Page 66 of Feast

“Me, too. The first guy I meet in close to three years who could get tolike,and he’s my stepbrother.”

“Yeah, that’s a kick in the pants.”

“Yep.”

“I think it might actually be more pitiful than my whole pregnant, single, unemployed situation.”

“Thanks,” Maddie drawled just as the doorbell rang. “Oh, thank God.”

“Want me to get it?” Halley asked.

Maddie was already scrambling off the couch. “Food, food, food, food.”

“Guess not,” Halley muttered.

Maddie flung open the door. “Thank God you’re here.”

Standing on her front porch dressed in jeans and a heavy pea coat, a knit cap on his head to keep off the gently falling snow, Spence blinked. “Wow. Okay.”

“Oh, damn, it’s you.”

11

Spence bit back a smile. “Well, so much forthank God you’re here.”

“Sorry. I thought you were the pizza guy. I’m really hungry,” Maddie explained, then frowned. “What are you doing here?”

She was dressed in a slouchy sweatshirt and black leggings, her hair in a messy pile on top of her head. Her face was flushed and free of makeup, making her look about ten years younger, and her feet were bare. She looked tired, cranky, and so damn delectable he tucked his gloveless hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her. “Just thought I’d drop by, see how the moving’s going.”

“Oh. We’re almost done, actually.”

Halley popped into the open doorway. “What’s taking so long? Oh.”

“It’s not the pizza guy,” Maddie told her.

“So I see. Hi, Spence. What are you doing here?”

“Mom told me you were moving today, so I thought I’d see if you needed any help.”

“That’s so nice of you.” Halley beamed, a taller, blonder, less voluptuous version of her sister. “We’re almost done, but do you want to come in for some pizza? It should be here any minute.”

“Hold on. Why does he get pizza?”

“Because he’s our guest, Madison,” Halley said firmly, then glanced at Spence. “Don’t mind her, she’s just hangry. Come on in.”

“Thanks,” Spence said and followed Halley into the house while Maddie stood in the open doorway, scowling after them.

“Shut the door, Mads,” Halley called back and led Spence through the maze of discarded packing material lining the hall into the living room. “Sorry it’s such a mess. I’m still getting unpacked and organized.”

Spence dragged the cap off his head and took off his coat, revealing a grey Henley. He draped it over a chair. “It’s fine.”

“Don’t apologize,” Maddie said, following them into the room. “People who show up unannounced cannot expect a company-ready home.”

“She’s a slob,” Halley confided to Spence.

Maddie dropped into a chair with a grunt. “My house looks like I live in it, and I refuse to be shamed for it.”

“Good for you,” Halley said in the same tone a grandmother would use to tell a three-year-old their drawing of a two-headed, five-footed duck was beautiful.

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