Page 67 of Sew Matcha in Love
“Even if.”
“You could miss out on the love you’ve been looking for your whole life. I’m sure the girls would understand.”
“Seriously, Vik?” It angered me that she even thought that. “If Arwyn is the person I want, she wouldn’t want me to give up my girls.”
“No,” Viki agreed. “She wouldn’t.”
“I gotta go. The girls will call you tonight.”
“Bye, Zak. Good luck.”
I shoved the phone in my pocket and jogged out to the dolls’ stage on the tree trunk. The dogs sensed me and met me halfway. I snapped on their leashes and walked them back to the girls.
“Don’t let them run away,” I whispered to the girls. “Call for me if they get antsy.”
I nodded to Arwyn and went back into the house. I was debating whether to put in a call to the PR team when my phone rang.
Monty.
“Looking to hire me to perform at your next party?” I joked.
“Not unless I decide to throw a grad party for Clown College.”
I rolled my eyes. “What do you want, then?”
“What I want is for my wife to speak to me. Security failed big-time last night, and Tasha isn’t the easy-to-forgive type. She can’t get hold of Arwyn. I suspect she’s with you and not answering her phone because of all the publicity. I need to apologize to her. And if you’ve got a brain in your head and a heart that cares for that sweet girl, you’ll put out a statement about this madness.”
“Hold on.” I closed the door and went back to my spot at the front window. “You think me saying something will end this? What kind of statement?”
“Seriously? Theonlystatement. You love her, right?”
“It’s been a month, Monty. I hardly know her. I just kissed her last night, for Pete’s sake.”
“Yeah, no brain inyourhead. Well, you may not know it, but the rest of us do. It doesn’t take long to fall in love when youknow.It’s instant. Boom. Life changed.”
Instant? That wasn’t how it was with Viki. I was living with her family for a year before I even asked her out. Our feelings had grown gradually, and…
“Monty—how did it switch for you? You and Tasha were friends for a long time before you fell for each other. How did you know those feelings were real and not just … convenient because of all the time you spent together?”
“Convenient? Look, Marsch, I didn’t call to become your therapist. If you’re referring to your ex—your high school sweetheart-turned-hockey-wife, yeah, I think you have an argument for convenience. Especially if you were friends first. But there’s nothingat allconvenient about loving Tasha. Never was, never will be. She’s my roseandmy thorn. And I can’t live without her. So let me apologize to Arwyn so my wife will speak to me again.”
“I—okay.”
As I turned to the door, Laffy and Vennie began barking in earnest. I hurried to open it and investigate.
Horror stopped me dead in my tracks. Arwyn, waving the Anna doll, stood between the dogs and the stump. The girls were trying to pull the dogs backward, but the Westies strained at the leashes.
Barely visible in its surroundings coiled a prairie rattler.
I pocketed my phone and ran as fast as I could, scooped up a dog and a girl in each arm and carried them back to the house. Amelie screamed as Vennie’s leash slipped from her grasp. He wiggled out of my grip and bolted in the direction of the snake.
I had to protect the girls. I hurried them to the safety of the cabin so I could help Arwyn before it was too late.
CHAPTER 23
Arwyn
Amelie’s scream cracked my heart.
