Page 52 of Just the Wrong Twin

Had Trish always been looking for something better? Nate had never thought of that. Some people just couldn’t deal with his injury. Hell, he’d had a hard time dealing with it himself, so he couldn’t hold that against Trish.

His mom took a breath. “And here you are in a new city making a new start! It’s time to forget that girl, Nathan, and look to the future. Maybe you’ll meet someone at work.”

He felt the need to temper expectations. “I think they’re all a bit older than me, Mom.”

“You need to think positive. You need tobelievethat the right girl for you is out there—no, that she’s right around the corner, if not already in your life.”

Nate wasn’t convinced, but he couldn’t tell his mom that. “You’ve been listening to Dr. Phil again, haven’t you, Mom?”

She made a dismissive noise. “Positive thinking is a force of nature.” She continued before he could debate that. “Your father would be very proud of you for charting your own course, by the way. He was always one to find opportunity and take advantage of it, and he knew that you would have a bright future.”

“How’s Uncle Jed?”

“Complaining, naturally, about losing the best employee he ever had.” His mom laughed about her older brother. “Don’t worry about Jed. He’s a problem-solver and will find a way, if and when he ever decides to retire. He just likes to have a good grouse once in a while. Oh, he did say that if your new job doesn’t work out, to give him a call.”

Nate smiled. “He said that to me, too.”

“But he probably didn’t tell you that he’s sure you won’t need to call him,” his mom said.

“No, he didn’t.”

“He’s very excited about your new position and wants to know all about Silver Fox Security the next time he sees you.”

Nate dropped his voice low. “I might have to kill him if I tell him more.”

His mom laughed right on cue. “What about our Fourth of July family picnic? I hope you’ll get to meet Andrew then.”

It was just a few weeks away. “Are we doing it this year, with the pandemic?”

“I couldn’t bear to cancel it.”

Nate prevaricated, not at all sure it was a good idea to have a huge family gathering. “I have to talk to Pierce about it.”

“You must get weekends off.”

“Maybe not if we’re on an assignment. I’ll let you know, Mom.” Nate didn’t want to lie to his mom, but he also didn’t want to have anyone fixing him up, ever again. And he really didn’t know about the work schedule.

“I hope these people appreciate you.”

“I plan to make sure they do.”

“Off you go, then. Call me when you have a chance.”

“Will do, Mom. Have a great dinner and don’t interrogate Andrew too much. You might frighten him off.”

“Goodness, if he’s dating Diane, he can’t scare easily,” his mom replied and Nate had to laugh at the truth of it.

Diane with a date. It was tough to imagine his big sister compromising on anything at all, but maybe Andrew liked decisive women. It might be worth a drive to New York just to see her ‘smitten’—and meet the guy responsible for breaking through her barriers. The word still made him smile.

He went for a run, checking out his new neighborhood, trying not to think about Sonia.

He failed.

Completely.

In fact, as Nate ran, he thought about blond hair trailing across his skin, about the way Sonia had seemed to be discovering the pleasure of sex for the first time. He thought a lot about that little sound and different ways he might encourage her to make it. He thought about her scars and he still wanted to know the whole story.

Even though it was none of his damn business.

---