Page 103 of Tangled with the Tight End

“Who else would dress the goose?”

“Good point,” she says. “He definitely did not strike me as a porch goose man. Color me surprised.”

“Little did you know. He is one.”

“What’s that look in your eye?”

“What look?”

“And that blush. Winona Carter. I do declare.”

I plop down in one of the chairs, the accumulation of the day’s events hitting me all at once.

“You don’t declare,” I say.

“Oh, but I do.” She smiles. “You’ve got a crush.”

Crush sounds so youthful and temporary. What I’ve got is so much worse. I’m not a schoolgirl, pining for the captain of the football team. And my feelings for Declan aren’t a momentary inconvenience. I’m afraid they’re not going anywhere.

“Can we just get ready for bed?” I ask. “And pick this up once I’m in PJs with ice cream?”

“Oh, yes. This conversation needs ice cream,” Cass says.

“You’re telling me.”

Once we’re upstairs, in PJs with bowls in hand, we pile onto Cass’s bed.

“It’s so good to see you,” she says.

“And you,” I tell her. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA.”

“You’ve been bringing home the bacon.”

I laugh and take a big bite of caramel praline.

“I’ve been bringing home bacon bits. But every bit helps.”

She giggles. “I love your brain.” She tucks a pillow behind her back and stares pointedly at me. “So … about this crush.”

I take another bite, prolonging my confession. I want to tell Cass. She’s not just my sister. She’s my twin. And my best friend.

“I’ve never had feelings like this for a man before,” I say, briefly glancing up at her and then focusing hard on scraping the melted ice cream off the sides of my bowl.

“For Declan?”

“I knoooow.” I groan. “Why couldn’t it have been one of the many farm hands Carli has set me up with over the years? Or a guy who works at the bank. Someone normal.”

“Do these feelings go both ways?” Cass asks.

“I don’t know. Probably not. I mean, how preposterous would it be to have him feel anything for me besides a bit of gratitude and some friendship?”

Cass sets her bowl aside. “What makes you say that?” She reaches out and places her hand over mine. “You're amazing. Declan’s been spending all this time with you. He has to see you for who you are—beautiful, funny, one of a kind. You're the whole package.”

I fall back onto her mattress. “Why him? Besides the fact that he’s incredible. And I don’t just mean his muscles. Though … those are spectacular …”

Cass giggles. “You do have it bad, don’t you?”

“Yes!” I pop up, taking a bite of ice cream. “He’s so sweet, Cass. Thoughtful, humble, funny.”