Page 36 of Some Like It Fox

Why does he have to be so damn hot?

I squash down the attraction. It’s been three days since I last saw him, and he hasn’t called.

“Hey, Atticus.” Finley frowns at the box in his hands. “Um. I didn’t ask for a pie?”

“Jake said—” He cuts off and his eyes fly heavenward with a sigh. “Jake duped me into buying the pie. He said it was for you because he knew I wouldn’t get him another one.”

My brows lift. “Another one?”

Finley laughs and the tension weaving around us dissipates slightly.

Atticus sighs. “I’ve brought him six.”

“How has he managed to con you six separate times?” Finley presses her lips together, holding back a smile.

“Because I’m a sucker.”

Finley chuckles, patting Atticus on the shoulder. “That sounds about right. We can all enjoy the pie together after pizza. You’re staying, right?”

He nods. “Absolutely.”

She turns to me. “And you?”

As much as I would prefer to run away, I suppose can manage to sit through one dinner and ignore Mindy.

I blow out a breath. “Yes. Of course I’m staying.” I’ll just ignore the anger trying to shove its way up my throat and the insecurity from Atticus’s rejection twisting knots in my belly.

I’m used to repressing emotions.

Inside, I follow Finley toward the voices chattering away in the dining room.

There are four large pizza boxes resting at the top of the massive oak dining table, along with a stack of paper plates, napkins, cups, and a pitcher of lemonade.

Mindy, Archer, and Jake are standing around near the food.

“You brought my pie.” Jake takes the box from Atticus.

“Yourpie?” Finley’s eyes narrow on Jake. “I think this ismypie. He said you asked him to get it for me.” She plucks the box from his hands, pulling it back out of his reach.

Jake stares down at his empty hands, mouth open. “Why would you do this to me?”

Archer slaps him on the back. “You’ll survive. Have some pizza.”

Finley sets the pie next to the rest of the food.

Jake picks up a plate and flips open a pizza box. “I love pizza, but it can never fill the pie hole.”

“Technically, pizza is a pie.” Archer reaches around him, grabbing a slice.

Jake frowns. “Says who?”

Archer pulls out a chair and sits. “Um, everyone. Haven’t you heard the term pizza pie? It’s circular, there’s dough, what else could it be?”

Finley groans. “Is this going to be like the hot dog thing?”

Jake throws himself into the chair next to Archer. “A hot dog is not a sandwich.”

Archer shakes his head. “It’s meat between two slices of bread. How is it not a sandwich?”

---