Page 59 of Muddy Messy Love

“He’ll be back Thursday night.”

My heart stutters. “Who?”

The smuggest smile in history peels across Hannah’s face. “Cole.”

I see it now, the resemblance. Hannah has the same Cupid’s-bow lips, the same twist to her smile and glint of delight in her eye when she teases. My breath quivers. “You know?”

She laughs and clasps her hands together as if relishing the news. “Oh yes. You thought I was shagging mybrother. I might be single and a smidge desperate, but come on.” She does the vomit sign, delivering it with the appropriate noise, before tilting her head to further savour my mortification. Lured by her mother’s theatrics, Ella approaches.

I can’t believe he told her.

Well, maybe you’re not a dirty secret this time.

The thought flutters around my belly.“Did he tell you anything else?”

Like how he found me in a stolen car with a criminal? Or how he broke the law to save my arse?

Hannah perches Ella on her hip, then looks at the ceiling, rubbing her chin like she’s deep in thought. Ella copies her mum and mimics the same cheeky grin. God, it runs in the family. “Hmm, not really. Apart from him slobbering all over you inside his car.”

I feel my face flame red. “He told you that?”Inhis car—onhis car—both are true. I look around the room, ensuring Tej is out of earshot, and Hannah laughs.

“No, but you just did. Jeez, you guys are easy to crack. I knew you both had it for someone, and after you dashed away on Friday, it wasn’t hard to do the maths.”

“You’re not…upset?”Baffled. Bewildered?

“Upset?” She frowns. “Why would I be? You’re both consenting adults. I only ever want my brother to be happy.”

Her openness to the idea puzzles me. I can’t say no eyebrow would rise if Beth hooked up with a mailroom clerk nine years her junior, but I’ll take it.

And she thinks I could make Cole happy?

Out of habit, I glance back at the elevator, then feel Hannah’s smirk return. Rolling my eyes, I sigh and meet her amusement. “Please don’t tell him how stupid I am.”

She chuckles and pats the top of my head. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Cole:

I hear you’ve taken up elevator watching.

Intriguing hobby.

Oh my God, I’ll kill her. I sink to the edge of my bed, staring at Cole’s text in horror, but at least he’s reached out.

Me:

Your sister sucks. No offence.

Cole:

Is it true? Have you been waiting for me?

Shaking my head, I bite my top lip with a smile. “Obsessively pining” might be a better description. “Wondering what I did wrong” another. In fact, when he disappeared on Monday, I started to wonder if I made it all up. Concocted a delusional Cole fantasy while sitting catatonic in a psych ward somewhere. That’s how unreal and magical this all feels. That’s how mind-blowinghefelt.

Me:

Maybe.

Cole:

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