When Roses Collide

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Charming, Desi. Have you ever considered a career working for Hallmark?" Harley said wryly.

She raised her eyebrow. "Trust me, my advice is way better than any of that flowery shit they sell. You want sugar, spice and everything nice? Go sell your troubles to Becca." She narrowed her sandy eyes. "Although, I think she'd probably smack you silly with that purse she drags around. Especially if you tell her how many orgasms you enjoyed by that orangutan."

"So, according to you, I'm supposed to just let them kill each other because I had great sex?" Harley snorted, shaking her head.

"Yup. To the victor goes the spoils."

"I'm not a piece of meat to be fought over, Desi and I happen to be in love with the one my family plans on burying six feet under." She sighed. If they haven't already, she added to herself.

"Oh stop being so dramatic," she snapped, grabbing Harley's empty glass off the counter. "This isn't Romeo and Juliet. Travis can take care of himself. Do you really want some namby-pamby guy who can't take a lick or two?"

"I guess not, I just wasn't expecting...," she shrugged her shoulders, "all this hostility."

"You brought a new hound into the doghouse. Of course there's going to be snarling and sniffing of butts." Desi reached over and patted her hand. "They all love you. It's in men's fucked up genetic code to want to protect what they think is theirs." She reached up and lightly fingered the silver heart with her husband's name dangling from her collar.

Harley's brow dropped to a frown. "I know Bo. He has an extraordinary amount of that genetic code. He's as stubborn as the day is long and has become worse since daddy died." Harley took a deep breath. "Making him see that I really do love Travis isn't going to be easy."

"So you make him see. When one door slams shut, you open the fucking door because that's how doors work."

"You sound like a messed up fortune cookie," Harley snorted. "Besides, I think it's when one door closes, you open a window."

"Ever try to throw a man out of a window?" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Besides, if your want life to be sunshine and roses then you can always move back to the boring one you left behind in Colorado where you can sit surrounded with your family of grunting protectors until spinsterhood approaches."

"Good point," Harley mumbled. It would have been infinitely easier to have stayed in Colorado, but...there was no Travis back home. Actually...there was nothing for her there. She would never find the kind of love she had discovered with him. Sure, she would be surrounded by friends and family in a town that didn't hate her very existence...but...that wasn't enough. Not anymore. "What do you suggest I do?" Asking Desi for personal advice was risky, but right now, she didn't have any other choice. It was risky or nothing at this point.

"Give them something to focus on rather than ripping out each other's throats."

"Like what?" Harley narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her gothic friend.

"You can always tell them about Rafferty," she suggested.

Harley gasped. "Are you insane?"

"Hear me out." Desi held up a hand. "You need a project the men in your life can rally around and you need to get Rafferty out of your hair. What better way to kill two birds with one stone?"

"They will kill Rafferty!" she hissed. It would be like sic'ing a bunch of rabid grizzly bears on the man. Not that he didn't deserve it, but holy shit!

"And the problem with that would be?" Desi gave her an evil smirk. "You'd probably get the key to the city for getting rid of him. Hell...they might even make you mayor."