Page 127 of Touch the Sky

“I mean, we guessed that a long time ago,” Natalie says.

I gawk at her. “You did?”

Maddie raises an eyebrow over the top of her glasses. “It was very obvious.”

I try to sputter out a few excuses, but I’ve got nothing.

“Well, I meant we were hooking up, like,tonight,” I add. “When Shel got home. She walked in on us.”

Now they gasp. Maddie’s hands fly up to cover her mouth, and Natalie’s face turns pale.

“Oh no,” Maddie mutters from behind her fingers.

“Yeah.” I give her an empty smile. “Very oh no.”

“Is that why she ran away?” Natalie asks, leaning closer.

“Ouais, c’est ?a. She got scared,” I explain. “She thought her mom and I are girlfriends, and she’s scared if we break up, I’ll kick them out of the house.”

My stomach churns at the thought of her little face looking so terrified, like I’d turned into an evil super villain.

“She really loves living here. She said she wants to stay forever.”

My voice catches on the last word. Maddie rests her hand on my shoulder.

“That’s really sweet, actually,” Natalie says.

I flail my hands around in frustration. “Ben, it would be, if everything were not all fucked up now.”

Natalie squints at me. “What’s fucked up about it? I mean, besides Shel walking in on you guys. That’s rough, but I’m sure Tess can help her process it.”

I drop my head into my hands and rub my forehead. I’m probably going to end up with new wrinkles by the end of this night.

“What’s fucked up is that I asked Tess to be my partner.”

Natalie lets out a squawk, and Maddie’s grip on my shoulder tightens so hard I have to shrug her off me.

“Your partner?” she squeaks.

I’ve really got to start being more specific with that one.

“Mybusinesspartner,” I say. “I talked toMamanabout it, and we agreed we should make Tess a partner if she wants to help run a boarding stable at La Grange Rouge.”

“Ohhhh,” Natalie drawls.

Maddie looks even more confused, and I realize I still haven’t talked to her about the idea at all.

I haven’t talked to either of them about anything lately. Despite running an inn together, we’ve all been wrapped up in our own little worlds and never-ending to-do lists.

I spend a few minutes explaining the boarding concept to Maddie and then get back to the part about me proposing the partnership to Tess.

“Did she say no?” Maddie asks once she’s caught up.

“She said it would be a good fit and she’s interested, but we agreed we would have to stop hooking up if we do that.”

The two of them share a look.

“So tonight…?” Natalie hazards.