Page 73 of Let Me Say It Again

He shrugged and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Nothing. It’s just, I want to come.”

I tucked my hair behind my ears and smiled. “So come. I was just trying to help you out.”

“Okay,” he said, picking up his keys and wallet from the counter, and walking to the door.

It amazed me how this man never ceased to surprise me. What went on in his head? And why did it make me happy to know that he wanted to come with us? It was almost like we were this little family. It was sweet.

Whoa.

Stop.

Hold the frigging phone.

Where did that come from?

I shook my head as if to clear away the insanity. He was just being nice. He just wanted to be included. Maybe it wasn’t nice, maybe it was needy. That was it, he was being needy. Annoying.

Returning my attention to Tipsy, I leashed her up and walked out the door, never so grateful for fresh air. Obviously, I needed it.

“Do you want a dog?” he asked, walking in step with me, and on the opposite side of Tipsy. What was it with this dog and him?

“Why? Are you going to buy me one if I say yes?” I asked in a mocking tone, shaking my head as I tried my hardest to get past the thoughts I’d had in the house.

Meanwhile, I wouldn’t put it past Red to do something like that and then claim it was for the sake of us looking even more like an engaged couple. Who knew being engaged came with so many damn perks?

“Sure, why not?” He shrugged, as though he couldn’t see the ridiculousness in wanting to up and buy me of all people a dog.

We were nothing to each other after this arrangement was over.

Maybe friends.

Yeah, friends.

I licked my lips, rolling them as I turned and stared at him. “Do you hear yourself?”

He cocked a brow while I maintained thinking he had lost his mind.

“Honestly, I’m more of a cat person anyway,” I clarified, handing him the dog’s leash. “Plus, what will happen when we split up? Who will get custody?” I teased.

Pulling on the back of his neck with his free hand, he grinned. “Shared custody.”

Shared custody over a feline? All right, what was in the air? Because he’d obviously inhaled something. Not one hundred percent sure why I hadn’t, but whatever. “We can create a schedule and everything,” I joked, rolling my eyes and stuffing my hands in my pockets as my eyes flitted between Red and Tipsy, enjoying the distraction from my earlier thoughts.

Was it possible that a man with a dog was as hot as a man with a child? Note to self: Allie had it good. She got to experience Brady with Gina and Tipsy. Frankly, I was surprised she wasn’t pregnant again by now.

As we rounded the corner of a building, Red nearly ran into someone, understandably, since he was looking down, and excused himself until he and the man lifted their heads simultaneously.

I already knew this encounter screamed trouble. Now they knew it, too. Or at least Red did.

The way he clenched his jaw, I feared he might crack a molar, and his face was so scrunched up in annoyance, his cheeks practically as red as a tomato. It felt like I’d purchased tickets to watch a wrestling match between two of the best.Reddington Lyons and Nathaniel Lyons have gone head-to-head before, but nothing is a guarantee. Who will win this round?

For Red’s sake, I sincerely hoped he just walked away. They were brothers, and while they weren’t close, I didn’t want to see them kill each other.

Breaking the ice because they were both still awkwardly staring at one another, I said, “Nate.” Someone better have recorded that because that was what it looked like to be the bigger person.

Nate’s eyes were ablaze with anger as they snapped my way.

Why did I have to go and open my big mouth?

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