Page 6 of Lakesides and Longing

“You want me to stay with your sister?” Blake glanced over at her, but she sat quietly. “Do you really think that would be a good idea?”

If he had a sister who looked like Paige, and Lukas was single, he wouldn’t trust him alone in the house with her. And Lukas was a better man than him.

Tess snorted. “She could do worse.”

“You know I’m right here. I can take care of myself,” Paige said, but Lukas ignored her.

“I’m not worried about that. I trust you. And I’ll feel better if you’re here on the off chance that someone breaks in again.”

Blake swallowed.

This wasn’t what he had planned.

But he couldn’t think of a single reason to say no.

CHAPTER4

Paige couldn’t believe they were doing this. She was never good at fighting with Lukas. He always won, but this crossed the line. Putting a man in her house. This was ridiculous.

“I’m not going to die. And I don’t need one of your dumb meathead friends to watch over me.” She eyed Blake. “No offense.”

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she flushed. He was too good-looking. “None taken. But just so you know, I’m not dumb.”

Lukas snorted. “That’s for sure. He’s probably the smartest one of my friends.”

Paige pinched the bridge of her nose. That wasn’t the point. “You’re not pawning your friends off on me. Smart or not.” Lukas was only a year and a half older than her and always overprotective. It’s why she never managed to date anyone in high school. It’d only been the two of them, so they were close until she married Emery. They drifted apart after that. But once he died, Lukas had returned to being the overbearing big brother.

“I’m not pawning him off on you. I’m offering you protection and a driver.”

“I don’t need it. It was probably a night hallucination. I’m fine.” The more she thought about it, the more she thought maybe it was all in her head. Besides, she’d do anything to get Lukas to back off.

He crossed his arms and smirked at her. She hated that look. It meant he knew how to win the argument. “Either Blake stays here, or I’m telling Mom and Dad.”

“Wait a minute, I haven’t even agreed to this yet,” Blake protested. Paige almost felt bad for him. But maybe he wasn’t good at arguing with Lukas either.

“You will. Paige, which is it? Blake or Mom and Dad?”

Paige threw her hands up. If he told her parents, they’d come and stay here. And she was far more comfortable with a stranger than she was with her parents. They were good people, but they’d discover that she couldn’t sleep through the night without screaming and hadn’t for the past two years. Then they’d convince her to go to a therapist or take sleeping pills. After her stint in the psych ward, she never wanted to go near another shrink or pill again.

“Fine. Your dumb friend can stay here.” Then she stomped from the room. She didn’t want to see Lukas gloat. She stayed in the hall though so she could hear the conversation.

“That went well,” Lukas said with a chuckle.

“You know, this is a gorgeous house with a view to die for, and I could totally appreciate this place for the summer. But your sister is nuts,” Blake said. A jolt of embarrassment shot through Paige. She wasn’t crazy, though Blake wasn’t the first to accuse her of it. She waited for Lukas to stand up for her. She didn’t want that dumb jock staying at her house. Not if he thought she was crazy.

“Oh yeah, she’s always been a little high strung and a bit of a fruit loop, but since her husband died, she’s gotten ten times worse.”

A single tear ran down her cheek. Her brother didn’t even try to defend her. Instead, he confirmed her worst fears.

Maybe she was crazy.

CHAPTER5

Blake had thrown his duffle in the back of Lukas’s car when they left because he didn’t know how long the trip would take, so he had no reason to go back to Lukas’s house for anything. Lukas decided that Paige was safe and now that Blake was staying here, they wanted to get home to Jack.

Blake still wasn’t certain this was a good idea, but if he had a little sister like Paige he’d want someone looking out for her as well. He just had to keep his thoughts brotherly. He had no idea how old she was. If he had to venture a guess, he’d say late twenties, but she looked much younger.

Paige bounced down the stairs. She’d pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail and had changed her clothes. Her eyes were red as if she’d been crying. His gaze floated down to her shapely legs. Brotherly thoughts were going to be difficult.

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