I fully expect Marissa to throw a holy fit and Cash/Nash to be immediately contrite. Or even to try and lie his way out of what he’s done. But what I get is what I least expect.
They both start laughing.
As I look on, confused, it seems only to intensify their amusement. My anger rises accordingly.
It’s Cash/Nash who speaks first.
“I guess Marissa didn’t happen to mention I have a twin brother, did she?”
CHAPTER FOUR - Nash
I watch the full gamut of emotions play across this girl’s beautiful face. Confusion, anger, indignation, pleasure, then confusion again. In the end, her features settle into disbelief.
“You’re joking.”
“Not hardly. Who would bother to make up a story like that?”
She’s still watching me with a dumbfounded look. “So you’re Nash.”
I nod. “Correct.”
“And you have a twin brother named Cash.”
“Correct.”
“Cash and Nash.”
I shrug. “My mother had a thing for country music.”
“And Cash owns that club, Dual.”
“Correct.”
“So, that makes you the lawyer.”
“Well, not technically. Not yet anyway. But, yeah.”
“And I’m not being punked.”
I laugh. “No, you’re not being punked.”
She chews the inside of her lip as she digests it all. I don’t think she has a clue how sexy and adorable she is.
When it all settles in, she takes a deep breath and asks, “Can I have a do-over?”
I grin. “Sure.”
A brilliant smile comes instantly to her lips and she sticks out her hand. “You must be Nash, the boyfriend. I’m Olivia, Marissa’s slightly dull cousin.”
I grin. “It’s nice to meet you, Olivia, Marissa’s slightly dull cousin.”
I doubt there’s one single dull thing about you.
She nods her head in satisfaction and turns to walk to the coffee pot. It’s all I can do not to watch her. I have to make myself focus on the beautiful blond in front of me. I’ve only ever looked at Marissa and seen an elegant, statuesque, gorgeous woman. But this morning, I find myself wishing she was a cute, rumpled, fiery brunette instead.
Shit! That’s not good!
CHAPTER FIVE - Olivia
“Ohmigod! You can’t be serious!” Shawna mumbles around a mouthful of wedding cake.
I want to laugh at the crumbs flying from between her lips. Coming with her to a cake tasting has been the most fun, second only to heading up the bachelorette party.
“I wish I was joking, but I’m not. It was horrible!” I feel my face flush in remembered embarrassment just from retelling what had happened with Nash.
“Well, at least it was the brother and not the one you practically molested.”
I slap Shawna’s arm. “I did not practically molest him!”
“No, but you wanted to.”
“I most certainly—”
“Don’t even lie to me, you wench! I know you too well. He had that whole bad boy thing going on. I’m surprised you didn’t wrap your legs and your lips and everything else around him right then and there.”
“God, Shawna, you make me sound like some sort of floozy.”
“Floozy? Really?” She eyes me skeptically.
We both giggle. Mine turns into full blown laughter when I see the red icing stuck to Shawna’s teeth.
“Shut up. It’s a Tracey word,” I explain, referring to my mother. She was Miss Prim and Proper. Words like “whore” and “slut” were not even in her vocabulary. Apparently “divorce” and “abandonment” were, though.
“Don’t even get me started on her. I will cut a bitch!”
“You know, that’s actually kinda scary when you say it now. Your teeth look like you just ate someone’s liver.” The red food coloring looks like blood in her mouth.
“I did. And it was delicious with a nice Chianti and some fava beans,” she says in her best Hannibal voice, making a strange sucking noise afterward.
We both start laughing, drawing the disapproving eye of the swanky shop’s attendant.
“You better shut up. I’m pretty sure it’s bad luck to get kicked out of a wedding cake shop a month before your wedding.”
Shawna smiles demurely at the attendant, her lips barely moving as she speaks to me. “If you had a piece of coal, we could hold her down, shove it up her ass and come collect a big fat diamond in a few days.”
“I’m pretty sure it takes longer than a few days for coal to turn into a diamond, Shawna.”
“Not in that tight ass, it wouldn’t.”
Casting the stern-faced lady a sidelong glance, I change my mind. “You could be right.”
“So, while we’ve got all this sugary brain food circulating through our blood, let’s formulate a plan for you to steal Nash from Marissa. I’m pretty sure it would be the best wedding present ever to see the look on that self-righteous whore’s face.”
“What? Are you crazy? I’m not stealing anyone from anybody!”
“And why not? This guy sounds like everything you’ve ever wanted.”
I sigh. “I know.” And Nash does. He’s incredibly handsome, charming, obviously intelligent, successful, grounded, responsible—everything my mother has drummed into me from childhood. Everything she thought my father wasn’t. And he’s not a bad boy, which is the best thing about him. I might not agree with my mother about much, but I know she’s right about what kind of guy to set my sights on. I’ve proven her right time after time after time. Maybe someone like Nash could help the facts get through to my wayward heart. So far, it seems like I’m destined to fall for the wrong guy.
“So then, what’s the problem? Go get him.”
“It’s not that simple. For one thing, I’m not that kind of person.”
Shawna drops her fork and looks angrily at me. “And what kind is that, exactly? The kind that goes after what she wants? The kind that makes life happen for her? The kind that does everything she can to find happiness? Oh, no. You’re not that kind at all. You’re the martyr. You’re the one who’s gonna let life pass her by because she won’t take risks anymore.”
“Wanting to get a degree that I can use to help my father does not make me a martyr.”
“No, but giving up on every other area of your life so you can move back to Podunk does.”