Secret North: Book 4 of The Wishes Series by GJ Walker-Smith Page B

started blowing up Bente’s phone, demanding to know where she was. By day two, her voicemail messages included threats of bodily harm so Bente had no choice but to return her call.
    “I’m staying with a friend,” she uttered.
    Even with a pillow over my head, I heard the reply. “You don’t have any friends,” Ivy roared. “You need to come home.”
    I tossed the pillow aside and pulled the phone from Bente’s ear. “She’s not coming back, Ivy,” I said loudly. “Never, ever.”
    That earned me a sharp elbow to the ribs. It was worth it just to sock it to her nasty sister. “Ryan, shush!” Bente hissed.
    “Ryan? Ryan Décarie?” Ivy screamed. “You’re hooking up with Ryan Décarie?”
    I couldn’t help smiling. I hadn’t seen the woman in years; obviously I’d made a lasting impression.
    Bente sat bolt upright, taking the sheet with her. “I’m not hooking up with anybody. I’ll be home this afternoon.”
    I tried talking her out of it by kissing a line across her back. She wriggled but kept talking. “You need to get a grip, Ivy.”
    “Ryan Décarie?” her sister spat. “You’re the one who needs to get a grip.”
    Bente barked a few choice words and ended the call. She tossed her phone on the bed and flopped back. I took immediate advantage, kissing a new line along her collarbone. “I don’t think she likes me,” I noted between kisses.
    “Not so much,” she agreed. “I wish we could hide out here forever.”
    “We can,” I hummed into the hollow at the base of her neck. “Let’s do it.”
    Her body trembled beneath me as she laughed. That was reason enough to stay in bed forever.
    “It’s alright for you,” she said, giggling. “No one’s chasing you.”
    “You’re right. That’s actually pretty sad,” I lamented. “I could be dead on the floor, and no one cares.”
    Bente shuffled from beneath me and reached for my phone on the nightstand. “Here.” She held it out to me. “Do you need to call a friend?”
    I silenced her with a kiss, but I did take the phone. When I turned my head to check the screen for missed calls, she groaned. “I didn’t mean now, Ryan.”
    The screen was one long log of messages. I’d been missing call after call for two days because I’d switched my phone to silent. “This isn’t good,” I muttered, laying my head back on the pillow.
    Bente propped herself up on one elbow. “Something wrong?”
    I dropped the phone back on the nightstand. “I have to go into work,” I told her. “My restaurants are going to the dogs. If I stay away much longer, someone will add coleslaw to the menu.”
    She sighed. “So this is how it ends.”
    I swept her hair off her shoulder. “It’s been nice knowing you.”
    “That’s it?” She huffed out a husky laugh. “That’s all I get?”
    I curved my hand around her waist and rolled her on top of me. “I’ll give you much, much more if you stay.”
    “No, I have to go too.”
    I put my hand to her cheek and she leaned into my palm. “Pack your stuff and move in here,” I blurted. “Or better yet, I’ll send someone to do it.”
    Her flash of surprise matched mine perfectly. It was a ludicrous suggestion. I’d never lived with a girl in my life; except my mother, and I’m pretty sure she didn’t count. “Forty-eight hours,” she choked. “We’ve known each other forty-eight hours.”
    “That’s not true. We’ve known each other seven years. At least think about it,” I urged. “It might be amazing.”
    “It might also be a train wreck.”
    “Bente, you live with Ivy and the squealers,” I pointed out. “The worst train wreck would be an improvement.”
    She kissed me chastely. “I’ll think about it.”
    ***
    The only thing worse than leaving Billet-doux unmanaged for two days was having my business partner step in and take charge.
    The daytime manager, Noelle, gave me the heads up at the door. “Charli’s in your office,” she warned, skipping to keep up with me. “I