I chuckled. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for the Granger clan.”
She gave my waist a squeeze. “I’m going to go see if I can make some progress with her now.”
“Good luck.” I released her and worried my bottom lip. Gilly took too much on her shoulders, too. Trying to look after her sister, keep Jax and Serena in line, make sure Chip had the help he needed on the ranch. I needed to do some checking up on Gilly, too.
I turned to Addie. “I’m so sorry you got caught up in World War III while I was gone.”
She waved me off. “I’ve just been sending out invoices while those two went at it. It was kind of like one of those reality tv shows. Entertaining.”
I could only imagine.
The bell above the door sounded, and I looked up. My heart gave a stutter-step in my chest as I met hazel eyes across the space. I fought the urge to squirm as Boden strode into the gallery. His very presence dominated the space—taking over and sucking you in.
“Boden.” My voice was a fraction more high-pitched than normal. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see if your phone broke or if you’d been kidnapped by a roving band of bigfoot. What is the plural of that? Bigfoots? Bigfeet?”
Addie let out a sound behind me.
“It’s just been a busy day.” The words sounded like the lie they were. “Boden, this is my good friend, Addie. Addie, this is Boden.”
That charming smile spread across his face as he crossed to the desk. “It’s lovely to meet you, Addie. Did Laiken tell you I’d love to come to dinner?”
Addie sent me a sidelong glance. “No, she left that detail out.”
“Can’t trust anyone to deliver a message these days.” Boden pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and slid out a business card. “This has my cell on it. Call or text, and we can figure out a day.”
“I’ll text as soon as I talk to Beckett and get his schedule at the clinic.” She glanced at me, mischief in her eyes. “This will be fun, don’t you think, Laiken?”
“Tons of fun,” I said in a deadpan voice.
Boden let out a bark of laughter. “You’d think we were going to torture her.”
Addie rolled her eyes. “A meal she doesn’t have to cook with friends. So awful.”
“You know, I don’t think I like you two getting to be friends.”
Boden grinned and leaned a little closer to Addie. “I think we should come up with a special handshake.”
“I love that idea.”
“I’ll get brainstorming,” Boden said as Addie stood from the desk.
“We can practice at dinner.” She looked between the two of us. “I need to organize some inventory in the back. I’ll leave you two to…talk.”
I glared at her. I knew damn well she’d organized the inventory yesterday.
Boden ambled towards me as if he were in no hurry. “I like your friend.”
My pulse thrummed. “Clearly.”
He came to a stop just a foot away, close enough that I felt a bit of the heat rolling off him. Boden’s gaze tracked over my face, searching for something. “Why didn’t you text me back?”
“I told you. I was busy.”
He didn’t look away, his stare pinning me to the spot. “Were you really busy? Or were you avoiding me?”
So much avoidance was happening, it wasn’t even funny. “I was busy. I needed to go see Jase’s mom. When I got back, Serena and Gilly were making a scene. They’re both worried about Kay, and neither of them handles it well.”