Page 17 of Line of Resistance

Her heart stopped and her stomach lurched when she opened the card, her gaze resting on the name printed in perfect letters across the bottom right side.

It wasn’t Nate who’d been on her porch, and it wasn’t Nate attempting to apologize.

Eloise dropped the card like it was on fire and stepped back, wiping the clinging glitter from her fingers. How had this day managed to get worse?

She stabbed the balloon with a fork, grabbed the box of chocolate from the counter and chucked them into the trash can, topping the pile with the glitter bomb of a card before tying the sack off and carrying it out, throwing the whole thing in the dumpster before stomping back inside and vacuuming up the mess Matt dumped all over her kitchen counter and floor. A glance down proved it wasn’t simply the hard surfaces that were now coated in glitter, but also the sides of her dress where she wiped her hands, so her stomp continued up the stairs as she peeled off the knee length sweater and flung it in the laundry basket. She was halfway through worming her way out of the thick tights keeping her legs warm when her cell started to ring.

Apprehension made her middle tight. Certainly he wouldn’t try to call her.

Thankfully, the name displayed across her cell was not the same one scrawled across the card, sending a sigh of relief free as she answered Naomi’s call, fighting on a smile. “Hey. How are you?”

“You sound way perkier than I expected after last night.” Naomi barely paused for a breath. “I thought you might still be a little hung over so I made some chicken noodle soup if you want to come have dinner.”

Naomi had really come into her own since meeting Tyson. They practically had to drag her out when she first moved to Alaska, but now she made plans almost as much as everyone else did.

Which was great, except going to Naomi’s house included a certain amount of risk. Risk she normally would have avoided like the plague tonight. But knowing Matt had been on her porch at some point during the day had her ready to get out of these walls regardless of how the evening might end up.

“That sounds freaking fantastic.” Eloise snagged a pair of sweatpants from the pile stacked on her chair still waiting to be organized. It looked like her closet plans would have to wait another day.

“What can I bring?” She bounced across the floor, yanking the oversized pants up her body. “I think I’ve got a full carton of the ice cream you love in my freezer.”

“That sounds amazing.”

“I also have the one Tyson likes. Should I bring it too?” Asking if Tyson was there felt a little too direct—too easy to dissect—but she wanted to be prepared for whatever was coming her way.Whoeverwas coming her way.

“Tyson’s not here. He and a few of the other guys are out doing something top-secret that I’m not allowed to know about.”

Eloise let out the breath she’d been holding. Maybe her day was finally taking a turn for the better. “That’s a bummer.”

“Nah. You know I’m always down for a girls’ night.”

Eloise smiled. She’d always loved Naomi. Out of their whole group, Naomi was the calmest. She was an anchoring presence that made Eloise feel as if maybe at least one person in their group would like her even if she didn’t put on the show they all expected.

Which was good, because she wasn’t really feeling up to performing. “I could really use a girls’ night.”

Naomi was quiet for a heartbeat. “I know. I’m really sorry about Nate showing up last night. I had him talked into just dropping us off until Jen got in the car and invited him to stay. Next time I’ll tell her to keep her big mouth shut.”

Eloise yanked a tank top on after ditching her bra, adding a long-sleeved T-shirt and a hoodie to the layers she always wore so she would be ready for whatever temperature came her way. “It’s okay. I think he and I have a truce.”

She’d told him to leave her alone, and he’d agreed. It seemed like he genuinely meant it too.

It was exactly what she wanted. And in direct conflict with the pit in her stomach at the thought of finally giving up any hope of that date.

And that kiss.

Because as much as the man frustrated the hell out of her—all the ways he ran hot and cold and on and off—there was still something about him. Something no amount of rational thinking could combat.

It probably had a lot to do with how gentle he was with Bryson.

It definitely wasn’t because of the way his voice rasped in her ear last night when he made threats he wouldn’t follow up on.

And it most certainly wasn’t due to the hard line of his muscles as she pounded on his back hoping he would release her before the tequila she downed made a repeat performance.

Naomi snorted. “Good. I’d hate to have to kill him.”

Eloise smiled as she wiggled her toes into a thick pair of socks. “No one said you still shouldn’t.”

CHAPTER SIX

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