Page 25 of From Fling to Ring

“I have to admit I’m just blown away, Tyler.”

He glances at me. “What do you mean?”

“You know. The whole raising your sister thing. That’s crazy.”

He shrugs. “You do what you have to do, right? Besides, she’s not too much of a brat.”

I shake my head and just look out the window, watching the streetlights zip by.

“Do you have an early morning tomorrow?” he asks to fill the silence.

I glance over at him. I’d actually like to take a longer look but don’t want to be busted for staring. He’s bopping his head in time to a Tom Petty tune, and he really is lovely to look at.

Damn him.

“I don’t have to go in too early. Not like you,” I say. “But… they’re talking about layoffs at the paper. Who knows what’s going to happen. If it does, I’d kind of like to write a book,” I say, waiting for him to poo-poo my idea like most everyone else has.

No that I care. Really.

But he reaches over and pats my thigh. “Do it!” he says. “You’re already a writer, and a good one. I’ve read some of your stuff. Make it happen.”

He’s read my stuff?

“Did you Google me? Are you a stalker?”

He pulls up in front of what must be his father’s house, a cute little two-story house like the one I grew up in, and turns to the back seat to shake his sister awake. “C’mon goofball. Wake up.”

She looks around, confused for a moment, then reaches over the seat to flick Tyler in the ear. “Thanks for the ride, loser. Oh, and nice meeting you, Lucy. You’re the first decent girl he’s brought around… ever.”

Tyler whips around in his seat. “Really, Ruby?” he asks in an exasperated tone. “Just get out of my car, would you?”

I’m trying not to laugh.

“What was that all about?” I ask. “What kind of women do you usually hang out with?”

He shrugs while pulling back into traffic. “Christ, that kids loves to bust my chops,” he says, ignoring my question.

Don’t think so.

“Is your usual kind of girl someone who can’t string together a full sentence? Is her bra size bigger than her IQ?”

“What the hell does that mean?” he asks.

“I saw you at the party the other night, looking all over the place like you were scouting pretty girls.”

We’re at a traffic light, so he turns and frowns at me.

Apparently, I’ve gotten under his skin. Which was my intent.

“That’s not fair. There was a woman there I used to date, and it was creeping me out, for your information. I was trying to stay away from her, she’s sort of bad news.”

Oh.

“Interesting. I thought you were scoping the scene for the best bimbos.”

We pull up to my apartment building. “You don’t think much of me, do you, Lucy Daley?”

I open my mouth to answer, but I can’t think fast enough because he leans over the center console and, weaving his fingers into my hair, pulls me in for a kiss.

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