Go Away, Darling - Alexis Anne Page 0,26

this was going real fast. “It’s a damn shame. I’d love to see those two in a room together now.”

“You and me both,” Paris grinned. “Maybe we can figure something out one of these days. Accidentally on purpose get them in the same room and see what happens.”

I grabbed a bag of chips off the shelf behind her and winked. “I will happily be your co-conspirator. Just let me know when and where.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Then she scowled at her younger sister. Once upon a time Olivia and Berlin had been best friends. I wondered if the scowl currently trained on me was because they were still best friends and she didn’t like that Olivia and I were getting close. “What’s wrong with your face?”

Berlin finally tore her eyes away from glaring at me and instead glared at her sister. “There’s nothing wrong with my face.”

“Yes there is. It’s all scrunched up and angry. Is Ryker not good in bed? Are you orgasm-less?”

I thought for a split second Berlin might strangle her sister. Instead she hissed, “My sex life is great, thank you very much, and not up for discussion.”

“Then why are you scowling?” Paris refused to give up and I couldn’t figure out how to gracefully disappear.

Berlin waved at her sister. “Can you just go pickup the vegetables we need for dinner already and leave me alone? I bet Chris is off to Tampa anyway and here we are holding him hostage in our rinky dink small town grocery store.”

Paris mouthed I’m sorry with a shrug. “Fine. Meet you at the cash register. Nice seeing you, Chris!”

But Berlin didn’t budge. She waited until Paris was out of earshot before glancing at me, which is when I decided to cut her off at the pass.

“I like that Calusa Key is small and quiet. Why do you think I stopped here instead of Sarasota or St. Pete? I like that Kelly knows me at checkout and remembers that I always forget to get more butter. I can live anywhere. I want to live here.”

She kept that scowl on her face, but her eyes softened a little. “I don’t trust you or your money or your fame. Not for one second. The last thing Olivia needs is an egotistical athlete to woo her and then leave her when he decides fame and money are more exciting in the city.”

The shadow of Beau hung heavy, as I feared. “I understand your concerns. I have no intention of changing my personality any time soon.”

She blinked like I surprised her. “You hurt her and I’ll find a nice electrical storm to strand you in. You can’t get lucky twice.”

I shrugged. “It was a near miss.”

She leaned closer. “I’ll make sure it’s a direct hit next time.”

And while the banter was fun, it was also tedious and unnecessary. “Duly noted. Now if you don’t mind, I have puppies to murder and candy to poison.”

“Ha. Ha.” She stepped to the side, allowing me to finally pass. “I mean it. You’re either in or out with Olivia. She’s not someone you can have fun with and forget.”

I turned to walk backward so I could see Berlin as I offered her this one last reassurance. “I’ve never forgotten her. And I never will.”

9

Sneaking out of my own damned house like a teenager

Olivia

I was in the middle of daydreaming about Chris teaching Linc how to throw a baseball. When he was done he stood up and winked at me. Then we lived happily ever after.

Yep. I had it bad.

In fact, I was fairly certain I had never had it this bad in my entire life. Not at seventeen when Drew Prescott asked me to prom. Not when Beau Rowland asked me out. Not ever. I wasn’t a happily ever after kind of girl. My parents fought constantly when I was young and had a messy, drama-filled divorce. I knew, first hand, that love could be as constructive as it could be destructive. I never fancied white wedding dresses or an ideal life. I assumed things would be rocky and that the best I could do for myself was to be content in the moment.

Chris Kaine must have some powerful male hormones to do a number like this on me.

“So what have I missed?” My younger sister Summer asked as she sat down across from me with a fresh iced tea.

“Not much. Having Beau closer is so nice for Linc. We’ve had a great summer but I’m more than