How to Marry Your Frenemy - London Casey Page 0,66
and double check some numbers. I can probably get you on a payment plan. But you’re going to have to put money away for your taxes and pay them on time going forward.”
“Look at you,” Mom said. She stood up. “So smart. Capable. No wonder Jackson swept you up.”
“Mom, you have to listen to me about that…”
“When’s the party?” Lake asked. “I can’t wait to see you two together!”
“Soon,” Mom said. “I’m waiting for the correct date to come to me.”
“It’s not…”
“There’s the bride!” Joni’s voice yelled.
Oh, shit.
I had them all facing me.
Mom. Lake. Summer. And Joni.
“You look radiant,” Sunny said. “Brighter than the last time we saw you.”
“Love will do that,” Joni said. “Good love.”
“Good sex too,” Lake said.
My cheeks warmed up.
I looked at my mother.
She showed her hands. “No judgement from me. Everyone needs sex. It’s natural. And with a man like that…” She fanned herself.
“Is everything as hard as it looks?” Joni whispered.
“Please, don’t ask that,” I said.
“Oh, come on,” Sunny said. “We’re just a bunch of girls gossiping. Have a little fun with it.”
“That man looked primed to-”
“Please, don’t finish that sentence, Lake,” I said.
“I have something for you, Callie,” Mom said. “Before I forget…”
I wished it was a check for the taxes.
If they didn’t get paid and she got shutdown… she would end up in my apartment. On my couch. I would be in the middle of this no matter what I did.
Mom opened the drawer of the desk and took out a rock.
No.
“I got this for you,” she said. “It’s a love rock. It’s very potent. I wasn’t sure about giving it to you fearing the energy would make you love the wrong person.”
“So why do I need it now?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s important,” Joni said. “It’ll remind you of why you’re with Jackson.”
“Relationships are hard,” Sunny said. “I wish I had a rock like this when Billy and I went through our hard times.”
I took the rock.
Mom was smiling so big.
“Thank you,” I said. “This means a lot to me. Now can I have your books?”
“Sure,” Mom said.
She opened the drawer again and took out folders that were creased, marked, scribbled out, marked again…
Complete and total disorganization.
I slipped the love rock into my pocket and cradled the folders under my arm.
“You’re such a good person, Callie,” Lake said. “You deserve this happiness. All of it. Don’t let these moments and feelings fade.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
Sunny pointed to me. “You’re not having enough sex with him. Or at all. I can feel it coming off you. Your body… your aura… it needs that…”
“Please, don’t worry about my sex life,” I said. “Especially in front of my mother.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” Mom said. “I was just with a handsome lover last night. His name was Oscar and he liked when I used my tongue to-”
“Nope,” I said. “Nope. I don’t want to hear this. Nope. I’m leaving.”
“We’ll see you soon,” Joni said. “For your party. The celebration of you and Jackson.”
“You don’t want to hear about Oscar?” Mom asked.
“No,” I said. “Thank you for the rock. Thank you all for the kind words about Jackson. I’m leaving now.”
I hurried to get the hell out of the shop.
I couldn’t catch my breath until I got home.
I hurried to pour myself a glass of wine to ease my nerves.
When I leaned against the counter I felt something jab into my leg.
It was the love rock.
I took it out of my pocket and put it on the counter.
I waved my middle fingers at the thing.
Maybe it was a love rock… just like Jackson…
… always bothering me and making me want to throw it through a window.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jackson
I opened the door to the corridor and shook my head.
There was a part of me still trying to process that Callie was my neighbor. It was messed up in my head and heart that it was easier for me to accept her as my wife than my neighbor.
Only because I knew the wife thing was bullshit.
I figured we’d give it another week or two and then I would corner Vince and tell him it was time to piss or get off the pot. In other words, give me my fucking bonus so I could go back to getting Callie out of the company.
The words came to me so naturally. Almost instinctive.
A part of me wondered what they even meant anymore.
I got to my apartment and saw a present waiting for me.