Page 50 of Midnight Auto Parts

Sliding off the stool, he came to stand next to me. “However you prepare it is fine.”

For a man used to eating whatever his crow delivered, I suspected that to be true. “Here goes then.”

While I heated a pan, he sliced vegetables for the salad he wouldn’t—or couldn’t—eat, and I couldn’t stop the bubble of warmth bursting in my chest. I bumped his elbow every now and then, just because. I fought a smile when he started bumping back. Had I not been afraid of burning his food, or him cutting off a finger, I might have escalated things, but I wanted to impress him. Well-done steak wouldn’t do it. I needed to get this right.

Matty, perhaps sensing my thoughts, joked to Kierce, “You realize Frankie isn’t adomesticgoddess.”

Carter’s snort swung Matty’s head toward her, and he blanched to have teased me in front of her.

As tempted as I was to let him sweat, I showed him mercy. “She knows.”

That he had slipped up in front of her with such ease told me I wasn’t the only one who viewed Carter as part of the family. Though it shouldn’t have surprised me when he never would have agreed—as if Josie ever asked for permission—to let her room with Carter if he didn’t believe the redcap was trustworthy.

“She blabbed it after you left.” Carter had a cheddar puff in hand. “Now we all know her secret.”

“I would have told you.” A flush crept up my neck, but it wasn’t like I could deny it. “Eventually.”

Josie bopped through the door with an armload of dressings, vinaigrettes, and other salad fixings.

“The delivery guy is downstairs,” she announced, stalling out at the stove. “Mary, youcooked?”

Under her bulging eyes, I sliced the tuna steak, pleased to find the middle nice and red. “Yep.”

“Wow.” Jars and bottles clanked as she placed them on the counter. “This must be love.”

A mule kicked me in the chest. No. Wait. That was just my heart. Good thing my rib cage contained it.

“I’ll grab the takeout.” Carter rose with a crinkle of her snack bag. “Save any big reveals until I get back.”

Josie’s fingers went to the hem of her shirt, but I clutched her wrist until the door shut on Carter. “No.”

“Oh, come on. It would have been funny.” She palmed her boobs and jiggled them. “Big reveals?”

“If I know you, and I do, you’ve already found a way to accidentally drop your towel in front of Carter.” It hit me after Carter mentioned them sharing a bathroom for absolutely no reason except Josie staking her claim on Carter by invading her territory. “Is there anything you haven’t revealed to her?”

A coy smile lit her face before she attempted to mask it with innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I told you we should have tattooed a warning label on her forehead.” Matty walked up behind her and thumped her skull. “It’s the least we owe her future victims.”

“You wantedmaneater,” I reminded him, “but she’s a womaneater too.”

“Yeah.” He reflected on that conversation. “Shortening it toeaterjust didn’t have the same ring to it.”

“This is why I moved out.” Josie huffed, and we let her get away with the lie. “You’re both mean to me.”

From there, they devolved into bickering and pillows got involved way too close to the food for comfort.

“Come on.” I hooked Kierce’s arm and carried his plate to the table. “Give me your honest opinion.”

We sat across from one another, and I pretended not to notice carrots sailing through the air behind us.

Kierce lifted the plate to breathe in the scent, set it down, then speared the centermost piece.

Nails digging into my palms, I waited for the verdict, weirdly invested in pleasing him.

He popped the slice into his mouth and shut his eyes, savoring the flavors.

“Perfection.” His eyes opened on his plate, and he took another bite. “I prefer it this way.”

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