was never going to be interested in me.”
Grace raised her head and stared at her. Her bright green eyes were solemn looking, and she studied Kira for a few moments before saying, “Fuck it.”
“Fuck what?” Kira gave her a bewildered look.
“You want Daniel Moore, right?”
“You know I do.” Kira made another quick peek at the doorway.
“Then you’re going to have him.”
“What’s gotten into you? Just a minute ago you were telling me he’d never be interested, and in the last few months you’ve become increasingly irritable about my love for Daniel.”
“I haven’t been irritable,” Grace said.
“Oh please,” Kira said. “You’ve been super bitchy about almost everything. Even Addie said something to me about your mood and she never says anything negative about anyone.”
Grace crossed her arms over her ample chest. “First – sorry I’ve been a bitch. Second – as your best friend I’m making it my mission to get Daniel Moore into your bed. A woman should have the man she wants.”
Kira cocked her head and studied Grace for a moment. “I’m not sure if I’m impressed or terrified of this new version of Grace.”
Grace just grinned at her. “Okay, we need a game plan. Operation ‘Bang Daniel’ has officially begun.”
Kira couldn’t help but laugh. “Could we come up with something less crude?”
“What’s wrong with crude? I like crude.” Daniel sauntered back into the kitchen, his blond hair wet from the shower, and his t-shirt sticking to his perfect chest. Kira gave Grace a look of dismay.
“Um…”
Daniel stared expectantly at her.
“Are your arms bigger or is it just my imagination?” Grace said.
Daniel flexed both his arms. “I’ve upped both my weights and reps at the gym, Gracie-Lou.”
Grace smiled sweetly at him. “We can tell.”
“Thanks!” He opened the fridge and peered into it. “Mind if I snag a juice?”
“Help yourself.” Kira stared at his ass in his stupidly tight jeans.
He straightened and winked at her before sticking the bottle of juice into his duffel bag. He planted a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for the shower and the juice, doll.”
“Anytime.” She wondered if anyone else heard the shakiness in her voice. The touch of Daniel’s warm lips felt like it was branded into her skin.
“Later, Gracie-Lou!”
“Bye, Daniel!” Grace wiggled her fingers at him, but her sweet smile dropped from her face the moment he disappeared out of the kitchen.
She waited until the front door closed before leaning forward and taking Kira’s hand. “You sure he’s the one for you?”
“Yes.” Kira touched the spot on her cheek where Daniel had kissed her. “I’m sure.”
“Okay. Then let’s do this.” Grace leaned back and tapped her fingernails on the kitchen table. “You’re going to win Daniel Moore’s heart by making him jealous.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Kira said.
“You’re going to date someone else and make Daniel jealous.”
“That’s your big plan? I was thinking I’d take some cooking lessons and make him dinner a few times a week. My mom always said the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.”
“Maybe back in the sixties. Now? Now you need to force him to see what he’s missing. You need to make him jealous. And what better way to make him jealous than by banging another guy?”
“I don’t want to sleep with someone else,” Kira said immediately.
“Fine, fine.” Grace waved her hand. “We’ll just pretend that you’re having sex with another guy.”
“What guy is going to pretend date me to make another guy jealous?” Kira grabbed her phone and started scrolling across the screen.
“What are you doing?” Grace asked.
“Looking up cooking classes.”
“Give me that!” She grabbed Kira’s phone and wouldn’t give it back. “This will work. Just let me think for a minute.”
“There isn’t anyone who -”
“Preacher.”
Kira gaped at Grace. “Preacher?”
“Why not? Gideon saved his life. He’d do anything for him.”
“One – he’s my brother’s best friend and he’s old.”
“Oh my God, he’s like thirty-five, Kira. That’s not old,” Grace replied.
“Too old for me,” Kira said. “Two – it’s Preacher!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, he’s so not my type. Even if he agreed to help me out by fake dating me, no one - including Daniel - would ever believe it.”
Grace tapped her finger thoughtfully against her cheekbone. “Hmm, you make a good point. Preacher is kind of… rough looking.”
“That’s an understatement,” Kira said. “Do you think there’s any part of him that isn’t covered in tattoos?”
“Some girls like that look.”
“Well, I don’t,” Kira said. It was Daniel’s body she was thinking of. That smooth, perfect tanned skin not marred by ink or piercings.
“Preacher is