Page 75 of Wild Ever After
“I don’t hate the chair.”
“Good.” Her smile gets bigger.
“It needs to be cleaned though. It stinks something awful.”
She buries her laugh into my bicep. “It really does, doesn’t it?”
26
BOY TALK
JADE
As I’m walkingout of the office Thursday evening, well past sunset, I get a text from Scarlett,9-1-1 My place. Bring wine.
My stomach drops. Oh no. I hope everything is okay. I abandon my plans of going home, showering in Declan’s life-altering shower, and then continuing my binge ofOne Tree Hill, and send a reply to let her know I’m on my way.
When I arrive thirty minutes later, two bottles of wine in tow, my best friend meets me at the door.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as she takes one of the bottles from my full hands and then hugs me tight with one arm around my neck. She has a solid hold for such a small chick.
“Nothing. We just missed you.” She frees me from her vise-like grip but grabs my arm and pulls me with her into the kitchen. Piper and Dakota are sitting in chairs in front of the island. Music is playing from one of their phones and two charcuterie boards are laid out with meats, cheeses, nuts, and chocolate.
“You scared me.” I swat at my best friend’s hand. “Do not use 9-1-1 when it isn’t an emergency.”
“I’m sorry,” she says as she grabs an empty wine glass. “But we haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“You saw me yesterday.”
“Work doesn’t count.”
“Fine. I saw you last weekend at their anniversary shindig.” I wave to Dakota. “Great party by the way.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Dakota beams.
“That doesn’t count either,” Scarlett says. “We needed girl time.”
I smile as I take a seat in a chair between Dakota and Piper. Now that I know everyone is okay, I’m happy to see them. “And the wine?”
Scarlett pours me a glass and then refills everyone else’s before she leans on the island. “We figured the best way to get you talking about Declan was to liquor you up.”
“I’m gonna need way more wine than this,” I mutter, only half-kidding.
“Are you together now?” Dakota asks.
“We got married, remember?” I shove a hunk of cheese in my mouth.
“You know what she means.” Piper nudges me with an elbow. “Spill the details. We need some new gossip around here. It’s all ‘Leo’s so great. Maverick’s so amazing. Tyler’s so hot.’”
She grins big as she says the last part, and we all laugh.
“You guys are all very predictable and boring now, but I am not going to be your entertainment with my messy love life.”
The truth is I’m jealous of how happy they all are. Their relationships are unshakable, and Declan and I are somewhere between faking a marriage and being seriously into each other. He does these nice things for me: going to events, building me an office, and so, so many more little things.
I can’t help but wonder if he really likes me as much as it seems or if he’s just holding up his side of our agreement. I don’t doubt that he likes me, but it’s hard to gauge which actions are because he wants to spend time with me and which are because he agreed to be my fake husband. It’s a lot. The best way I’ve found to navigate it, is to not think too hard about it. And kissing. Lots of kissing.
“Where are the guys if you’re all together?” I ask, pointing between the three of them.
