Page 55 of Tell Me Something True

It was the rudest thing he’d ever seen her do.

And it was killing her. A guilty flush filled her cheeks at this little rebellion against good manners and proper etiquette.

“We didn’t meet before.” Uncrossing her arms, she covered her nephew’s ears. “You slept with my brother,” Verity whispered harshly. “Accused him of being the worst kind of creep, and then left without so much as an oops, my bad.”

Smile straining at the edges, Tabitha lowered her hand. “You have a very good memory. And obviously hold on to a grudge as well as your brother.”

“When the situation calls for it,” Verity said, shooting a hard glance at Reed, “I can hold onto one even better.”

He got it. She was pissed at him. Wanted nothing to do with him. Had even tried to ignore him at his boss’s wedding two weeks ago.

Another thing Reed had hated.

He didn’t like her pretending he didn’t exist.

Even if he had been the one to ignore her first.

“You still haven’t told me what you’re doing here. And why are you meeting him?” — she jerked a thumb in his direction— “You know you can set age parameters on dating apps, right? Because after what you accused Miles of, you being with an eighteen year old isn’t exactly a good look.”

“We didn’t connect on a dating app,” Tabitha said. “I met Reed at The Cockeyed Chameleon last night and hired him to help me move.”

Verity’s eyes widened. “Move where?”

“Here. I’m renting the upstairs apartment.”

“You’re kidding,” Verity said, flat and final. “You have to be kidding because I refuse to accept or believe otherwise.”

“And what Verity Jennings wants,” he muttered. “Verity Jennings gets.”

She stiffened by slow degrees. “At least I’m not afraid to be honest about what I want. I’m not afraid to go after it.”

No, she wasn’t afraid. She’d stood at the lake a few weeks back, looked him in the eyes and told him she liked him. That she wanted to spend more time with him.

She’d told him he could kiss her. That she wanted him to.

He hadn’t turned her down because he’d been afraid.

He’d been fucking terrified.

Tabitha cleared her throat. “I’m not kidding. And I’d like to pick up my key.” She peered behind Verity’s shoulder into the house. “Is Katarina Caputo here?”

“That’s my mom,” the kid piped up, peeking around Verity’s side. “She’s at work.”

Tabitha’s smile softened, looking way more real than the one she’d aimed Verity’s way. She crouched so she was eye level with the kid. “Looks like we’re going to be neighbors, then. I’m Tabitha.”

And she once again held out her hand.

Unlike his aunt, he shook it. “I’m Ian Jennings. Nice to meet you.”

“Polite kid,” Reed murmured to Verity. “You might want to take some notes, princess.”

She opened her mouth, more than likely to rip him a new one using big words and a snotty tone guaranteed to prove her superior intelligence, but then Tabitha spoke again.

“Jennings?” she asked, head tipped to the side as she studied the kid. “Is Urban your dad?” The kid shook his head. “Toby?”

Another shake. “My dad’s Silas.”

Verity leapt in front of the kid, tucked him behind her like she was shielding him. “How do you know my brothers’ names? Are you stalking Miles? Is that why you’re moving here? You’re obsessed with him and our family and you want to insert yourself into our lives?”

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