Page 91 of Single-Minded
“It sounds more like a relationship,” Willow said, “when you spend time with his kiddos.”
“And get bubbly when you talk about him,” Emerson added.
“I’m not bubbly,” I said. “I don’t even know what that means.”
“Like…lovesick,” Willow said.
I laughed at her word choice.
“Are you falling in love?” Chloe asked in an incredulous tone.
“I…” I’d been about to deny that in a knee-jerk reaction. Presley Holiday didn’t fall in love. “I wouldn’t know the first thing about it. Lust? Yes. Love?” I made a face. “How do you even know when you fall in love?”
“You just…know,” Emerson said.
The other two nodded.
“Not helpful,” I said.
“Are you planning to end the fling when West finishes your projects?” Chloe asked.
“I hope not, but we haven’t talked about what happens afterward. I see him seven days a week right now, for hours on end sometimes.”
“Love is…feeling connected. Like partners in certain aspects,” Emerson said.
I thought about how we’d teamed up when Nova got hurt.
“It’s passion,” Willow said. “Not only wanting to F his brains out on the daily but feeling strongly about him as a whole person.”
“It’s showing interest in his interests and vice versa,” Chloe said. “Like running a brewery because he likes beer.”
We all laughed. “You always were more of a wine girl than a beer one,” I said. And then she and Holden had hooked up and opened Rusty Anchor.
I thought about kayaking. I’d started that because West had mentioned boating. And he seemed more interested in coffee now, sampling different beans and blends I made with my home coffee machine, listening when I explained where it was from and what the flavor highlights were supposed to be.
“Ben makes me feel good about myself,” Emerson said. “Like, in my head, I’m just a hot-mess hairstylist trying to hold things together and support my kids. He goes on about me being a kick-ass business owner, a rock star mom, that kind of thing. He makes me feel like I’m a better me, if that makes sense.” Emerson shrugged, seeming embarrassed as she picked up another foil strip.
“Yes,” Chloe said. “Holden does that too. Like, the things we don’t give ourselves enough credit for, they point out how we’re nailing it.”
“West makes comments about how I don’t let anything stand in my way. I’ll do something because it’s what I need to get done, but he points out that I ‘do the hell out of it.’” I melted the way I did every time he complimented me like that.
“None of that sounds like just lust, my friend,” Willow said.
“I don’t know what to do with that,” I said, feeling slightly panicky. “Love? Seriously. Foreign concept.”
Willow laughed. “That’s how it is the first time.”
“And the second,” Emerson said. “Maybe even more so the second time.”
I looked to Chloe, because she knew me better than anyone, and in fact, she’d been so similar to me. Until Holden.
“Any idea how he feels?” Chloe asked.
I grinned. “Pretty sure he likes when I’m naked.”
Everyone laughed and made indecent comments, which made us laugh harder.
That. That was the sisterhood. It felt amazing, even if the topic was freaking me the hell out.
