Page 215 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
I do know this. I’ve also learned, from the steady stream of shared TikTok videos she’s been sending since we reconnected, that she is particularly moved by dog adoption videos, children with unexpectedly mature singing voices, and cats who eat weird people food. (I have no idea.)
Bree:So how are you feeling about things? Was it weird to see Lennox again?
Tatum:Very weird.
Bree:Is he totally hot? I mean, I remember the picture you showed me. But in person?
I hesitate, because how can I possibly answer that question? Lennox washotback in culinary school. But now, with the broader shoulders and the closely trimmed beard, surrounded by tangible evidence of his brilliance and success?Hotdoesn’t even begin to cover it.
But I’m not saying that to my sister.
Tatum:It’s not particularly relevant, is it?
Bree:OF COURSE IT IS. Just answer the question and stop trying to be so diplomatic and mature for a second.
Tatum:Fine. Yes. He’s incredibly handsome. He’s also incredibly irritating, and clearly, he feels the same way about me.
Bree:Shut up. You’re the sweetest. If he doesn’t see that, he’s crazy.
Tatum:I’m not sure sweet is a word Lennox would ever use to describe me.
Seconds after I hit send, my phone rings with a video call, the screen lighting up with Bree’s face.
“What,” I groan, as I answer the call.
“I don’t even want to hear you talking like that,” Bree says, using a big sister bossy voice I didn’t know she had. “You’re the sweetest, Tatum. The literal sweetest. Also, where are you? Are those brussels sprouts hanging behind you?”
“You’re biased,” I say. “And yes. I’m in the pantry.”
“Why are you in the pantry?”
“Because I thought I was going into my office, but I wound up here instead and now there are too many people to—you know what? Don’t worry about it. The point is, you used to call me sassy pants when we were growing up. Which is it? Am I sweet or sassy?”
She scoffs. “You were so sassy when you were little. But now? I’m not buying it.”
“That’s the trouble. The minute I saw Lennox yesterday, I immediately turned into Sassy Pants. But that’s not really how I want him to see me.”
“This is an easy problem to fix,” Bree says. “You just have to show him how you’ve grown up.”
I glance toward the door. Olivia won’t be here for another ten minutes or so, but I still don’t want anyone barging in on my conversation. Especially this one. “How would I even do that?”
Bree almost cackles. “Oh, honey, that’s the easy part. You live above his restaurant, right? Just wait until everyone has gone home and he’s working late, pounding some bread dough or something, and then go downstairs to get a drink of water in your sexiest pajamas. Shorty shorts. A breezy top. The girls free and loose . . .”
“Bree!” I say, cutting her off. Something thuds behind me, like a shoe bumping into the wall, and I spin around. There’s no one there, but I drop my voice anyway. “I thought you were going to give me real, actual advice! It’s not going to be like that. No free and loose anything. And pounding bread dough? Where are you getting these things?”
“It’s all inside my brain, baby. Scary, right? Have you met any of his brothers? Have you met Flint?”
I roll my eyes. “Flint doesn’t live here. But the other brothers helped me unload the moving trailer.”
She sighs. “Every time I watch Flint Hawthorne in a movie, I’m going to pee a little thinking about you living on his family farm with all his sexy brothers.”
“Seriously. The genetics in this family. I’ve never seen anything like it.” I glance at my watch, sensing the need to wrap things up so I’m fully available when Olivia shows up. “Hey, I should go. Olivia is going to be here any minute to introduce me to my staff.”
“Oh, awesome. You’re going to do amazing. But first, I actually had a point in calling.”
“Oh. Okay. What’s up?”
“I just got a box full of Mom’s things. I guess her brother sent it from France?”
