A Redo (Sterling Shore 6)

“Here they are,” Bella announces as she walks back into the living room, and I turn just as she holds out her hand.

Dangling, diamond earrings are put into my palm, and I shake my head rapidly while handing them back. “I can’t wear these.”

She laughs while taking one back, ignoring me as she moves to my ear to put it on me herself.

“Wren bought you a badass dress. You can wear my damn earrings.”

Shame washes over me, and I blow out a breath. “I can’t believe I let him buy it. But… he insisted. And then I got… distracted. He got me shoes and a coat, too.”

She flashes a smile that is so genuine. “Lucky girl. Let him spoil you.”

“It’s not right. I don’t like taking anything from him. I should have… I should have refused the dress. Shit. What was I thinking?”

She purses her lips as seriousness takes over. “Wren has seven years’ worth of guilt, Allie. He missed over six years of his daughter’s life. If the guy wants to buy you an outfit for some ritzy party his mom is throwing, let him. And don’t feel bad about it.”

Sighing, I take one last look at myself.

This thing between Wren and me… It’s just this weird physical chemistry, right?

I wish. No. It’s the way he treats our daughter—as though she’s the most precious thing in the world. It’s the way he looks at me, and it’s the way he speaks… Screw this. I can’t sit here and think about all the reasons I’m falling for Wren, when I need to stop falling for him.

“You look constipated,” Bella says candidly, reminding me she’s there.

“I’m thinking,” I grumble, glaring at her as she laughs.

Then she gets that prying look on her face. Oh no. What’s she going to ask now?

“Sooo… You never really talk about Tag, but if he’s Wren’s best friend, then you have to know him.”

I shrug. I don’t actually know him. “I assumed Tag was off limits for conversation, given your past with him.”

Bella rolls her eyes while dropping and sprawling out on the sofa, still wearing her scrubs from the hospital, while her dark hair rests in a messy bun on her head.

“It’s not like I was hung up on the guy. I couldn’t even remember his last name when you needed to find Wren. I’m just… curious. Is he still hot?”

I nod, cautiously entering this territory against my will.

“Damn. Is he at least a little less hot?” she asks hopefully.

I laugh while shaking my head. “He’s hotter, actually.”

She mocks a pout, but then her eyes brighten. “It’s too bad I’m taking a break from bad boys. He’d be fun to play with.”

I laugh harder this time while walking over to grab the new, incredibly awesome, cream cashmere coat to pull on. It’s not too cold, but it’s still chilly outside. Especially at night time.

“That might be problematic, considering he’s married with one child and one on the way.”

She chokes on air before shooting upright and gawking at me. “Married with kids? Oh damn. Tell me the wife is hideous.”

I smile while shaking my head. “Wish I could. But she’s not. In fact, she’s pretty damn hot.”

She groans while dropping back down on the sofa. “Then tell me she’s a major bitch.”

“She brought candy assortments to Angel’s class on career day to help Wren out.”

Bella pouts again, but it’s playful. “I knew this world was cold and unfair. She must have the fabled magic pussy.”

I stumble so hard that I almost fall, and Bella shoots me a smirk. “Did you just say ‘magic pussy’?” I ask incredulously.

“Yep. You know… Like in the romance books where the players screw a girl once and suddenly they’re obsessively in love for the first time. That’s magic pussy.”

My laughter pours out as Bella leans forward, staring at her lap with a scowl. “Why can’t you be magical?” she asks her crotch, which has me laughing all the harder. “We could be rich and fabulous if you could charm the wealthy and wicked serpents of the world.”

My side hurts so much, and I end up clutching the back of the sofa for support as Bella continues to have the weirdest conversation in history with her non-magical… um… area.

“We get to watch the men walk away and forget to call. Or climb into bed with another woman. Maybe you need some pheromones or something to make you a magical beast. You could have a siren’s song. Are you defective? Don’t you want to…”

Her voice trails off, and I look up—I don’t know why I was staring at her pant-covered crotch like it was going to answer. I’m still laughing so hard that I have tears, but I notice her eyes are wide and horror is etched on her face. I follow her gaze behind me, and see Wren biting back a grin that he ends up covering with his hand when he can’t suppress it.