Page 49 of Love Me Not

“Yeah, we could have sleepovers!”Bella added enthusiastically.

Juliette laughed again, and I could feel the heat working its way up my neck.She knew exactly what I wanted.

Her.

“Thank you, Lux.I’ll consider it,” she said as she pulled her phone out.“Bella, it’s about time we go.Go wash your hands in the bathroom.Don’t want to get pie filling all over that pretty dress of yours.”

Bella bounded off to the bathroom while Juliette and I got up in silence.I paid the bill at the counter, lost in thought.

“That would be a terrible idea, you know,” she finally said.

The worst, honestly.

“Oh, I know.”I turned around to look at her.“I’m just doing my job as a concerned employer.”

I couldn't help but smile at Juliette’s incredulous look.

“Uh-huh, I’m sure that’s all you want.”

“It is!”I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop myself from touching her but leaned forward, keeping our eye contact.

“What?”she asked with a raised brow and leaned back.I took one more selfish look at her.Today, her hair was pulled back, with small braids on the side of her temples that disappeared behind her ears.The rest of her hair sat in light waves on her shoulders.She was wearing a purple pastel top and a long, white skirt with purple flowers embroidered on it.

I wondered how we looked together.Such polar opposites.I almost never wore anything other than black or deep jewel tones.My hair was black.My eyes were dark.

Juliette was pretty and angelic, not to mention she smelled like fresh flowers.Lilies, I thought.

Her eyes shifted to the side and back to mine.It was quick, but I caught the hesitation in her stare.

“Are you actually considering it?”I asked, teasing heavy in my tone.There was a burst of excitement that shot through me at the thought.

“You offered,” she said with a shrug.

“It’s my duty to make sure my child’s nanny is taken care of,” I said, and both of us noticed my slip of the tongue right away.

My child.I’d never called Bella that before.Because she really wasn't; she was my sister's kid.It just came out so easily.

“Right… Or maybe you just want to take advantage of me.”She rolled her eyes at me.“Obsessed much?”

She was obviously trying to save me from that slipup.Maybe she saw just how conflicted and panicky I was after saying it.I appreciated her attempt to lighten the mood, but I had too much to unpack with the last sentence.

“I would say you’re actually obsessed with me.”I crossed my arms.“Here I am, a concerned employer, while you’re actually considering moving in with us.Do I need to start locking my door at night to stop you from sneaking into my bed?”

A small smile played on her lips at that.It would likely be me sneaking into her bed at night, and we both knew it.

Obsessed.She was right.There was no other word for it.

I was looking forward to her reply when Bella came running back to us, excited to leave

“Let’s go!”she said and grabbed Juliette’s hand, pulling her back to the car.

An unnamed emotion started bubbling inside my chest as I watched them together.

I’d never been able to be like that with Bella, neither before nor after the death of her parents.Bella had never been that open or touchy-feely with me.There had always been a space between us, whether physical or emotional, I didn’t know.But I knew I was to blame for that.

I wasn't like Juliette.I couldn’t talk about my emotions or help Bella deal with hers.I wouldn’t know where to start.

The only times she’d get close to me were when she was knocked out and I was transferring her to her bed.Maybe she cuddled against me for a moment because she forgot who I was and why she was stuck with me.And even those moments were short-lived.

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