Page 30 of Hang the Moon
“I just think it’s interesting. That’s all.”
That’s allnever meant that wastrulyall when it came from Darcy’s mouth. It was the equivalent of a comma. Better yet, an ellipsis. A pregnant pause.
Predictably, Darcy took a breath before launching in. “You spent the day with my brother and then you text me that he’s hotter in person.”
“To get your attention.”
“It worked.” Darcy huffed. “He had a crush on you, you know.”
“Eightyears ago.”
“I think you’re underestimating Brendon’s ability to hold on to things.”
She laughed. “He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. But it was acrush. You’re acting like he was in love with me.” She rolled her eyes, finding this entire conversation ludicrous.
“You know how baby animals imprint? How attached they get?”
Annie palmed her face. “Your brother didn’timprinton me. I’m getting shades ofTwilighthere. I refuse to be the funky CGI baby in this equation.”
Darcy snickered. “You were his first crush. He liked you foryears.”
“And it’s been years since he last saw me. He doesn’t know me. Not beyond the basics.”
“You spent the day together.”
“It wasn’t that deep.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Yeah?”
Darcyhmmed.
“Youhmmme one more time and I’m hanging up on you.”
Darcy laughed. “Wouldn’t it be an interesting twist if after all these years, you wound up with my brother?”
Annie lifted the phone away from her ear and stared at the screen. “Okay, my caller ID says this is Darcy Lowell, but I’m not convinced. Who the hell are you and what have you done with my best friend?”
“I’m not going to start spouting off about soul mates any time soon, but maybe Elle’s rubbed off on me. A little.”
“A little,” she repeated, reeling.
“Come on, Annie. If you married my brother, we’d be sisters. You could move to Seattle.”
Married? Sisters? Move toSeattle? The fuck? “Are youdrunk?”
Darcy giggled.Giggled.“I am not entirely sober at the moment.”
In the background, Elle laughed.
“Okay. I’m going to let you go. Enjoy your night.”
“No, I’m not finished.”
Yeah, well, Annie was.
Elle sang into the receiver, “Dum, dum, da dum.”
