Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

“Thanks, Ryan.” I smiled at him as I squeezed in past him. “Where’s Fliss?”

“Napping, thank god.” He groaned as he quietly closed the door. “Don’t tell Hope, but sometimes I worry she gave birth to a devil child. The smallest thing can make her cry like she’s being tortured.”

“Oh, I know. You don’t have to tell me.”

Ryan winced. “Crap. You can hear her clear through to Dylan’s place? I was hoping our walls were thicker than that.”

Right. Because he didn’t know I’d spent the night at Nathan’s next door last night. Or that I was the reason for a few of her crying jags because of how I’d slammed his door. “Oh, not really. I just meant because of how often I’m over here. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her from Dylan’s.”

“Good. Pretty sure Nathan can hear her, though. Not that I’m gonna apologize to him for it. That SOB deserves it and more. Did you know that one time he—”

“Ryan?” Hope called from the kitchen. “Are you going to let my friend come inside already? She’s here to see me, not you.”

“Hardly!” Ryan hollered back. “You know she was my friend first.”

I smiled even as I crossed the room to where Hope and Sabrina were hunched over wine glasses and a charcuterie platter. “Thanks, Ryan.”

“No problem, friend.”

“She’s mine, and you can’t have her back!” Hope fake scowled at her gorgeous fiancé. “Now go take care of our spawn. Don’t think I’m letting you get away with that devil child comment.”

Ryan winced. “You heard that?”

“I’m a mom. I hear everything.”

Ryan still laughed as he gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the room.

Hope sighed. “I love that man, but I swear some days I want to—”

“Marry him?” Sabrina interjected. “When is that happening anyhow? Are you going to do a dual ceremony with Austin and Rachel?”

“Hell no.” Hope scowled. “I love Rachel, but she’s a bit too organized for me. We’d be at each other’s throats in no time at all if we tried to coordinate weddings.”

Sabrina reached for a cracker. “Mom is over the moon. Two weddings to help plan. And I swear it’s given her fuel to needle me. ‘Your brothers are getting married, and Ryan has given me a grandchild. Hint, hint.’ She’s not the least bit subtle.”

I smiled and laughed along, but I still felt a little pang in my heart. Was my mom right? Was all this about me wanting to be in the Burns family? Was that what my little crush on Nathan had been all about?

“What about you, Maddie?”

I blinked back into focus and smiled apologetically at Hope. “Sorry. What?”

She exchanged a look with Sabrina. “I was just asking what’s going on with you? How is it staying with Dylan?”

“Oh you know. Not bad. Dylan is hardly around so it’s almost like it’s my place some days.” I shrugged, belying my racing heart.

Hope and Sabrina exchanged another look. Like they knew something I didn’t.

Sabrina cleared her throat. “He’s not around? What’s he doing? Where does he go?”

And here was a whole other set of lies I had to keep track of. I doubted any of his family knew what was going on and I hated that he wanted me to lie for him. “He doesn’t exactly keep me in the loop. I’m just grateful he’s letting me crash on his couch.”

“How is the apartment search going?” Sabrina asked with a frown. “Do you need help?”

I shook my head. “I have to get out of my current lease first, and my landlord is being a pain in the ass. He never answers his phone, and a few days ago he refused my certified letter. I think I might have to hire a process server or something.”

“I’m sorry, Mads. That sucks.” Hope said.

Sabrina nodded. “Ditto. I’m sorry. It probably doesn’t help that you’re living next to Nathan either.”

My pulse pounded in my ears. “What do you mean?”

“You know. Just how he’s so close but so far away?” Hope gestured with her wine glass. “I mean you’ve had a crush on him for forever.”

“And his place is like a revolving door lately.” Hope scowled. “I swear, every time we’re trying to leave with a sleeping baby, he slams his door and wakes her up. Inconsiderate jerk.”

“You haven’t run into any of his uh, girlfriends, have you, Mads?” Sabrina asked with a concerned expression. “I swear that’s the last thing you need right now.”

“Like salt in the wound,” Hope said.

Both of them looked at me with concerned expressions, and it was so hard to keep it together. I was going to crack. I just knew it. “I can honestly say I haven’t run into any of his girlfriends.” Unless you counted the mirror, but we weren’t right? “I’ve been too busy trying to sort out my apartment and applying for new jobs.”

Because the best defense was the misdirect.

“New job?” Sabrina’s frown deepened. “What’s going on with your current job?”

I sighed in relief and filled them in on the upcoming budget cuts and what it most likely meant for my career.

“You know, I read an article the other day that said one of the most lucrative careers was a federal librarian.” Hope raised her eyebrows. “Have you thought about going in that direction? Are there any federal opportunities in Sac?”

I shrugged. “I’d miss working with kids every week, but I also have bills to pay. I’ll look into it.”

“You know for someone with everything going wrong, you’re looking surprisingly chipper.” Sabrina put down her wine glass and rounded the counter to look me up and down. “You have that glow…”

“You can’t tell that from just looking at me.” I looked at Hope for help but she just giggled into her wine glass.

“Aha!” Sabrina pointed a finger at me. “You admit it!”

I blinked “What?”

Hope giggled again then shrugged apologetically at me. “You kinda did.”

“No, I was talking theoretically.” A little voice screamed in my head, avoid, avoid, avoid! So I tried.