeup. But my smile wins out.

“Oh, that?” I say, aiming for casual and missing. “I blame the twins.”

“What?” she sputters on a laugh that turns to a hiss as Haze latches on. “Shit. That hurt.”

I rub her arm sympathetically. “We can talk about this later. It’s your day and you’ve got a lot going on.”

“Absolutely not, distract me—I’m still not sure I’ve got the hang of this. Besides, I want to know how much trouble my youngest brothers are causing. And what they have to do with you and the hot doctor.”

Delilah squeezes Vivi’s shoulder in solidarity as she drops into the chair next to her. Indie takes a seat on the other side of Vivi, her hand resting on the top of her small bump. I knew Vivi’s friends in Denver had kids, but they all seem to be at that spot in life where they are multiplying faster than I can keep up. With four under four, it’s a game of musical babies. The two smallest, Haze and Janie, are being passed around for snuggles. And the toddlers, Holland and Jarrett, keep switching adults based on who’s currently got the capacity to entertain them. Right now, that happens to be Tenley, who took them to get dressed.

It reminds me of the tight-knit group I’ve found in Timberline Peak, minus the babies.

Refocusing on her question, I say, “I can’t be certain, but I suspect that one of the twins is responsible for the missing pull-out mattress in the apartment.”

“No!” Vivi gasps. “I’m going to kill them. I put you up there because there were two beds. Well, and it’s quieter.” As if she knew we were having girl time without her, Holland bursts through the door, squealing and throwing herself into Vivi’s lap. Like a pro, she shifts Haze to allow room for his sister without missing a beat.

It’s a perfect picture so I snap one for her with my phone and then show her. “It might not feel like it but I think you’ve got this mom thing down. You're doing great.”

My best friend’s eyes grow misty but before she can respond, Holland is reaching up for a curl.

“Pretty hair, Mama.”

“Thank you, Estrella. Aunt Tenley gave you big girl hair.”

“We match.”

Tenley follows her in, carrying Holland’s dress and her flower girl basket as Jarret toddles behind her.

“Thank you for helping her,” Vivienne says, smoothing a hand over Holland’s red curls.

“Anything for my girl.”

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