Two to Tangle (A Tangle Valley Romance #2) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,61
for grabs at the Scoot on a crowded Thursday. That would wreck her and me.”
“You just said so many words.”
Joey swallowed. “I know. Tends to happen when I feel strongly about something. I apologize.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m glad you did.” Ryan ran a hand through her hair. “Just give me a chance, okay? I promise I’m a good person with zero interest in being up for grabs on a Thursday or any other night of the week.”
“She just sent blow-off messages to women hitting up her phone,” Billy said, craning his head around the entrance. He cringed. “I was eavesdropping. I can admit to that.”
“We know,” Ryan said with a bounce of her eyebrows. “But I was doing okay out here.”
“Were you, though?” Billy asked. He looked at Joey. “I helped her write the message. Telling the other chicks to kick rocks.”
“You told them to kick rocks?” Joey squeaked, horrified.
“What? No!” She passed Billy a stand-down look. “He’s paraphrasing, being a dude. Ignore him.”
Billy nodded. “I’m a total dude.” He nodded a few more times, his body still not entirely visible, giving him a creepy floating head vibe. “I’m gonna get back to varnishing again. Lonzo misses me.”
“Hell, no, I don’t,” they heard a voice from inside say.
“Gonna leave anyway,” Billy said. “I miss Lonzo.”
“Good call,” Ryan said calmly. She refocused on Joey. “So, here’s the thing. You and I are on the very same page.” She shifted, deciding to just go there. “And I don’t know how you’ll feel about this, and you can totally decline. I’d understand. But maybe we can all do something together soon? Madison, too, of course.”
Joey hesitated on that last part. “I’ll work on that. Madison is…protective. Becca and I would love to, though.”
“Great. I’ll check with Gabriella.” Ryan leaned against the brick pillar, and she decided to just go there, take it one step further. “Is that all we’re talking about? Madison is just being protective?”
Joey shrugged, but the unease that appeared on her face said a lot. “You’d have to ask her.”
Ryan nodded, thinking that at this point, she’d leave those conversations for Madison and Gabriella. Didn’t mean she didn’t feel a pit in her stomach wondering if she had competition in that arena and worried about her ability to compete with someone like Madison. “Not really into confrontation with someone’s ex, you know?”
“I remember that about you. Always calm. Always kind.” Joey descended the steps. “I’m gonna add dinner at Tangled to our release invitations. You’ll get it ready. I know you will.”
“Ah, a gambler.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t nervous.”
“I have your back, Joey. We’ll make it happen.”
Five hours later, Ryan ran home to shower and returned to Tangle Valley at sundown with a bundle of wildflowers she picked near her lake house. She’d spent time finding the right color combinations that would look best in Gabriella’s cottage and next to each other, careful not to rush the process. She pulled her truck along the path and parked it off to the side, in front of Gabriella’s place. She took a seat on the folded down tailgate of her truck, flowers in a jumble beside her, and sent a text. Delivery for you. Beep. Beep.
Moments later, the door to the cottage opened, and Gabriella, long dark hair in a ponytail, stepped out in cutoffs and a green T-shirt that looked perfect against those hazel eyes, making everything in Ryan light up at the sight. She waved happily.
“What is this?” Gabriella asked suspiciously. But the huge grin that enveloped her face said she liked the surprise.
Ryan lifted the bouquet she’d assembled. “I don’t know how you feel about flowers. We haven’t discussed that yet.”
“I love them.”
“They remind me of you, so I couldn’t imagine not making the introduction.”
“Wow. They’re gorgeous,” Gabriella said and took the long stems in her arms, cradled in the crook of her elbow. “Are these from Possum’s Blossoms? I love how they have the most heart-clenching arrangements. Why are so many things around here named after rodents?” She waved off the question and focused on the flowers. “Just look at these. They did a great job.”
“Those are from me. I picked and assembled them. Though I agree. I like a good possum arrangement.”
Gabriella pulled up short. “You did not pick these beautiful goddesses.” Gabriella leaned her hip against the open tailgate. “You build things, tear things down, hammer nails, get dust on your face.”
“And pick flowers.”
“Who are you?” Gabriella said, studying the bouquet and beaming.