Page 38 of Fall Into Temptation
“Great. Now, I really feel like crap,” Eva groaned. “Stupid Donovan being right all the time.” She prayed the subject change would lighten the mood.
“What did our esteemed sheriff have to say once he put the bullhorn down?” Emma asked, picking up a banana from the fruit bowl.
“He said—to paraphrase—family wants to be there for messy parts, not just the celebrations.”
“The mess is more important than the big wins,” Gia nodded. “That’s like if I wouldn’t have introduced you guys to my kids before they were potty-trained and feeding themselves. Babies and toddlers are the mess, but you can’t skip over the mess and just land at the good stuff. Most of the good stuff is in the mess.”
“Our resident philosophical yogi,” Emma said, golf clapping.
“I fucked this all up,” Eva sighed, flopping down at her table.
“Not everything,” Gia said. “You did just have a very attractive man shouting at you from your lawn.”
“He thinks he might love me.”
“What?” her sisters screeched in unison.
“Ouch! My ears,” Eva complained.
“What did you say when he made this approximal proclamation?” Emma demanded.
“I told him I need time to get used to the idea of dating him.” Eva threw up her hands. “Technically we haven’t even had a real date yet.”
“And yet he thinks that you’re it for him?” Gia asked, hearts and flowers in her eyes.
“I know. It’s insane.”
“I think it’s incredibly romantic, Eves. He doesn’t date unless he does it very quietly. The fact that he’s coming on this strong… well, I think he means it.” Gia clasped her hands under her chin.
“Ofcoursethe romance novelist gets the romance,” Emma teased. “Speaking of, when do we get to read your book? Books? How many do you have?”
“You can start right now,” Eva said, grinning. She skipped into the living room and opened the storage compartment of her ottoman. She returned with an armload of books. “I have five out, and I’m working on number six.”
Emma snatched one off the stack and flipped it open. “That’s What She Said Publishing?”
Eva grinned. “That’s me, too.”
“You’re a publisher, too?” Gia squealed. “I’m getting more proud by the moment!”
“Don’t get me started on the indie publishing industry and how being your own publisher both rocks and sucks,” Eva laughed.
“Her hand trembled as he skimmed his lips over the curve of her hip—” Emma read. “I think Niko and I are going to read this in bed tonight.”
“Don’t leave those laying around for Aurora to find and take to school,” Eva cautioned Gia. “They’re… steamy.”
“Like on a scale of one to, oh, I don’t know…fifty?” Emma asked with a wink.
“A strong forty-eight.”
Gia whistled and fanned herself. “I can’t wait until naptime today! Aren’t you going to sign them for us?”
“I’ll sign them if you like them,” Eva decided. “And don’t sugar coat it. If you don’t like a book, tell me.”
“Now that the yelling portion of the day is done,” Emma said, “Niko and I are hitting the farmer’s market with Baxter.”
“How is Mr. Adorable?” Eva asked. Niko had surprised Emma with a yellow lab puppy and house as part of his proposal.
“My husband is amazing as always,” Emma said cheekily. “And Baxter is pretty great, too. At least, he would be if he could figure out how to stop peeing in the closet.”
