Page 38 of Flirt
Maddie shrugged. “That was my guess, but I didn’t really get the chance to ask before she started screaming. I love her, but the chick is mental.”
Pot, meet kettle.
“Maybe I should go see if I can help.” At the very least, he could go grab lunch for everyone, because it didn’t look like they’d be leaving any time soon.
She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, then reached for another piece of candy. “Your funeral, writer boy.”Sauntering over to him, she reached up and patted his shoulder. “Go get ’em, tiger.”
Following the sound of Cameron’s voice to the back of the store, he found the man in question sitting on what he could only describe as a pirate chest, complete with skulls and rusted chains. He had his back against the wall, chin tilted up, eyes closed, and he talked in an even cadence normally reserved for small children and frightened animals.
“Nat, I can’t help you from out here. Either come out or let me in, but this is getting us nowhere.”
“Go away,” his sister moaned from the other side of the door, but her tone had lost all its previous fire. “Just leave me alone.”
“You know I’m not going to do that. We’ll probably starve to death. Cats will come and eat our bodies.”
Clearing his throat so as not to startle Cameron, Asher crouched down in front of him and placed a hand on his knee. “Hey, how’s it going?”
Cameron looked tired already, but he laid a hand over Asher’s and squeezed. “Not great. I appreciate you being here, but you really don’t have to stick around for this.”
“Actually,” he mumbled, glancing at the doorway, then back to Cameron, “do you mind if I give it a shot?”
Cameron’s eyes widened a fraction, but he inched over on the pirate chest to make room for him. “Go for it.”
“Her name is Natalie, right?”
“Yep.”
Turning so that he faced the end of the chest, Asher propped his elbows on his knees and bent so that his head was right next to the doorknob. “Hey, Natalie, we haven’t had a chance to meet yet, but my name is Asher.”
“I know who you are.”
The words dripped with venom, but she didn’t scare him. An angry woman, he could handle. Whatever the fuck was going on with Vampire Barbie—no thank you.
“Is that any way to talk to your brother’s boyfriend? We might be related one day.” Cameron started choking behind him, but Asher ignored him. “Open the door, Nat. I know you’re just dying to judge me.”
She didn’t open the door, but when she spoke, she didn’t sound quite so hostile. “If you hurt him, I’ll kick your ass.”
Because she knew how it felt. Because someone had hurt her.
“Do you want me to kick Aiden’s ass? Well, not me personally. I’m delicate, but I know people.”
“I hate him!”
“I know, cupcake. I hate him, too. Open the door so we can hate him together.”
“Do you really know people?”
Asher laughed. No, he didn’t know any boyfriend-ass-kickers for hire, but that wasn’t what she needed to hear. “Honey, my people know people, and if all else fails, we can always feed him to my dog.”
“You don’t have a dog,” Cameron interjected.
Reaching over his opposite shoulder, he palmed Cameron’s face to shut him up. “Come on, Nat. If you don’t open the door, I’m going to have to break it down. I’ll probably hurt myself, then I won’t be able to finish my book. Your poor brother will never know what happens past chapter five.”
Cameron jerked back. “Natalie June Stone, open this fucking door!”
A muffled, feminine giggle proceeded the click of the lock, and the door creaked open. “Don’t worry, Cam. I’d never do that to you.” Natalie swiped her fingers under her eyes, but only succeeded in further smearing her mascara. “Hi, Asher. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” Following his instincts, he stood and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry you’re having a shitty day.”
