between the two of us once again before landing on Presley.
“I really didn’t mean to interrupt. It’s just...” Once again, Josie seemed tongue-tied.
I lifted my eyebrows, silently encouraging her to continue.
“Sorry. It’s rare that Jake can throw me, but today … color me green and call me a pickle.” Josie nodded her chin toward Presley. “Can I just say that I absolutely adore your hair?”
That was Josie, always inserting some strange phrase that generally left me trying to decipher the riddle. Not to mention, she was always right to the point, speaking her mind and sharing her opinion. Truth was, those were some of the things I liked about her. And, much like Presley, Josie didn’t placate me (most of the time) and I appreciated that.
“Thanks,” Presley said, her hand sliding away from my leg, where it had been settled a moment ago.
“I completely forgot about the painters,” I told Josie.
“Obviously. You said you were gonna stay with your sister.”
Right. My sister.
Josie cocked her head and I could feel Presley staring at me, as well.
“And…” Josie prompted.
I didn’t want to go stay with my sister, but I didn’t know whether or not I should tell Josie that.
“For how long?” Presley asked.
“I told them they had to get it done in two days,” Josie explained. “The painters will be here by six in the morning to start prepping things. They agreed to get it all knocked out this weekend.”
I remembered now. Still, I didn’t want to go stay with my sister.
“I know of a place we can go,” Presley said, pulling my attention to her.
Had I said that out loud?
“For…?”
“For us to go for the weekend.” She sounded as though she were explaining herself to a child, which made me grin.
“Yes,” Josie said. “Y’all should go.”
I choked on a laugh. Josie didn’t even know what Presley had in mind, but she was already sending me on my way.
Presley’s coral eyebrow lifted in question. “I told you about my dad’s cabin on the lake. When he died, I couldn’t bring myself to sell it. I go there from time to time when I need to get away, or for inspiration.”
“Perfect.” Josie clapped her hands together. “Y’all can get inspired together.”
I was fairly certain there was an innuendo in there somewhere, but I pretended not to notice. The blush on Presley’s cheeks said she’d noticed, too.
“It’s a nice place,” Presley said, as though she was trying to convince me.
I didn’t need convincing; I just wasn’t sure I wanted to put her out like that.
Josie lowered her voice into some form of a conspiratorial whisper. “He told me about you. And I think you’ve sparked his muse. Maybe if the two of you jet for the weekend, he’ll be able to write that book that Liz has been hounding me about.”
Yes, Liz had been known to call Josie when I didn’t answer the phone.
“They won’t be here until tomorrow?” I asked, getting to my feet.
“Yes, but they’re coming at six. Which was why I had planned to stay the night. It gives me an extra hour to sleep.” She glared at me. “Without you here.”
Right.
“So, if you head out tonight, I can still do that.”
Presley was watching me.
Then it was Josie’s turn to elaborate in an obvious attempt to help me along. “I’ll be here while they’re here. The whole time, I promise. And if it makes you feel better, Paige and Abby are coming by.”
I trusted Josie. I didn’t need the explanations.
I nodded, then looked at Presley. “Are you sure about this?” I knew I shouldn’t put her on the spot in front of Josie, but I suddenly liked the idea of getting away for the weekend. “I can always go to a hotel.”
She smiled back at me, her eyes roaming over my face slowly. “Well, Gil already told me I needed to take a vacation, so … sure. Why not?”
“A cabin?” I asked.
“Technically,” Presley said, “yes, it’s a log cabin. But my dad lived there, so it’s got all the comforts of home.”
“Sounds perf—”
I quickly cut Josie off with a look.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“Okay,” Presley said, getting to her feet. “Let’s do this.”
“Yeah.” I glanced from Presley to Josie, then back again. “Let’s do this.” I didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but … well, I was surprised. After the way things had started between us, I definitely wasn’t expecting her to invite me for a weekend at a cabin.
“Good,” she said with a sweet smile and a wink. “I need to stop