Page 61 of Tempt
“And during.”
“During!” both my sisters shouted at once.
“I need more.” Winnie madecome heremotions with both hands. “Give me everything.”
“I was taking a break in my office during the reception, and he wandered in there by mistake—he needed a break too. It was a lot for him, being introduced as the father of the groom all night. He was overwhelmed.”
“Does he know about the baby?” Felicity asked.
Winnie stared at her. “What baby?”
“Lori is pregnant,” Felicity said. “I saw it on social media this afternoon.”
I nodded. “Yes. He knows. And he’s feeling sensitive about it.”
“I don’t blame him.” Winnie started to laugh. “He’s going to be a—”
“Don’t say it,” I warned her, raising one finger.
“But Mills, it’s too good,” she said, the giggle fit overtaking her. “You’re banging a—”
“Don’t say it!” I yelled, putting my hand over her mouth like Zach had done to me this morning.
Swatting my arm away, Winnie flopped back onto the bed and kicked her feet with glee, her eyes watering. “Why? Because you guys never made any jokes about me having a crush onDadwhen you found out Dex was a single father who’d been in the military?”
“Okay, listen.” Felicity put her palms in the air. “It doesn’t really make any difference whether he’s a—a—” She glanced at me. “A certain age. It’s more the issue of who he is.”
“I know that. Believe me. We both know it.” I sank down on the bed beside Winnie. “And we feel terrible.”
Winnie, sobering up, put an arm around me. “I’m sorry for laughing. But we don’t get to choose who we fall for, and—”
I jumped off the bed. “I didn’t fall. No one fell. There’s no falling.”
My sisters glanced at each other and then at me. “Okay,” said Felicity, her tone cool and easy. “That’s good.”
“We’re just having fun,” I clarified. “That’s all.”
“So it’s ongoing?” Winnie asked.
I twisted my hands together. “I don’t know. When he left this morning, he—”
“He slept over?” Her voice rose dramatically.
“Well, yes.” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “We thought we only had the one night, because he had an early flight back to San Diego, but he missed it. He was going to brunch with Mason and Lori, that’s all I really know. I haven’t heard from him since he left my house around nine.”
“Someone could have seen him,” Winnie said seriously.
“I know.” I looked back and forth between my sisters. “Look, we have to go downstairs to dinner, but first youhaveto promise me you won’t let anything slip about this—ever.”
“Promise,” said Winnie.
“Promise,” Felicity echoed.
I relaxed slightly. “Okay. Let’s go.”
* * *
At dinner, Frannie asked if I’d given any more thought to opening a bridal salon.
