Page 66 of Small Towns, Wild Hearts

Me: Who’s joking?

Chance: You’ll be fine. Charlie’s fun.

Me: If you’re a sadist.

Chance: Actually, if you’re a masochist. She’d be the sadist.

Me: Jesus, you think just like her.

Chance: You’re not wrong, but you love me anyway.

Me: Yeah, well, just don’t expect roses on Valentine’s Day.

Chance: Baby, you never buy me flowers anymore.

Me: Cute.

Chance: You’ll have fun. Just don’t fuck her.

I froze with my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Not going to lie, if it didn’t promise pain, definite stalking, and starring in a future episode of Snapped… nah, not even then.

Me: …

Chance: Confirm asshole. No fucking my baby sister.

Huh, seemed like he was getting mad.

Me: …

Chance: Listen, fucker… DO. NOT. FUCK. MY. SISTER.

Definitely mad. So, there was an upside this weekend. No peace for me, but then none for him either.

Me: …

Chance: When I get my hands—

I didn’t bother reading the rest of his message and instead whipped out the finale with a smile on my face.

Me: Now that you’re just as miserable, peace out. And guy, really? I know the code. Besides, if I were planning to fuck one of your sisters, it would be Eve.

Chance: I don’t like how you dropped her name like you had it in your head, ready to go.

Me: Later, dude.

I climbed out of my SUV, ignored the demon spawn, and circled around to the hatch to grab my bag. I’d hold onto it until I was in my room. Preferably on the opposite side of the resort.

She propped her bag against my back tire and leaned on my car. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.”

“You’re not curious who I spotted when I got here then? Okay.” She settled her sunglasses on the bridge of her nose and shrugged. “I thought you’d want a warning, but—”

I hitched my bag over my shoulder, shut the hatch, and crossed my arms. “Fine, who did you see, Charlotte?”

“Gross, don’t call me that.” She shivered and looked just like her mother when Chance and I tracked across her brand-new white tile foyer years ago during a New Year’s party. The first and last party she’d allowed us to invite our friends to. Somehow, I didn’t think Charlie would appreciate the comparison.

I’d just save that in my insult bank for later.

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