Page 15 of Sweet Heart for the Bear

And worse?

I don’t even think she knows it.

“So,” Uzzi’s voice cuts through my thoughts, his tone far too knowing, “will you do it? Add some functionality and maybe test the app yourself?”

I drag my eyes away from Carina—again—and force myself to focus on the actual reason I’m here.

Multiverse coding.

Parallel dimension developers.

The kind of tech that shouldn’t exist.

You know. Just regular afternoon things.

I pick up a garlic knot, take a bite, and chew slowly, using the moment to pretend like I haven’t just spent the last few minutes mentally spiraling over a woman who is absolutely off-limits.

A neighbor, for fuck’s sake.

Finally, I swallow and answer nonchalantly.

“Yeah. Sure. I’ll do it.”

And why will I do it? Because I’m an idiot.

And because, against all logic, I kind of want to see where all this leads.

Chapter6

Horace

“What app?” a female voice asks as she settles both our pizzas down on the table.

This woman is young and sweet looking. But it’s nother.

Not my Carina.

Shit.

I can’t think of her like that.

“Hello, my dear. You must be Carina’s sister. I’m Uncle Uzzi, this is Horace.”

“I am! My name’s MJ. I’m the head chef atPizza Girls,” she says, and her smile is welcoming.

“So, what app are you working on if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, uh,” I stutter.

I might not know a lot about this apparent multiverse we live in, but I know I shouldn’t just talk about it. Especially not with a normal.

“Actually, dear, it’s a dating app. See, I’m a matchmaker—yes, people still use us—and I’ve come up with this app designed to find, well, I suppose you could sayyour soul mate,” Uzzi explains.

“A matchmaker? Cool! Ooh, let’s see,Date to Mate,” she reads over his shoulder, “sounds awesome! Is it live? Can we use it?”

“We?” I ask stupidly.

“Yeah, me and my sisters. We are likesosingle, it’s ridiculous. Carina just got out of the worst relationship, and Dina doesn’t trust anyone,” she emphasizes and chuckles at herself.

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