“You two have history. I get it,” she says. “But she’s one of my closest friends, and I’m sure as hell not moving in with Dad.”
“You can live with me. The house is ours anyway. Grandma left it to the both of us.”
That was another thing that pissed Dad off. My grandparents didn’t protect us from our parents, but they were smart enough not to leave what little they had to them.
She doesn’t look so sure about my offer. “Is that a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Oh, I don’t know. How about because of your girlfriend, who isn’t really your girlfriend, who stays with you most nights?”
“She’s not my girlfriend, and she was staying the night because she had clinicals in Houston. It was pointless for her to drive an hour home. Now that clinicals are over, I’m not even sure when I’ll see her again.”
“You’ll see her. Does she have a toothbrush in your bathroom?”
“Yes, but—”
“Clothes in your closet?”
“A few, but—”
“She’s your girlfriend. I’m moving in with Rose, end of discussion. And I’d really like to meet Adley. If you’re going to keep seeing her, bring her around. If she’s important to you, she’s important to me.”
I open my mouth to tell Chloe that Adley isn’t important to me, but I can’t get the words to come out. Chloe grins.
Nothing like getting schooled on relationships by your little sister. Gripping the back of my neck, I look at the door to make sure no one is listening to our conversation.
“It’s okay to be happy, Linc. You deserve it more than anyone else I know. Stop fighting it.”
Is that what I’m doing?
I’ve never considered myself a relationship kind of guy, and my parents sort of ruined the idea of love and marriage. But the thought of another man touching Adley makes me want to murder someone.
“Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.” With a kiss to my cheek, Chloe disappears from the locker room.
I’m left staring at the door, wondering when my best friend’s little sister became my girlfriend.
4
Adley
I breeze through the front door of Elegant Brides fifteen minutes after our scheduled appointment. Rhett is manning Animal Haven so Mo can shop for a wedding dress. There was no way Claire, Tess, and I were going to miss out on this. Claire took a day off, Tess closed up shop for the afternoon, and I’m officially done with college. So here we are.
“You’re late,” Claire says, not looking up from her phone. She’s sitting in a plush, pale pink chair, and the smile on her face tells me she’s probably texting with my brother Trevor.
Or worse yet…sexting. I shudder at the thought.
“Sorry, I hit traffic.”
“Traffic?” Tess furrows her brow. “In Heaven?”
Tossing my purse on the floor, I collapse onto a chair beside Tess and without thinking much of it, reply, “No, Houston.”
“Houston?” Claire tucks her phone in her purse and looks up. “What were you doing in Houston?”
“I—” Dragging the word out, I try to come up with an excuse and then decide to go with the truth. “It’s none of your business.”
Tess lifts an eyebrow.