Say You Will(75)
“But it is.” She placed her hands on the table and leaned forward. “If it weren’t for me, you and Nick would be together.”
“You can’t know that.”
“Yes, I can, and because I love both of you, I’m going to fix it.”
Rosalind blinked at her.
Summer seemed just as shocked by her statement, but then her chin went up in the Summerhill way they all had. “I love you, and I’m not letting you ruin all chances for happiness this way.”
“Isn’t it a little dramatic to say I’ll never be happy without Nick?” As she said it, her heart panged, agreeing with Summer.
“Is it?”
Portia cleared her throat. “I know I’m not involved in this conversation, and as much as it pains me, I have to side with Summer. I’ve seen you look at Nick. You love him.”
She hugged herself tight. “I—”
“For goodness sakes, Rosie.” Fran threw her hands in the air. “Have you learned nothing from your parents?”
“Maybe the reason I’m being cautious is because of my parents,” she retorted.
“You’re not being cautious. You’re being scared.” Fran propped her hands on her hips and glared at her. “You can’t tell me you didn’t picture yourself in a wedding dress, walking down an aisle toward that young man.”
She firmed her lips. Then she shook her head. “Damn it. How could you tell?”
“Because you’ve been my lamb all your life.” Fran took Rosalind’s face in both her hands. “This is the time to dig your heels in, but to win him, not to push him away.”
Summer leaned in. “And Portia and I are going to help you.”
“We are?” Portia said.
“We are.” Summer glared at Portia, daring her to say otherwise.
Her older sister sighed. “You’re so bossy. You’re going to have to learn the pecking order here, because only Beatrice is allowed to be bossy.”
Summer gaped at Portia, a fine layer of tears making her eyes shine almost as much as her happy smile.
The three of them came up with a dubious plan. It took an hour to pull it together.
“That’s the last of it,” Summer said, setting a box by Nick’s front door.
Portia frowned at the small pile. “You really think this will work?”
“Yes,” Summer said with firm conviction. “Because Nick wants this as much as she does.”
Rosalind counted on that. She shook her head at all the stuff. “This plan is brash and bold.”
“Which makes it that much more likely to work.” Summer hesitated, and then leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Good luck, Ros.”
Portia rolled her eyes, but squeezed her hand. “I feel like I need to say one more time that the pickle juice is a mistake.”
She smiled. “Thanks for your concern, but I’ll take my chances.”
Her sister shrugged, then she faced Summer. “Have you seen the gallery yet? You should probably get to know your ancestors.”
Rosalind winced, but Summer perked up. “That sounds great,” she said.
Only because she had no idea what sort of torture she was in for. Rosalind waited until her sisters were far enough down the block before ringing Nick’s doorbell.
He yanked open the door a couple minutes later, wearing only a T-shirt and gray boxer briefs. “No hookers—”
She smiled when he stopped midsentence. “That’s a good policy to have.”
He raked a hand over his sleep-tousled hair. “I thought it was my manager, or Luca. But I’m happy it’s you. Come in?”
She gestured to the pile next to her. “I have a few things with me.”
“It looks like you’re moving in,” he said, both jokingly and with hope.
“Would you be okay with that?”
He stilled, studying her. “Are you propositioning me?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “I accept.”
“You can’t accept yet.” She frowned. “I haven’t made my big declaration.”
He slid his arms around her waist. “I don’t need a big declaration. I love you.”
Her heart melted, and she knew it’d react that way every time he said he loved her for the rest of their lives. “I love you, too.”
Lowering his head, he kissed her with undeniable affection that heated into relentless passion.
Shaking her head, she broke away from him. “I still have my big declaration to make.”
“Do you want to marry me?”
“Of course.” Duh, Bijou would have said. “I love you.”
“Good.” He reached for her again.
“No.” She pushed him back. “Will you stop interrupting me? This declaration was ingenious, and I don’t want to waste it.”