Page 97 of Under One Roof

Neither one of them makes a move or speaks, and I glance at Taryn, frowning. On the other side of her, Ian juts his chin at her, elbowing her side to get her moving. “Yeah, you’ve found her.”

Taryn stumbles forward, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen my sister speechless before. The contractor sticks out his hand with an amazed “Hi.”

Taryn stares at his hand like it’s a tentacle then reaches for it, but she has the coffee in her hand and ends up spilling it on the floor.

“Shit,” she mutters, crouching to pick up the cup, and the contractor springs into action, grabbing a bandanna from his back pocket to clean up the dark liquid.

“I got it. I got it,” he says, pushing her away, and it’s like watching a car crash.

I can’t take my eyes off it.Them.

Taryn drags her hand over her face, exhaling a harsh breath as he stands, holding the soaked rag in his hand, staring at my sister like she’s the best thing he’s ever seen.

I don’t know what to do and shoot a look to my brother, who clears his throat. That makes Taryn shake her head. “Uh, thanks.”

“Yeah.” Moretti smiles. “No problem. I’m gonna toss this back in my truck,” he says, referring to the bandanna, “and then you wanna walk me around the property? I got the list, but I’d like to make sure we’re on the same page.”

She nods, her voice sounding strangled when she says, “Mm-hmm. Yep. Sure.”

He leaves, the screen door slamming shut behind him, and I swing around to Taryn, eyebrows raised in silent question.What in the fuck was that?

She squats down, hands on either side of her head. “Oh my god.”

“Taryn,” Ian says, seriously. “What is going on?”

“I, uh…” She tilts her head back, face screwed up. “I slept with him.”

I blink a few times in confusion, but Ian doesn’t have my problem. “With the kid? He’s, like, twenty.”

She straightens, hands on her hips, annoyed now. “He’s actually thirty.”

Ian’s brows rise, interest lighting his eyes. “You like him.”

My jaw drops. “What?”

She slaps at Ian. “I do not like him.”

“You do,” he argues, and she pushes on his shoulder, getting him to move.

“I do not like him. I’m not a teenager. I don’t like people.”

“You liked him enough to fuck him,” Ian points out, and she thumps his shoulder.

“Get the hell out of here. I don’t have time for you. Go harass your own children.”

Ian lets himself be pushed out, but I wait until she turns to me to hold out my hands. “So, uh, that was awkward.”

“Please, just… Don’t.”

I shrug. I won’t say anything. Instead, I cup the back of her head, ducking down to meet her eyes. “You got this.”

She nods.

“But if you don’t, you can always call me.”

Her flattened lips twist up in the corner. “Thanks, brother.”

I chuck her under the chin. “See you, sis.”

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