Page 32 of The Killer Card

“Not even Elias’s friend? What’s his name?” My heart thuds in my ears just before Ivelisse remembers, “Graham! He’s single right? And hanging around this week?”

Sucking at my teeth, I turn away from her. “Graham is Elias’s friend, of course he’s here.”

“And you and he have never—”

“You know,” I snap, whirling on her so fast she has to take a step back. I force a saccharine smile. “You and I hardly know each other. It doesn’t strike me as appropriate acquaintance conversation to grill me about my sex life, or the sex lives of your brother and his friends. If you wish to be a brown noser, go shove your nose up their cracks and stay out of mine.”

Her mouth drops open and embarrassment floods me so fast I have to turn away, pressing the backs of my fingers against my cheeks.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

Why am I like this?! She was just asking a question, and I’ve been trying so hard to break the old habits that have put me in this miserable position in the first place.

“Are you two ready?” Clara calls. We both turn to find Poppy standing next to her and the ladies who own the flower farm. “We’re going back over to start making the bouquets!”

“Right behind you!” Ivelisse calls. I hurry past her, keeping my head down as we cross the street toward the little shop. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs, reaching my side in a few quick strides, making me pause for half a step. “You’re right, I was being nosy. It’s none of my business.”

Swallowing, I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry. There’s really no business to tell and I shouldn’t have snapped like that. I get… Mean when I’m uncomfortable.”

Ivelisse smiles. “It’s alright. Wolves shouldn’t be forced to wear sheep’s clothing.”

✽✽✽

The bouquets are relatively easy to make once the owners explain the typical display. Big flowers in the center, surround each by little flowers, be sparring with the more eye-catching sprouts.

It takes a few hours for each of us to get our collection just right, Nelly’s taking the longest because the bride’s bouquet has to stand out the most. We all end up helping her choose just the right flowers- there is an absurd number of various colored poppies- and then the ladies in charge set all of them aside to be stored safely in a cooler for travel.

We’re forced to linger while they show Nelly the corsages and Ivelisse helps her put together the bouquet for Elias’s other sister. Rowan shows up to take us to our lunch destination just as they’re finishing up.

Watching the way he catches and kisses Clara is like watching the reason love exists in the first place. “Oye, mi amor, cómo te fue?”

“Buenísimo,” she kisses both his cheeks. “Mi ramo es tan hermoso que ni te vas a fijar en mí.”

“Te aseguro que eso es imposible. Eres más hermosa que mil campos llenos de flores.”

Ivelisse clears her throat, drawing her cousin’s attention away from his adorable wife. “Oye, deja de besar a tu esposa un momento y salúdame.”

Rowan sets Clara back on her feet, wrapping his cousin in his arms. “Cuándo llegaste?”

“Yo estaba aquí cuando ustedes las dejaron. Parece que Elías es el único caballero, porque tú ni siquiera te bajaste del carro.” She smacks his arm when he pulls away from her.

“Oye!” He rubs at the spot, glaring. “Ahora sí me alegro de no haberme bajado, brujita.”

She gasps, but Nelly steps in before they can get into what I assume was about to be a very heated argument. Nelly threads her arm through mine. “Are we hungry, ladies?”

“Starved,” Clara chimes, jumping on her husband’s back. He catches her legs quickly and she bands her arms around his neck, pointing toward the SUV. “Onward, my noble steed.”

“No soy tu caballo para que me andes montando.”

“Quizás no ahora… pero luego?” She kisses his cheek as it starts to turn deep red, his eyes darkening when he glances at her over his shoulder.

“Like I said,” I mutter to Ivelisse as we follow. “Wretchedly in love.”

✽✽✽

Rowan drops us off at lunch and leaves the keys with me when Elias pulls up to pick him up for their groomsmen lunch. I assure him that I will make sure all the girls get home safely while pointedly avoiding looking when he climbs into the backseat.

Really, you can’t even look at him?