Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Del
“Okay, so you’re in love with him.” Stevie gives Jared—a koala-rescuing, shark-attack-surviving, firefighting hero, and the man she’s going to marry tomorrow—a grin that screams Ha! Told you so! and then beams at me. “That’s awesome, Little Miss Love Is Stupid.”
“I’ve never said love is stupid,” I protest.
Stevie raises her eyebrows at me.
Okay, I may have said love is stupid. Once. Or maybe three or four times. “Low blow, cousin,” I grumble, slumping into my seat.
We’re sitting in a secluded little corner of one of the resort’s gardens, under a pergola laced with flower-dripping vines. Jared mentioned getting us all coffee, but all I’ve done since plonking into my seat is vent about Lachlan.
Damn it, I didn’t mean to go and fall in love with him. What do I do?
“Are you sure you haven’t jumped to conclusions?” Jared asks. “About this Lachlan guy’s motives?”
“Oh, babe,” Stevie chuckles, patting him on the cheek. “You’re dicing with a painful death with that line of questioning.”
He snorts. “No, this is not me automatically defending the man in the equation.” He looks at me.
“I know from personal experience what being smacked in the face by unexpected love can do for a person’s rational thought.
” He slides Stevie a smile that’s both secretive and downright filthy before turning back to me.
“When the emotions are that powerful, that fast, sometimes your brain can’t process everything that’s happening.
” He shrugs. “At least, my brain couldn’t. ”
Gnawing on my bottom lip, I turn away from their questioning eyes and stare out over the valley.
The view is stunning, and despite being a surly lump of grump, I one hundred percent can see why Lachlan wants to buy this place.
It’s gorgeous. I could spend the rest of my life here, with the clean, crisp air that smells of eucalyptus and moss, the birdsong a calming soundtrack in the background, the complete lack of car horns and sirens and traffic.
You could spend the rest of your life here with Lachlan, don’t you mean?
I huff out a grunt, slump farther back into my seat, and turn back to Stevie and Jared.
“So what you’re both saying is I was too impulsive and precious and maybe even fragile, which I know is completely out of character for me—stop sniggering, Jared—and I should go back to Lachlan and at least see if he’s on a similar wavelength to me? ”
“Boom!” Stevie makes an explosion gesture with her hands, grinning. “I always said you were smart.”
I hiccup out a laugh disguised as a sigh. “Is that what you’ve always said?”
She reaches across the wrought-iron bistro table and squeezes my hand. “You are smart, Del. And you never run from a challenge. How many people told you being a professional cosplayer was a bad idea, and look at you. One of the best—and highest paid—in the world.”
I squeeze her hand back. God, I love her.
She smiles and then frowns as her phone vibrates with an incoming text. “Crap,” she says, reading it. “I’ll be right back. A parcel for the wedding has been delivered to reception, and I need to sign for it.”
Jared jolts to his feet. “I can do it.”
She pulls him back down into his chair by the wrist as she stands, smiling at him. “No way. It’s a surprise for you for tomorrow. Now talk Del here off the running-away-from-her-feelings ledge. I’ll be right back.”
She plants a kiss on his grinning lips and hurries away.
He watches her go, and yeah, there’s the definition of goo-goo eyes right there. My God, they are disgusting. I’m jealous.
Jared swings back to me. “You know she’s going to make you go tell Lachlan how you feel, right?”
“I do.” I laugh out another sigh. “And I want to. It’s absurd to love someone so much so quickly.”
“So why am I sensing a but here?”
Slumping forward, I rest my chin on my arms and huff into my hair. “But what if he really was just using me so he could buy this place?”
“But, Del?” Jared asks. “What if he really wasn’t?”
I frown at him. Frown at the annoying possibility that Lachlan had merely used me. Frown at the view of the valley. “I want to believe in love at first sight, Jar,” I murmur, shaking my head. “I really do. But what if it—”
“You need to leave her the hell alone,” Lachlan growls, swooping into my vision from my right, a towering, tattooed giant with a murderous glare locked on Jared.
He slams his palms on the table, invading Jared’s space, almost nose to nose.
Danger radiates off him, like a panther coiled to attack. “If you don’t, I’ll—”
“What the hell, Lachlan?” I leap to my feet.
Lachlan swings a frown at me. “Keeping you safe from—”
“My cousin’s fiancé?” I snap.
Movement in the corner of my eye tells me Jared has straightened from his chair.
He’s not as tall as Lachlan, nor as massive, but he’s damn close.
He dips his head in a slow nod, arms crossed over his broad chest, stare locked on Lachlan.
Everything about him screams If we’ve got a problem here, I’m happy to fix it. “G’day, mate.”
Lachlan’s jaw knots. A guarded tension falls over him. “He’s not your stalker?”
Bursting out a strangled laugh, I throw my hands in the air. “Stalker? This is Jared. He’s marrying Stevie tomorrow!” I’m furious. And yet…strangely touched.
Stop it.
“And,” I continue, my pulse stabbing in my ears, “I was telling him I think I’ve fallen in love with you but I’m worried you’re only using me so you could buy this place.”
“What?” Lachlan’s eyes widen. His Adam’s apple jerks up and down his throat. “Del, that’s not at—”
“But then you go and pull this macho caveman bullshit,” I cut him off, waving my arms up and down. “Like I’m your property. Or are you pissed I wasn’t there to play your submissive, adoring fiancée?”
“That’s not—”
“Y’know what?” I shake my head. “I was right. Love is stupid. I’m out. Done. Good luck with the purchase. I’m sure you and the resort will be very happy together.”
And, without another word, I spin on my heel and stomp away.
Done. Done. Done.