Chapter 36
Low blow – an unfair attack
Ellery
With everyone admiring Ashlyn’s new studio, it’s time for me to make my escape. Before I can retreat a single step, Aspen latches onto my upper arm.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I force myself to roll my eyes. “Back to work. Where else would I be going?”
“I wouldn’t know since you’re obviously keeping a secret from me.”
She sounds hurt, and I waver on continuing to keep my secret. Maybe I should tell her. It would be nice to have someone to confide in.
“What are we talking about?” Juniper asks as she sidles up to Aspen. Her gaze bounces back and forth between the two of us and her forehead scrunches. “What’s wrong?’
“Nothing’s wrong,” I’m quick to say.
Aspen’s face flashes with pain and I feel like the biggest bitch in the history of mankind, which is saying a lot since I met Rowan’s ex-wife.
“I need to get back to the inn.” I lie.
I don’t need to be at the inn nearly as much as I’ve claimed these past three months, but there’s no way I can keep my secret if I’m around my sisters all the time. They’d sniff out my problem in no time. I’m convinced Aspen was a bloodhound in a previous life.
“You do?” Aspen cocks a brow. “I happen to know every single one of your clients is here celebrating the grand opening of Ashlyn’s new studio.”
“What’s with the name Bertie’s anyway?” Juniper asks. “Is it some inside joke between the two of them? I hope he doesn’t call her Bertie in bed. Yuck.”
“I think it’s a reference to Bertie Wooster from the P.G. Woodhouse stories,” Lilac answers as she joins us.
Aspen’s jaw falls open. “You know who P.G. Woodhouse is?”
Lilac frowns. “Naturally. Don’t you remember the play Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense Ashlyn was in when she was in college? We went to see it together.”
Aspen snaps her fingers. “Of course. I forgot.”
“Anyway, why are you all standing here in the corner?” Lilac scans the room. “Shouldn’t we be celebrating Ashlyn’s engagement with her?”
Aspen snorts. “I think Ashlyn and Rowan want to celebrate their engagement alone.” She gestures toward the emergency exit of the building where the two are currently sneaking off.
“I guess she forgives him for being an ass yesterday,” I mumble.
“Duh. She’s been in love with him forever. Naturally, she forgives him. It doesn’t hurt he told her he loves her in front of the whole town before presenting her with a complete recording studio and proposing to her.” Juniper sighs. “Some men know how to do romance.”
Aspen smiles as her gaze locks on Lyric as he saunters into the building in his police uniform. “They certainly do.”
I freeze when I notice who’s behind Lyric. Shit. What is he doing here? I plaster myself to the wall and start slipping sideways toward the emergency exit. The place is packed. Maybe he won’t notice me.
Aspen blocks my path. “Nope. You’re not fleeing to hide at the inn until you tell us your secret.”
“I don’t hide at the inn.”
“Tell it to someone who believes you.”
“Are we referring to Ellery being pregnant?” Lilac asks.
While Juniper and Aspen gasp, I glare at Lilac. “How do you know?”