Page 90 of Made for Wilde

“Details.” Dana’s eyes find mine as I climb down from the passenger seat and her smile widens. “And you must be Charlotte. I’ve heard so much about you.”

She steps forward with her arms open. Before I can overthink it, I’m being enveloped in a hug that smells like expensive perfume and something that reminds me of my own mother.

“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you,” Dana says and pulls back to look at me with kind eyes. “Koda hasn’t been able to stop talking about you for months.”

Heat creeps up my neck.

“Funny, he’s had plenty to say about you too. All good things, I promise.”

Dana laughs. It’s a rich sound that immediately puts me at ease.

“Oh, I’m very real. And very excited to finally meet the woman who’s made my grumpy brother smile again.”

“I’m not grumpy,” Koda protests, but he’s grinning as he says it.

“Please. You’ve been a bear for years.” Dana loops her arm through mine and leads me toward the front door. “But lately you’ve been practically whistling show tunes. I was beginning to worry you’d had some kind of personality transplant.”

The inside of the house is even more impressive than the outside, all soaring ceilings and elegant furnishings that somehow manage to feel welcoming instead of intimidating.

Dana leads us through a foyer that’s bigger than my entire apartment into a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the grounds.

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asks and moves toward what appears to be a fully stocked bar. “Charlotte, I picked up some sparkling apple cider that’s supposed to be amazing. Non-alcoholic and easy on the stomach.” She glances at Koda. “And I know you’ll want your usual whiskey.”

“You didn’t have to go to all that trouble,” I say, genuinely touched.

“It’s no trouble at all.” Dana pulls out a bottle of amber liquid for Koda and reaches for the cider. “I did some research on what’s supposed to be gentle on sensitive stomachs.”

The thoughtfulness of the gesture, combined with how naturally she’s handling everything, makes me feel welcome in a way I hadn’t expected.

It’s nice, being considered like this.

“I cannot wait to be an aunt in a few months.” Dana practically vibrates with excitement as she pours the drinks.

Koda settles beside me on the plush sofa.

“Don’t worry,” he says with a grin. “We’ll be calling you to babysit soon.”

“How are you feeling?” Dana asks and hands me a glass of the sparkling cider. “I remember my friend Claudia was so sick she could barely function for the first few months.”

“Much better now,” I say and take a sip. It’s perfect. Bubbly and sweet, and it settles easily in my stomach. “The first trimester was rough, but I’m finally feeling human again.”

“That’s wonderful. And school’s going okay?” Dana settles into an elegant armchair across from us and tucks one leg under her.

“Yep. I just finished my third quarter, actually.” I lean forward slightly and relax into the conversation. “We’re doing advanced color techniques right now, which is my favorite part. There’s something really satisfying about mixing formulas and watching them come to life.”

“That sounds amazing. Do you have a specialty you’re focusing on?”

“I’m leaning toward color and styling. I love the transformation aspect. Helping people see themselves differently.” I smile and think about some of my recent projects.“We’ve been doing a lot of corrective color work lately, which is challenging but rewarding when you get it right.”

Dana nods thoughtfully.

“That takes real skill. And patience, I’d imagine.”

“Definitely. Some processes take hours.” I glance at Koda, who’s watching me with that soft expression that still makes my heart skip. “But it’s worth it when someone leaves feeling more confident.”

“Speaking of which,” Dana says with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Did you know that you’re the first person he ever let cut his hair other than our mom?”

I turn to stare at Koda, who’s suddenly very interested in his whiskey.