Page 86 of Love By a Landslide

“So fight for her, you big, selfish chicken.”

“I’m the chicken?!”

“Feathers. Beak. The whole nine.”

“Who’s been sitting on their grad school application for the last six months?”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“I don’t want to make a fool of myself.”

Jonathan gestured to himself then splayed his arms out wide, brows raised, eyes bugging out. “Hello?! Same here.”

“Ok, I’ll make a deal with you.” Frankie plopped her hands on her hips and chewed on the inside of her cheek. “As soon as you talk to her—like really lay it all out there—I’ll mail off my application. I’ll even send you the confirmation email as proof.”

“What if she hangs up on me before I can get two words out?”

“So don’t give her the option.”

“You’re saying I should go to Seattle and do this in person?”

“Absolutely.”

“How would I even find her?”

“Clearly, I’m the brains of the family.” She pointed back to the darkened office where they kept all customer records, including waivers, emergency contacts, and . . . addresses.

Jonathan turned back to his sister. She was right. He’d been terrified of what would happen if he talked to Lucy and confessedhis feelings for her. Sitting in his current state of limbo, the door remained cracked. A tiny ripple of hope wobbled in his brain. But if he confronted her in search of a definitive answer . . .whack. That door could slam in his face. He looked at his sister, considering the trepidation she was also walking through about applying to grad school. The thought of her second-guessing herself didn’t sit well with him because he knew Frankie was capable of anything she set her mind to. The woman had no quit in her.

“Deal.” Jonathan reached out to shake on the agreement, but Frankie had already snatched the keys from his other hand and sprinted for the office door.

Sweat beaded on the back of Jonathan’s neck as he knocked on the sleek apartment door. After he and Francesca found Lucy’s address, he’d run home to pack a few things then hit the road. It was after midnight when he parked outside her building. He should have held off until morning, but his nerves threatened to vacate if he waited too long.

Rubbing clammy hands on his jeans, he gave it a minute then knocked again, harder this time.

A woman’s voice, muffled by the door, drowsily called, “I’m coming. Hold your horses.”Lucy?Jonathan’s heart galloped in response.

The door swung open. “Yeah, what do you want?”

Jonathan froze then looked at the apartment number again. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh. I’m looking for Lucy. Shit. I must have gotten the address wrong.”

A tall woman with fiery, bed-rumpled hair stood leaningagainst the door. She wore a large men’s shirt, fastened with only a couple of buttons. Yawning, she raised a hand to her mouth, long cherry red nails shining in the hallway lights.

“Babe,” Jonathan heard a man call as he neared the door. “Who is it?”

“He’s looking for your ex.”

“Which one?” The man stopped beside his bedmate, wearing socks and a pair of black boxers. He scratched his gym-crafted abs and inclined his head in greeting. “’Sup?” Jonathan had never seen a more punchable face.

Brodan.

“I’m trying to find Lucy.”

“Sorry, bro. She doesn’t live here anymore. We broke up, like, three months ago.”

If this is Lucy’s ex, then who was the guy at the hospital?

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