Love In Secrets (Love Distilled #3) - Scarlett Cole Page 0,55

to each other to see what we’ve got at the end of the month, okay?”

Jake’s stomach lurched. He worried that it didn’t matter how much they had, that it wouldn’t be enough to make her stay, and he couldn’t go. It was like a slow-motion replay of Romeo and Juliet, and he’d be left feeling as dead inside as if he’d taken the cup of poison.

Connor leaned forward and placed his finger under Em’s chin so she’d look at him. He kissed her softly. “Em, sweetheart. You’ve got to calm those mother bear instincts and let them do what they want. They’re consenting adults, and I hate to say this to you, but it’s really none of your business.”

Emerson sighed. “Only you can tell me to pull my neck in and make it sound like a compliment.”

She turned to Jake and Cassie. “I’m sorry, you guys. Connor’s right. And I’ve said what I needed to.”

Jake pasted a smile on his face. “Does that mean we can eat now? Because I’m starving.”

“Me too,” said Anders, getting to his feet. “Ålskling, let’s finish getting dinner ready.”

As activity began to take over the room again, he felt Cassie relax next to him, leaning back to talk to Connor about urban planning, while Olivia cleared away glasses.

But none of it helped him with his fear that time was running out.

“I killed that plant in your living room. The one with all the tendrils on the window.”

Cassie grinned at Orla’s comment as she laid out the materials she’d brought to the distillery for her work session with Jake. “Let me guess. You overwatered it.”

Orla laughed as she finished the flick of her winged eyeliner and looked down at the camera on her phone. “Yup. I told you there was a high possibility of it, seeing I can only just keep myself alive.”

Cass stopped and picked up the phone. “How did your date go last night?”

“Honestly, it was okay.”

“Okay sounds kind of meh.”

Orla finished applying her lip gloss. “No, seriously. I enjoyed it. It wasn’t a one-look-and-I-knew. But he’s a good guy. He’s a DA. A lawyer I work with introduced us. He reads paperback thrillers and he dressed up for dinner. Fun conversation. Held the door open without doing the creepy touching-my-back thing. I’m seeing him again next weekend.”

“Sounds promising. I’m going to have to go in a minute. Jake and I have a meeting to work through the implementation plan.”

“How is Jake?”

How is Jake?

Cassie sighed at the very thought of him.

“What was that sigh for?” Orla asked.

“What sigh?”

“You just sighed when I asked about him.”

“Oh, no, just tired and have some work in front of me I need to get to. Jake’s been great. The perfect host.” Yeah, so perfect he was letting her share his bed every night.

Orla’s eyes were wide. “You slept with him.”

Cassie bit her lip, screwed up her nose, then grimaced. “I did. I know, I know. I shouldn’t have.”

“And?”

“And what?”

Orla shook her head. “Are you okay with it?”

Cassie sighed . . . again. “I’m way more alright than is probably healthy given I’ll be coming back soon.”

“I don’t know whether to congratulate you or commiserate.”

“How about we do the first now, the latter when I get back? Look, I have to go. Jake just walked in. For work. Love you.”

“Love you too. Call me when you can.”

“What is this, crafting day?” Jake asked, taking in the pages of plans and stacks of multicolored sticky notes Cassie had piled on one of the long tables in the distillery tasting room as Orla disappeared from the screen.

He slid his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck.

“It’s less than twenty-four hours since we sat through that rather awkward inquisition at Liv’s. As much as I love the feel of your lips on me, perhaps we should keep our hands to ourselves today,” she said, stepping out of his reach.

Jake pouted. “You’re stripping the fun out of this.”

Cassie laughed as she shook her head. “Propriety. Let’s try and have some.”

He reached for her, gently holding her wrists. “The joys of a family business mean you don’t really have to operate like that. Did I ever tell you about the time I walked in on Connor and Em? I thought the office light was off because they’d gone home for the evening, and I needed a copy of an invoice.” Jake shivered dramatically. “Blech.”

“My point exactly. Let’s not scar your siblings any more than we’ve already done. Plus, my dad’s