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“Go on.”
I reach for my water glass and take a sip. Over his shoulder, I see our server step through the door and turn our way. I tip my chin toward her and sit back in my seat.
Ford orders for both of us and as the server hustles off, he gives me an expectant look. I tell him about the flight out here and the state of the house. I don’t mention that we slept in the same bed because I don’t need to see a brawl between him and Alex.
“I don’t like it.”
“What?”
“You should have called me. You could have stayed with me and Sutton at the house.”
My dad’s house, he means. The house steeped in bittersweet memories.
“Remember the part where I had a panic attack and was barely strong enough to stand?” I hate that part most. The weakness. Feeling completely vulnerable. Helpless.
“Yeah, I don’t like that part either.” Then he smiles. “But at least I’m not the problem child this month!” His fist shoots into the air, and we both laugh.
Roman glares.
“Yeah, I guess when I mess up, I do it big.”
Ford leans over the table, a scowl turning his lips down. “You didn’t mess up. You did exactly what she told you to do. Control freak.”
“The worst part right now is the rumor that Alex and Gabe kidnapped me.”
He huffs a laugh. “Man, sis. You do really go big. This is wild.”
“It’s ridiculous.”
He opens his mouth and closes it just as quickly. I feel a lecture coming on. Honestly, I couldn’t stand one from anyone else right now.
“What?”
“What are you going to do? I thought you didn’t like these guys?”
“I—” How do I explain that somewhere in the last twenty-four hours, things changed? Everything changed. In the scheme of things, my mother’s part in the auction seems both infinitesimal and cataclysmic. It’s like compound interest. My years of being the ‘yes’ girl are over. It doesn’t exactly answer Ford’s question, but it gives me a little hit of dopamine.
“I guess what they say about Scorpios is true,” I say.
“What’s that?”
“Once you’re dead to a Scorpio, you could be dying on the ground, and they’d step right over you and keep on walking.”
And that’s finally where I am.
Ford’s expression changes from curious to understanding.
I was pushed, pressured, pinned, primped, and paraded for two decades by people who didn’t care about my feelings. By the one person I should have been able to trust and depend on.
I’m done.
I want off the ride that started with that phone call from the charity organization. My mother’s bomb about my inheritance. The wild auction. My panic attack.
Now, I’ve kissed two men on the same day. Best friends. And that’s not the craziest part.
I want to do it again.
“I don’t want them getting into trouble.” Or have their reputations damaged because of something my mother started.
