Page 40 of Stuck with Mr. Grump

“I’m good. You?”

“All things considered, I’m good, too. It’s been a little hectic over at my company in the past few weeks. Which is why I haven’t really come over there.”

“It’s alright. Listen, have you talked to your sister recently?”

“Which one?” Carson questions.

“Emilia,” I reply. “I just wanted to find out how Paige is doing.”

Carson doesn’t speak up for a long minute. When he does, his voice is tinged with suspicion.

“And how do you know about Paige?”

“Because I was with her when everything went down. I drove her to the hospital.”

“And why were you with her?”

I roll my eyes before answering. “Because we were discussing the possibility of her selling her café. By the way, do you know if she’s changed her mind about selling to pay for Paige’s surgery?”

I wanted really badly to offer to pay for it, but I had a feeling she’d have shut me down without hesitation.

Carson huffs out a breath, “No, she hasn’t. We’ve all tried to talk her out of it. I even offered to pay for the surgery but Emilia’s always had a bleeding heart and a lot of pride. I admire her strength, and while a part of me knows that selling the café’s the right thing to do, I don’t want her doing it because of something like this.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Why would you want her to change her mind, Harrington? Doesn’t this benefit your company?”

Since I don’t have a good answer to that question, my jaw tightens.

“Stop interrogating me, Carson,” I state. “Now tell me how the girl is.”

“I think she’ll be okay. I talked to Em last night and she said they’re going to transfer Paige to a hospital in the city. Her mom’s going with her. The doctors are all sure she’ll be okay after the surgery, and with a lot of physical therapy she should be able to walk again.”

“That’s good,” I murmur.

“Yeah, I’m glad it all turned out okay,” Carson agrees. “Now back to you being so question-y about Emilia.”

“Question-y’s not a word,” I say drily.

“Whatever, man,” he retorts. “Remember our pact in high school?”

“What pact?”

“The one where we both promised not to go after each other’s sisters.”

“Considering I don’t have a sister, I’d say that agreement referred only to me.”

“Exactly. But the point is, you agreed.”

I vaguely remember making the dumb promise when we were buzzed one night. It’s not like anything was ever going to happen between me and Anika anyway so I didn’t think much of it back then.

“Yes, and?”

“Emilia might not have been in our lives then, but she is now, and she’s still my sister. So stay away, okay?”

“You’re being dramatic, Carson,” I tell him.

“And now you’re not giving me a straight answer,” he states, his tone growing even more serious. “Listen, dude, I don’t know what’s going on between you two. But one minute I’m thinking you’re, like, mortal enemies or some shit. And the next you’re driving her to the hospital and asking how she is. It’s a little weird.”

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