“Where is Jasper?” I asked, pushing my hair out of my face.
And just like that my father groaned. “In his room with another one of those stupid bird books.”
At least one of my kids had the decency to be quiet this morning.
“There is nothing wrong with an educational book, Dad,” I muttered, a faint smile crossing my lips as I thought of my son, Jasper. His quiet demeanor and love for nature always brought a sense of calm to the chaos that often surrounded us.
“That boy needs more friends,” my dad moaned.
I shook my head, knowing he was right. Jasper was my mini-me, a quiet, observant soul in a house full of loud, chaotic personalities.
“And what about Jasmine?” I asked, only half-joking.
My dad’s laughter filled the room once more. “Oh, I ain’t worried about her. She’s going places.”
“Yeah, straight to the Virginia State Women’s Correctional Facility.”
Hungover, I sat behind my desk regretting every one of my life’s decisions when Devlyn walked into my office, all smiles. “Good morning, bitch!”
“Go away, Dev. Not in the mood.”
“I heard the most delicious news this morning,” my best friend said, plopping her ass on my desk. “I heard that a certain scrumptious doctor hooked up with the town’s most eligible heiress.”
“Who told you?” I muttered, laying my head on my desk.
I should have known my indiscretion would hit the Rosewood Gossip Hotline before sunup.
“Oh, girl.” Dev chuckled. “It was pretty obvious last night by the way you were trying to climb that man like a tree. But I heard it from a reliable source that you were seen doing the walk of shame as you left the clubhouse early this morning. Tell me, Josie, inquiring minds want to know. Is the good doctor’sbedside manner just as good as his customer satisfaction rating?”
“I swear, if you sing “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” I will throw this stapler at your head,” I groaned, lifting my head from the cool surface of my desk. The fluorescent lighting in my office wasn’t doing my pounding headache any favors. “And for the love of God, Dev, move your butt. That’s a stack of important paperwork, not your personal throne.”
Devlyn just cackled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, Josie, you know I can’t resist a good scoop. Now, spill the tea. Was it true love’s kiss or just a one-night stand? Did he sweep you off your feet or was it a ‘wham, bam, thank you, ma’am’ situation? And more importantly, how was the aftercare? We all know that’s a true testament to a man’s character.” She waggled her eyebrows, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
“Ugh, do we have to do this now? My brain feels like it’s trying to escape my skull and I’m pretty sure I’m still drunk,” I moaned, rubbing my temples. “Fine, yes, it happened. But it was a mistake. One that I deeply regret.” I paused, remembering the way his lips moved over mine, his hands touching every inch of my body, the way I screamed out his name many, many times. “Okay, maybe not that much of a mistake. But still, it’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated?” Dev asked. “You’ve been in love with that man for months. Now his cock is focused on you. What more could you want?”
“It’s not like that between us, Dev. He doesn’t like me that way.”
“Bullshit,” my friend snarked, jumping off my desk. “I saw the way he was looking at you last night. We all saw it. That man is in love with you.”
“We’re just friends,” I moaned. “It was a one-off. It will never happen again.”
“Friends don’t look at each other the way he did last night, Josie,” Devlyn said, raising an eyebrow. “And they definitely don’t spend the night breaking in a mattress. Face it, you’re head over heels for each other.”
I sighed, knowing she was right. “I just don’t want to jinx it,” I muttered. “Besides, it’s not like we made any grand declarations of love. It was a moment of passion, that’s all.”
“A moment of passion that could lead to something more,” Devlyn insisted. “You two are perfect for each other. And I, for one, cannot wait to see where this goes.”
I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “You’re incorrigible, you know that? Always meddling.”
“I’ve got nothing better to do. Besides, I can live vicariously through you, and it won’t bite me in the ass in the morning,” she said with a wink.
“Gator still bothering you?”
“Not talking about him,” she huffed, immediately changing the subject. “Now, enough about me. I have a feeling your hangover isn’t going to cure itself. Let’s get you some coffee and aspirin, and we can figure out your next move.”
Chapter Seven
