CHAPTER 6 #2
Before I could pull my hand out of his, Nellie walked into the doorway—and immediately shut her eyes. “I have PTSD,” she declared. “Seriously. Why are you two holding hands?”
“I need coffee before I can deal with the two of you,” I muttered, lifting my palm. “Why are you even up so early? It’s not even eight yet, and y’all are showered?”
The twins followed me to the kitchen, where the coffee pot I’d started brewing when I’d woken up had finished. I could’ve cried at the sight of it.
“Jamie was up when I got up, and we knew you’d be up, so.” Nellie bobbed her shoulders. “Here we are.”
I eyed Jamie’s damp hair. “You were already up?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Was his reason for having trouble sleeping the same as mine? That it’d been impossible to turn his brain off, and that every time he lay perfectly still, he’d think about what he’d said? The things I do for you, Daisy Carmichael.
I cleared my throat, looking away. “Was Destelle up?” Their older sister was home visiting.
“No.” Nellie snorted. “She sleeps in til, like, noon.”
“She is on California time,” I said in her defense, moving to the cupboard where our mugs were. “Coffee?”
Nellie nodded.
Jamie didn’t answer, and when I turned toward him, I found him rummaging through our freezer. “What are you looking for?”
Jamie withdrew a bag of frozen vegetables, crossing the kitchen to me.
He wordlessly passed me the bag of veggies and placed both hands on my shoulders, steering me out of the way.
He opened the cabinet, plucking out two mugs by their handles.
“Put it on your eye,” he ordered when I didn’t move. “It’ll help with the swelling.”
I rolled the cold bag in my hand, feeling strange. Nellie, though, just leaned against the kitchen counter, unfazed. That hadn’t been weird. That’d been normal. That’d been Jamie. “Thanks,” I said, pressing the frozen bag to my eye.
Jamie pulled the coffee carafe out from the machine and began pouring into the two mugs.
“So, in the three-minute window between my getting to the party and me coming upstairs to the absolute horror show,” Nellie began, propping her head on her fist, “I talked to Lydia, and Lydia said Dalton asked for a beach day.”
My head throbbed trying to understand what she just said. “Dalton wants to go to the beach with us? With Lydia?” Even though we all went to the same country club, in no way were we a friend group that hung out. “Why?”
“You know why.” Jamie pulled the creamer from the fridge and poured some into both mugs. He didn’t drink coffee, but knew exactly how Nellie and I took it. “It’s his excuse to see you.”
A little thrill went through me at the thought, but I tamped down the forbidden feeling.
I could not be excited by the prospect of Dalton wanting to see me.
Not allowed. “A beach day does sound… fun.” I tried not to sound too enthusiastic.
“Better to do it now, while the kids are still in school. No need to worry about one of them drowning in the ocean.”
Nellie snorted. “That’s the spirit.”
Jamie brought the mugs over to us, setting them down before leaning his forearms on the counter. His eyes traced the spot above my eye. “Can’t you get a babysitter during the summer to watch the kids?”
“Do you know how much babysitters charge for watching four kids? I know my private school education might’ve fooled you, but I was a scholarship student, and ADP offers discounted membership for Cardale Preparatory graduates.
” I took a long sip from the steaming cup of coffee, melting a little, sliding in a subject change. “Mm, you should be a barista, James.”
Jamie’s gaze didn’t waver when it met mine. Serious. Steady. Knowing.
“Great,” Nellie said brightly, clinking her mug against mine.
“Then it’s settled. You two are going to act so disgustingly in love that Dalton’s tiny ego won’t survive the summer.
I’ll run interference, provide commentary, and personally watch him spiral all the way back to Arizona.
” She lifted her coffee to her lips and took a long drink, like a cheers.
I lifted my cup to hers, but it felt like a lie. Nellie talked about this fake dating thing so casually, not knowing at all how easily Dalton’s name popped into my head.
“Act disgustingly in love,” I echoed quietly, trying to imagine it. Just like Dalton and I used to be.
Nellie nudged my shoulder. “Think you can do it?”
“I think so.” I just needed to focus on how Dalton made me feel after.
How I’d laid in bed crying for days on end, shattered.
That would get me through. I could do that.
“Can you, Jamie? Pretend like you’re in disgustingly love with me?
” I tilted my head, raising an eyebrow at him like I’d done a million times. “Or will it kill you?”
Jamie pretended to think about my sarcastic question—or at least I thought he did. Jamie watched me, eyes roaming over my expression, drinking in every inch. “It might kill me,” he replied. “But I’ll do it anyway.”
The things I do for you, Daisy Carmichael.
“Great!” Nellie suddenly clapped her hands together. “Let’s go over it, then, shall we? Let Operation: Crush Dalton’s Ego begin!”