Page 38 of Bombshell (Whiskey Dolls 1)

“Tali, maybe it’s not what you think.”

“Not that it really matters if he is or not,” she continued like she hadn’t heard me. “We’re basically just roommates at this point.God,Marin. I can’t even tell you the last time we had sex. I just...” Her throat worked on a thick swallow. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Sweetie. What can I do? How can I help?”

“You’re doing it, right now. Just being here and listening to me. That’s all I need. Oh, and maybe wine. And definitely more of those maple bacon muffins.”

“The wine I can do. And I’ll get you more muffins if it means I have to tackle everyone in line ahead of me or hold Dani hostage until she makes a thousand just for you.”

I pulled her into a tight hug, and she returned the embrace, laying her cheek on my shoulder and letting out a sigh that sounded like it was carrying the weight of the world.

“Thanks, Mar. I love you.”

“Love you too, Tali.”

It was official. I was going to kick Nick Allen’sass!

16

Marin

Every single part of me was itching to drive all the way to the city just so I could rip my stupid, idiotic, moron of a brother-in-law a new asshole for making my sister cry. Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards. I’d had rehearsal earlier that day, then picked Eli up from school.

“So what’s the plan for today, Cool Guy?” I asked, glancing briefly in the rearview mirror. Eli was sitting in the booster seat I’d gotten from Pierce, swinging his little legs back and forth.

“I think I wanna color.”

I scrunched my face up in mock thought. “Hmm. Coloring. That could be fun.”

He tapped his chin like a little man considering his busy afternoon schedule. “And then maybe I’ll jump on the trampoline.”

“If you do that, I could set up the hose and spray you while you jump.”

“Yeah!” He punched his little fist into the air. “Let’s do that!”

“But you have to eat your snack first. You know what that means.”

His tongue peeked out of his mouth like he’d just gotten a whiff of dog poo. Or maybe one of Titan’s farts. My God, who knew a dog could be so damn gassy? No matter how many times I yelled at him to stay out of the trash, it felt like each time I turned around, he was back in it again.

“Fruit and vegetables,” he grumbled sullenly.

“Yep. Fruit and vegetables.”

I was actually pretty pleased that I’d gotten him to choke down the healthier food the past few days. I should have gotten a prize or some kind of medal for that.

My laughter at his grouchy expression lodged in my throat when I turned onto their street and spotted a familiar black sedan sitting in the driveway.

“Dad’s home!” Eli cheered from the back seat. It warmed my heart that he’d be so excited, but at the same time, I felt a fizz of anxiety at the thought of seeing him again. Especially after my conversation that morning with Tali.

Just have fun. You deserve it.

Just have fun. You deserve it.

Those words were repeating in my head like a demented parrot that wouldn’t shut the hell up.

As soon as the car stopped and I threw it in park, Eli bolted out the door like he hadn’t seen his dad in a million years. It was a testament to what a good father Pierce was that his child was so excited to see him after only a few hours. If only he could cut himself some slack.

The front door opened before I reached the porch steps and my heart nearly fell out of my butt. Pierce in a suit made my mouth water. Pierce in sweats made me tingly everywhere. But Pierced in distressed jeans and a faded old concert tee made my lady parts stand up and sing the Hallelujah chorus, becausedayum!

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