Page 60 of The House Guest
“I do. I love you, Dorian. So much it hurts.” I wiped my eyes. “God, I’m such a disaster.”
“You’remydisaster, Rosebud.”
I blinked. “Rosebud?”
Dorian’s cheeks reddened. “It’s what I’ve called you in my head for some time. I guess this is the first time I’ve said it aloud.”
“Well, I love it.” My cheeks hurt from smiling.
He held me close for a moment before he got up from bed.
“Well, good. I’m glad we got that settled.” He brushed off his hands. “So now, what do you want for breakfast?”
I clutched the sheets. “What do you eat to celebrate being a hot mess?”
“Pancakes?” He grinned.
“Sounds good to me.”
Dorian went downstairs, leaving me sitting in bed, a pile of mush from the love fog he’d put me in. I’d gone from panicked to euphoric. I’d broken up with several men in my life, yet not a single one had fought me on it. Not a single one had told me they loved me in response. Every single one of them had let me go without a fight.
I shook my head and got myself moving. This was nothing like those other relationships.
***
After a nice breakfast of pancakes that Dorian managed not to burn and a day of working in my art room, I felt like a new woman. By the time Chandler and Candace arrived, I was ready to see friends and celebrate my happiness—our happiness.
When the doorbell rang, I went to the door while Dorian set out some drinks. It was a cooler night, so we’d opted to have dinner inside rather than an evening barbecue out by the pool.
They were all smiles when I opened the door. Candace wore a long, blonde wig and looked totally different from the first and only other time I’d met her. She had such a pretty face that it didn’t matter what she had on her head, but the wig definitely complemented her.
“Your hair. I love it!”
“Iwishit were mine.” She shrugged. “You really like it?”
“It looks so good. For some reason, I pictured you as a brunette, but the blonde really suits you.”
“I asked Chandler who he felt like fucking later. He said Daisy.”
“We have names for all the wigs,” he added, rubbing his wife’s back. “They’re now her different personas. The blonde is Daisy. Short brunette is Lorelei. And the redhead is Gia.”
Candace chuckled. “Gotta find some enjoyment in this situation, right?”
I ran a hand over her tresses. “I can’t wait to meet them all.”
“Hey!” Dorian wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Who brought blondie?”
Dorian told me he’d filled Chandler in on the evolution of our relationship, but I wasn’t entirely surewhatthey knew. They didn’t seem too surprised to see Dorian hanging all over me. But I had a feeling I’d be explaining a lot to Candace tonight.
The four of us migrated to the kitchen where Dorian had set out wine and glasses, along with the snack plate of crackers, cheese, and fruit that I’d prepared earlier.
“So, by the way, thank you both,” Candace said as she munched on a cracker.
I looked over at Dorian then back at her. “Thank us, why?”
Candace smacked her hand on the counter. “I won a hundred bucks because of you two.”
“What did we do?” Dorian asked as he poured some wine.
