A Tempting Arrangement (Twisted Vows Book 1)

45. Misty

The sewing machinebuzzes under my hands as I carefully attach another flower to my gown. I reach for a pin, and Damon hands it to me, not bothering to look up from his laptop. His legs are folded pretzel-like beneath him as he sits on the floor at my side.

“You know, you really don’t have to do this,” I say, taking the pin from him.

He’s wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, his casual appearance almost as attractive as his suits. All I want to do is curl up in his lap and let his warmth seep into my bones.

“You wouldn’t let me buy you a dress” is his only response.

“That’s because I like to make them.” The buzz of the machine stops as I move the fabric.

“I know.” Damon grins and hands me another flower. “Hence the helping.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling fills my chest that I try to capture and put in a box to take out and look at after. After he stops looking at me that way, after all of this is over.

If I’d known love would hurt this badly, I’d have done a better job at avoiding it. Not that he’d given me a choice. I swear, he’d come at my defenses in a strategized attack. I didn’t stand a chance.

I change the topic to something that’s been rolling in my mind. “The girl in the restaurant. The one Matthias couldn’t stop staring at. Have you ever tried to intervene there?”

Damon hums, then cracks his neck, kicking out his long legs in front of him. “We did once. It’s been obvious for years there’ssomething between them. Even if it’s hate. We thought if we stuck them together, maybe they’d sort it out.”

Curiosity at an all-time high, I ask, “What happened?”

“Mother invited her over to spend the weekend with us. She’d been on her own for a year, and all of the families had done their best to include her.”

“And it didn’t go well?”

“Not at all. Matthias disappeared for over two weeks. No one could get a hold of him. He didn’t talk to us for a month when he finally showed back up. That’s the last time I’ve tried to interfere. Some things are better left alone.”

I’m wrapped in warm arms and pulled off my feet the second I walk into the small diner, the smell of grease and fries instantly filling my nose.

“I freaking missed you.” Sidney gives me a tight squeeze before letting me go. We’d all gone to the same university, but she’d been more Piper’s friend than mine. Over the years though, Piper, Mia, Sidney, and I had formed a close friendship, even with the distance between us.

“When did you get in?” I ask and pull out a chair, taking a seat at the table with the other girls.

“Just a few hours ago. We went to Mia’s place to drop off our stuff first. Then, you know, the boys had to bond for a bit.”

Mia hums. “They are freaking adorable when they get like that.”

“Whatever, I’m pretty sure it was just the four of them giving each other crap on who had better stats this season,” Piper chimes in between sips of a large strawberry milkshake.

I eye it appreciatively. I’m definitely getting one of those. Somehow, all three of these girls landed professional hockey players who, as it turns out, are absolutely obsessed with them.

We order and chat, catching up on everyone’s day to day. Even though Mia, Piper, and I live in the same city, I don’t see them nearly enough.

Once the food arrives, I take a bite of my burger, the juicy taste filling my mouth.

Piper sets down her cup with a loud clack and looks right at me. “Did you know you’re practically glowing? Looks like everything’s going well with that husband of yours.”

I choke on my burger, taking large gulps of water to try to wash it down. “I took your advice and learned to enjoy the time.”

Mia claps her hands together. “Hallelujah. It’s about time.” She looks me over. “There’s something more, isn’t there? Piper’s right—you’ve got this lightness to you I’ve never seen before.”

It’s not like I can explain Damon helping me kill my rapist ex really helped alleviate my past trauma. I take another bite, running through anything I can to explain the change in me. There’s a truth that I’d rather keep to myself, but I know there’s no chance I’m hiding it. I’d been privileged to see the ups and downs of their relationships. It’s only fair they see some of mine.

I shrug. “I like him.”

Sidney gives me a warm smile. “Honey, you more than like him.”

I can feel my cheeks heat and take a deep breath. “I love him.”

The girls all make pleased sounds, but they cut off when they see my face. I blink back the burn in my eyes. It’s not like I didn’t know this is how it would all go down.

I swallow hard, and my voice cracks when I say, “Remember, it’s only for a year.”

Sidney’s grin grows impossibly wider. “Tell me you learned from my mistake.”

She’s definitely referring to her leaving Jax because she had to. Thank God that man was head over heels and didn’t let her go.

I shrug, doing my best to appear unaffected. “A deal’s a deal.”

“Wait.” Piper leans towards me. “Wasn’t it your rule?”

My brows scrunch together as I process that. “What?”

“You both had rules, right? Wasn’t that yours?” Piper says, her smile growing wider.

Some of the tension releases in my chest, and the tempting feeling of hope replaces it.

Mia places her hand over mine. “He never mentioned a timeline, did he?”

“No,” I breathe, a floating feeling building inside of me.

“You have to tell him,” Sidney adds.

Tell him? Tell him what? That I don’t want this to end? That I’m in love with him?

“What if he doesn’t feel the same?”

“Girl, what if he does?” is Mia’s reply.