“You need someone to look after you.” I can’t even find the strength to disagree with that.
The idea of someone taking care of me sounds really nice. I love my mom. I think she did the best she could, but oftentimes I took care of her as much as she took care of me. As a single mom, she worked a lot to cover our bills. She was also in love with being in love. She often fell in love with the wrong kind of men, who were always breaking her heart. I was always the one there for her during those sad breakups. She had a penchant for dating very attractive men. She’d fall all over herself if she’d met Archer. He’s got heartbreak written all over him.
I’ve been to their club. I see how the other girls there look at him. I can’t blame them. He’s not only the most attractive man I’ve ever seen in my life, he’s rich and has this bad boy vibe going on, too. He is female catnip. I do not have the heart strength to fall in love and then be crushed.
“And you're that someone?” I challenge him, folding my hands over my chest so I don’t touch anything. Including him.
“Yep. You hungry?”
“Won’t I be in the way?” I ask, wondering what happens if he has people over or something.
“I want you in my way.” He grabs me, tossing me over his shoulder again.
“I’m not a doll!” I wiggle, trying to get down. He smacks my ass. “Archer!”
“You hungry?” he asks again, setting me down on a giant kitchen island.
“Wow. This kitchen is amazing.”
Everything in here is white too, from the countertops to the cabinets, but the doors to the cabinets and the refrigerator are all glass, letting you see inside. You really have to keep things clean around here.
“Relax, sweet girl.” His tone softens. Damn do I enjoy him calling me that. “If you happen to break something, I can replace it. I don’t give a shit. We’re not staying long anyways. You need a yard where Thor can run around.” He opens the fridge.
“I need a yard?” Archer's phone starts to go off. He pulls it out of his pocket, bringing it to his ear.
“What’s up?” he asks, answering it. The whole mood in the kitchen shifts in a flip of a switch. I have no idea how Archer can do that. I’ve seen him do it before. He could be giving me a sweet smile and then turn a deadly dark glare on someone else. I swear there is this darkness that lingers under the surface. It’s always close.
That’s another thing that scares me about him. I don’t want to be one of those people he could so easily flip on. To get that coldness from him would devastate me. I already fear it and I’m not in love with him. At least I don’t think I am. Not fully, anyway. What would it be like to think you really have him and then for him to change on you so easily? Devastating, that’s what it would be.
I’m broken from my thoughts when my phone starts to go off. I start to search for it but remember Archer has it. He pulls it out, still holding his to his ear. He looks at it before he hands it over to me. Ollie’s face lights up the screen. Archer turns, leaving me alone in the kitchen to answer the phone.
“Hey,” I answer, wondering how I’m going to fill her in on Archer.
She obviously knows something is up with us. I’ve been dodging her questions, which has been easy with how Jason is sucking up all her time lately. Of course she is all for the idea of Archer and me. She doesn’t think it could be more perfect. Two best friends falling for two close friends. I love Ollie, but her life has always been a bit more of a fairy tale than mine. Things have a way of landing in place for her. I’ve learned life isn’t always as sweet as you wish it could be.
“I think I’m pregnant,” she blurts out. “Okay, well I know I am, 'cause I took the test, but yep. I’m knocked up. Also remember that Eddie guy we were trying to find the night we met Jason and Archer?”
“Yeah,” I respond, my head starting to spin. Pregnant. What the hell? I’m only getting used to her having a man. It’s always been Ollie and me.
“Well, he tried to kidnap me.”
“What!” I scream, almost falling off the kitchen island.
“Okay, not almost. He did, but then Jason found me, and all is fine. I’m back at the club.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m great!” she says excitedly into the phone. “Jason put a ring on it too.”
“Okay, you have to slow down.” I lean up against the counter.