Page 22 of Huckleberry Hill
“Yeah,” I murmured.
I still didn’t move.
“Stairs.” She gently pushed me in the direction of the staircase.
I held up the bag from General Merc. “I need to do some laundry.”
“I’ll take care of it.” She took the bag from me and peered inside. “These are cute.” She pulled out the campfire and s’mores socks.
“I thought so too.”
She then pulled out the package of underwear. “Are you trying to be celibate?”
“Muddy!” I hissed.
Muddy let out a cackle. “Just kidding. But seriously. I wouldn’t even wear these. They’re granny panties for sure.”
“I so didn’t need to know that.” I rolled my eyes. “It was all Lucy had on hand. And I forgot to pack underwear.” I groaned.
“What?”
“I ran into Declan at the store and he saw me buy these.” I buried my face in my hands. “I’m going to shower and then lay down for a bit. I’ll help you with dinner prep, okay?”
“Sounds good, sugar.” She smirked.
“Stop looking at me that way.”
“What way is that?”
“Like you know something I don’t.”
“When you’ve been around the sun as many times as I have, you’ll smirk like I am too.”
“Well, it would be a privilege to have as much wisdom as you.”
“Who said anything about wisdom?”
I hugged her. “You’re so sassy. I love it.”
“You’ve got a bit of my sass.”
“Not as much as Salem,” I said, pulling back.
Muddy sighed. “Salem . . . What are we going to do about her?”
“We’re going to let her be who she needs to be.” I squeezed Muddy’s arm and then headed up the stairs.
My bedroom was chilly and I quickly shut the window, but not before I got a good look at the pen outside. Declan was on horseback, his broad shoulders fully displayed.
“Nope. Not doing that.” I hastily shut the curtains, but temptation was on the other side of it.
I’d just broken up with my fiancé, a man I’d been prepared to share my life with. Broken promises and broken dreams aside, there was no reason for me to be lusting after the cowboy who rode a motorcycle, had a smile that made me quiver, and enough swagger that he could give some away to others and still have plenty left over.
There was a full bathroom that was sandwiched between Salem’s bedroom and mine. It had a double sink, a huge tub, and enough drawer space for all of our hair products and makeup.
I smiled when I thought about getting ready for school. We’d share the bathroom, talk about the boys we thought were cute, and I’d put the lip gloss in my backpack and she’d stuff the blue eye shadow we weren’t allowed to wear in hers.
A pang of longing went through my chest.
