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“I—”

“You need to speak to me as if you like me. Fuck, Grace, that you love me. Are you going to be able to do that?”

She presses her lips together, then tugs against the bottom one with her teeth.

“And don’t bite your lip, dear.” I lean closer to her. “That’s my job now.”

Her mouth forms an O.

I want to think of all the ways I can get her to open her mouth that way again, but now is not the time for thoughts like that.

“I’ll try, dear, but I’m not going to be perfect right out of the gate.”

Oh, that smart mouth of hers will be the death of me.

“That’s just fine. I don’t want perfect. I want you to be you.”

“Only nicer.”

“You’re a nice person, Grace. Just not to me, and it’s time we changed that.”

“And how do you expect to erase years of loathing?”

Never letting my gaze stray from hers, I lean in. “I’ve got a plan.”

She crosses her arms. “Do I get to be a part of this plan?”

“Nope. It’s a surprise.”

“I hate surprises.”

I mimic her stance and move closer.

“Come on, Sunny, don’t pretend like I haven’t known you my entire life. You fucking love surprises.”

Her gaze narrows.

“Don’t call me Sunny.”

“Why not? You’re a real fucking ball of sunshine right now. Seems fitting.”

She punches my shoulder, and I have to hold back my laugh at how weak it is.

“Don’t be a dick.”

“Well then, don’t be a brat.”

As if we needed a reminder of why we are in the spot we’re in, her phone begins to ring and my phone chimes with a new message, reminding us that real life is waiting.

I uncross my arms and stand taller.

“Are you ready to do this?” I ask.

“No,” she answers, biting her bottom lip again. “But let’s get this over with.”

Grace left for work about thirty minutes ago and asked me to wait before I appeared at the main lodge. She wanted to scope out the place to see if we need to be on our game first thing.

She also said she’d text me when it was all clear, but I’m starting to gather she only said that to keep me in her cabin all day.