Page 79 of Lovewell Lane

She blinked at me like she didn’t understand.

“I’ve got a business to run and people depending on me. I can’t just vanish for a week because your boyfriend turned out to be emotionally unavailable once again.”

She scoffed. “That’s not fair. If anything, I’m helping you get out of this place.”

“No,” I said, setting a chair down a little too hard. “What’s not fair is showing up here without warning and expecting me to drop everything like I’m still nineteen.”

That landed.

She crossed her arms, then softened her tone like it was going to make any of this easier. “I’ll stay with you tonight. We can talk more in the morning, they clearly overwork you here. Your nails aren’t even done and your hair is a mess.”

My stomach dropped. “My place is small. I don’t have any spare rooms.”

She waved a manicured hand. “I’m not picky.”

I laughed in her face at that. “We can check to see if the Lakeside Inn has any spare rooms.”

“You’re putting your mother up in a hotel,” she sniffed. “In a town like this, I could be robbed or kidnapped.”

“It’s a nice town, Mom.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. No way was I letting her crash at Derek’s place, and my couch was too small for even me to sleep on.

Which was how I ended up standing in front of Derek’s front door late at night, with my mom, who insisted on linking our elbows together.

I knocked twice.

The door opened, and Derek looked like he’d just finished cleaning up after dinner— sleeves pushed up to display those forearms that I loved so much, hair a little messy, and his smile at me made my heart ache.

“Margo?” he asked, blinking.

“Hi,” I said sweetly. “Quick question. I know we agreed that I would never have any guests over, but my mom decided to visit unexpectedly. She doesn’t want to stay at the Inn. Could we make an exception?”

I made crazy eyes at him after asking and subtly dragged my finger across my neck. Telepathically, I was screaming at him to say no. He watched my reaction and looked amused if anything.

He leaned against the doorframe lazily, one eyebrow raised. “That’s a strong pitch.” He looked over at my mother. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said politely.

I lowered my voice, glancing toward the driveway. “I totally understand, I know we have a strict agreement. We won’t bother you again.” I wheeled my mother and I around to start walking back to my car, ready to drop her off at the Inn and be done for the night.

“Of course, she can stay,” Derek called. He looked like he was biting back a laugh.

“Derek,” I said. Hoping he would pick up on the fact that I wanted him to be an asshole. The one time I was relying on him being a dick, and he couldn’t follow through.

He smirked. “She can take the guest house. I have a spare bedroom open for you, Margo.”

I physically cringed before replacing it with a smile. Turning to my mom, I smiled and started walking her around the main house to the guest house. I quickly glanced behind us to make sure Tessa wasn’t in view before giving Derek the middle finger behind my back.

He watched us walk away for a long while before closing the door.

I did my best to tune my mother out as I readied the guest house for her to sleep in. She had a lot to say about how small it was, my taste in art, and my lack of a television.

“I mean really, Margo, how can you live here,” she complained while pulling at my blinds. “I made sure to show you the world, and you pick this.”

I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue for the thousandth time that day. A metallic taste flooded my mouth.

“Alright,” I sighed. “There are fresh sheets and pillowcases. You’re welcome to anything in the fridge. Please don’t come and knock on Derek’s door. He has a daughter and she’ll be asleep, so text me if you need anything.”

My mom nodded. “So are you sleeping with him? If not, I’d take a bite out of that. Maybe you should stay here and—”

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