Page 31 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
“But you’re not opposed to it?”
“No.” She shakes her head, her eyes shining in the sunlight. “I suppose I’m not opposed to it. What are you going to do? Bring me a business proposal to get a date?”
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
She stops walking and frowns, but she doesn’t get to say anything because Kara walks up behind her holding a grocery bag.
“There are no kids here.” Kara looks even less happy than Lottie does. “Can we go?”
Lottie straightens her shoulders and turns toward my sister. “My friend Imogen from yoga has a daughter your age. I’ll ask her what Emma does over the summer.”
“Thanks, Lottie.” Kara turns to me and glowers. Lottie gets smiles. I get the she-devil. “Can we go?”
“Sure. But we have to find Rafe first. Lottie, thanks for the…talk. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“I’m not really in the market for a partner, Thane. Any kind of partner.” She slides her gaze to Kara while both of their cheeks tinge pink.
“Are you hitting on Lottie, Brad? Gross. You’re like…way older than her.”
“I’m not old, Kara. Jesus, I’m thirty-two. Let’s go. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lottie.” I don’t wait for either of them to answer. The lava is bubbling again, and I need to get out of here.
But I will get that date with Lottie, and I’ll give her a proposal she can’t say no to, right after I figure out who the fuck thinks they can force their way into her company.
CHAPTEREIGHT
LOTTIE
The air hasa chill to it tonight, so I wrap my blanket tighter, then lean back against the porch swing and allow the momentum to take me as I stare up at the stars.
I’m exhausted.
I’ve spent the last week trying to figure out why I’m not more upset with my new neighbor than I am. If I’m honest, it’s because the loneliness that lurks behind his eyes calls to the loneliness in my heart like the other half of my soul.
It scares the shit out of me, but the reality is, I’m simply not upset by Thane’s high-handedness, and I like feeling needed more than I thought I would.
There’s something about his awkward encounters that’s almost…endearing. And if I had any questions before about his authenticity when it comes to Kara, I don’t anymore. The man obviously cares about his sister a great deal—he has to. He’s putting up with much more than I thought him capable of.
The screen door of his back porch slams shut, the sound echoing into the yard between our homes, and against my better judgment, I lean forward, attempting to get a glimpse of him.
Wait. What the hell am I doing?
I don’t need anyone. I haven’t in a very long time. But I haven’t wanted to get close to anyone either, and now here I am, acting like a breathless teenager spying on her crush.
His screen slams again, and his voice carries on the breeze. “Fucking door. Siri, remind me to have Tanner install new hinges on the screen door. Kara!” There’s silence for a moment. “Kara?” The third time he calls his sister’s name, it’s laced with fear, and I spring to my feet.
The motion detection light over my head turns on, and he swings his gaze my way. I lift my arm in a jerky wave.
“Have you seen Kara?” He’s already walking toward me, and I scramble for my blanket. I’m not wearing a bra, and my tank top is definitely translucent, considering I’ve had it since high school. Awesome. Now he gets to see my Shrek pj pants and Girl Power tank top that’s a few years past its time-to-discard date.
I’m shaking my head as he stops on the bottom of my stairs.
“She…” He spins in a circle. “I know she came out this way. I heard the door slam.”
“Yeah. I heard it a few seconds before you came out. What’s going on?”
Ever so slowly, he turns his head toward me, and something like shame has him angling his face downward. “She— I don’t know, I guess she tried to dye her hair with some shit she got from the farmer’s market last week.” His shoulders hitch up to his ears. “It didn’t turn out as she expected, and I had no warning. She just popped out of the bathroom like that and I—well—I reacted…poorly.”
“Oh no. What did you say?” Problem-solving mode activates, and I drop the blanket, find my slippers, and move toward him, intent on searching our yards for Kara.
