Page 17 of True Hearts

She pats my shoulder. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

“Hmmph.”

This only makes her laugh harder. “I won’t think of cute little lambs anymore.” She pulls me to my feet. “I want to do my nails with all the stuff you bought. You can watch me if you like.”

“I like.” I follow her docilely, like a little lamb, out of the room. On our way upstairs, we catch a glimpse of Nat and Dylan ensconced on a sofa in the front room. Nat has her head on Dylan’s lap while Dylan works away on his project. All signs of discord are gone.

“You close to being finished, man?” I ask.

“A couple weeks, I think.” He holds up his needles and shows off his work.

“Do you knit in public?” Luna wonders.

“Yeah, all the time,” Dylan replies. “People aren’t rude about it. In fact, a lot of them will come over and want to touch the yarn, get the details of what I’m working on.”

Nat sits up. “And by people, you mean women.”

“Some,” my friend admits.

“Are you telling them you’re taken?”

“Absolutely.”

“But they don’t listen?” she wants to know.

“Some women are persistent.” Dylan throws me a plea for help, but I know better than to get in the middle of this. I step back, hooking my arm around Luna’s waist, although I’m not sure if it’s to whisk her away or hide behind her.

“You need to wear a ring.” Nat’s on her feet now.

“I was waiting.” Dylan drops the needles. “But I’m happy to get one now,” he adds, sensing the danger.

“You better be.” She stomps off with Dylan following.

“What about you?” Luna looks up at me.

“I don’t knit. Women hate me. I’m public enemy number one, remember?”

Luna gives me a narrow-eyed inspection. “You’re hot and rich. You probably have all kinds of women throwing themselves at you.”

Too many, but I’m not going to say that out loud. I’m not that dumb. “Not a single one. I’m like a public pariah.”

“You better keep it that way.” She sticks her chin up in the air. “No doing crafts in public.”

“I’m all thumbs. I can barely type, let alone do stuff like Dylan does.”

“No smiling in public either. I saw how other women looked at you in the bakery when we first met. Like they wanted to order you off the menu.”

“I’m gluing my lips together in a straight line.”

“No saying cute things either.”

“I’ve never said anything cute in my entire life. None of these things will be hard to do. Keeping my hands off of you for another second, though, that’s impossible.”

ChapterFourteen

LUNA

Ilet out a small gasp when Graham scoops me up into his arms suddenly. It quickly turns into a laugh.

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