Page 41 of My Merry Mistake
What is happening?
I march down the hallway behind Eloise, waving at Dallas and Gray who are both lounging on the couch, playing a video game.
“I’m wearing heels, could you slow down?” I struggle to keep up with my youngest sister, who is being really, really forceful.
She closes the door of the guest room once we’re inside, and I close my eyes, trying to remember everything Justin and I planned before I face the interrogation.
But when I finally look at her, it’s not Justin she asks about.
“Whatwas that?” Eloise hisses.
I frown. “What was what?”
“That—” she flails her hands around, like she’s trying to pluck the perfect word from the air— “tensionbetween you and Finn.” Her eyes practically bug out.
My frown deepens. “What are youtalkingabout?” But the words sound hollow, even to me. Because I felt it. Every second of it. The nerve endings in my body are zapping around like live wires. If I wanted to, I could close my eyes and feel it all over again.
But I donotwant to.
There’s a sharpknock-knockat the door, and Poppy slips in.
“Raya, what the heck?”
I hold up my hands in awhat?gesture.
“Don’t pretend with us,” Poppy says. “We were just there, two seconds ago. You stopped him dead in his tracks.”
“Oh, come on,” I defend. “That’s just how he is. He’s—you know, flirty.”
“That wasnotflirty,” Eloise says. “That was—” she shudders. “That was hot.”
I drop onto the edge of the bed and take off my shoes, mentally praising the Lord to finally get them off my feet. “If you say so.”
Who am I kidding? It reallywashot.
What am I supposed to do with that?
Eloise jumps onto the other side of the bed, and Poppy sits in a big chair in the corner.
“The way he looked at you stopped you dead inyourtracks too.” Eloise has that smugI dare you to disagreelook on her face.
“In case you’ve forgotten—I was on a date tonight,” I say. “And I’m so tired. And I still have a ton of work to do. I just came here to answer all your questions about Justin.”
“Whoa!” Eloise exclaims. “Justin?”
“Who is Justin?!” Poppy asks.
“The guy I went out with,” I say, like,duh.
“Okay, but what about Finn?” Eloise asks. “Because if some hot guy was looking at me the way that man just looked at you?—”
I turn and give her an incredulous look. “Eloise. You’re dating Grayson Hawke. And in case you didn’t know it—he looks at you like that every time you’re in a room together.”
“Ha! So you admit there was a look!” Eloise points at me, like she’s caught me in a lie.
“I have to go.” I stand, but Poppy pushes me back down onto the bed, then lies down so I’m sandwiched between them.
“We’re sorry. We know we can be a lot.” She pauses. “And by we, I mean Eloise.”
