Page 7 of Finding You
“Do you know the guy who lives in the house across the street from my cottage?”
“Declan Quinn?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve known him since childhood. What about him?”
“I met him today.”
“Hold on one second.” I heard her shouting in the background and then a large crashing noise.
“I’m back.”
I didn’t dare ask what the crashing noise was. “And he sort of invited me over for dinner. I accepted and then realized I didn’t know him, and it’s probably not smart to go to a stranger’s house for dinner when I’m new in town.” I was rambling.
“Time out. He invited you? Into his house?” Emily sounded shocked. Ugh, maybe he was a serial killer.
“Yes.”
“I am not sure he has even invited his own mother over for dinner. Very few people have been invited inside the fortress of solitude. I have to text Cece. She will be so shocked.”
“Wait, can you back up a minute? I called because I want to make sure it is safe for me to go over there.”
“Yes. Totally safe.” She laughed loudly.
“I’m not following.”
“He may be a broody jerk sometimes, but he is harmless and kind. His family is lovely and everyone knows him.”
“Okay…”
“But your vagina may not be safe.” It sounded like she was smiling on the other end of the phone.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I feigned ignorance but I knew what she was getting at. Emily was very blunt and tended to have no qualms about discussing personal stuff. The last thing I needed was her talking about my vagina.
“I assume if you spoke to him you also saw him? His face? His body?”
I didn’t say anything, too afraid she could read my voice over the phone.
“Let’s just say very few women are immune to that broody lumberjack charm.” She was right, of course. He was impossible not to notice. I had been drooling over him since I saw him running the other day. I never should have walked over and introduced myself. Up close he was so much hotter.
“No, no. It’s not like that,” I protested. “I was walking and we got to chatting and I mentioned that what he was cooking smelled good so he invited me to dinner.”
“That doesn’t sound like Declan. Are you sure it wasn’t one of his brothers? They are both personable and polite.”
“No, it’s him. I’ve… noticed him a few times since I’ve been here.”
“Oh really!”
“Not like that.”
She snorted. “Of course it’s like that. Let’s not lie to each other, Astrid. So what are you wearing?”
“I don’t know? Is it formal?”
“I should think not. But then again, I have never been invited to his house. And you and I have very different definitions of formal.” That was an understatement. Emily, while beautiful and whimsical, had a very distinct “overwhelmed mom” style these days.
I laughed. “I don’t have much. Just some leggings and my suits.”
