“You’re smiling,” I remarked.
She shook her head and picked up her wineglass. “There are a few kids who’ve moved into my neighborhood recently. If Benjamin ever goes missing, their house will be the first place I look.”
“You don’t seem bothered by that.”
“How can I be mad when other people fall in love with my dog? He’s the shit.”
I chuckled. “I didn’t suspect you were a dog person the first time we met.”
“Well, I am.” She took a sip of her wine, leaving behind a faint pink lip print on the glass. “I wasn’t allowed to have a dog when I was a kid, and when I moved out on my own, everywhere I lived was too small or didn’t allow pets.”
“And now you have a house.”
“I do. It’s not big or fancy, but I’m still pinching myself I get to live there.” She reached over to my hand resting on the counter and absently rolled my ring. “It’s this adorable little row house. The owners are a painfully cool, older goth couple originally fromSavannah, Georgia. They bought the house, painted it black, and put a little Savannah-style fountain in the tiny front yard.”
“You showed me the house.”
Her eyes lifted to mine, wide and wondrous. “You remember that?”
“I do. The time I’d spent with you had been the last good night I’d had for a while. I held onto it.” I turned my hand over to catch hers, rubbing my thumb along the bumps of her knuckles. “When we drove past it, you pointed it out and said it was you in house form.”
Her mouth curved into a smile. “That sounds like me. And it’s true.”
“I’m glad you were able to fulfill one of your dreams.”
“It was the craziest circumstance, to be honest. The couple had decided to move back to Savannah. They hadn’t wanted to sell the house or let it sit empty, but they’re staunchly anti-landlord, so they’d posted an ad for what was basically a permanent house sitter.”
Ithadcome together perfectly, but not without some behind-the-scenes machinations. Flora and Salem Douglashadmoved to Savannah, but they were no longer the owners of Bea’s house. That was a shell company that could be traced back to me if someone were willing to untangle several layers of firewalls and false leads. Since Bea was happy in her current circumstances—and Flora and Salem had been paid well to keep up the ruse—I doubted that would come to pass.
“That does sound like fate,” I agreed.
“I think it was. My friend Shira moved in next door, making it even better.” She sighed. “Then she had a baby with her boyfriend and moved in with him two houses away, so now I’ve got Ben as a neighbor.”
“Ben?” I watched her face carefully, trying to read her.
“Ben.” Her nose twitched. “He’s constantly cheery and lets himself into my house far too often, but I take advantage of his big muscles, so we call it even.”
“How—” I forced myself to swallow and steady my voice. “How do you take advantage of his muscles?”
Bea didn’t seem to notice I was on the verge of launching off my stool, taking out my computer, and hacking the state’s housing department to have Ben’s house condemned. Five minutes, at most, and he’d be gone from Bea’s life for good.
Except, not really, since his twin brother was involved with her best friend.
“Carrying heavy things. If he’s around, he’s always up for being my pack mule.” Her eyes narrowed. “You can’t be jealous of Ben.”
My brows winged. “I can’t?”
“Nope. If he were kind of shy, a little geeky, insanely smart, dark-haired, bespeckled, and outlandishly handsome, we might have a problem.”
I could be slow on the uptake at times, but I did not miss what she was saying. I’d seen Ben Wells. With muscles on top of muscles, it was hard to fathom any woman wouldn’t be interested in him, but Bea wasn’tanywoman.
My spine loosened. As far as I was concerned, the Ben Wells subject was settled. There were other obstacles to face. I wouldn’t waste any more of my thoughts on their relationship. In fact, I was relieved Bea had him nearby to help her when she needed it.
“It’s a good thing I fit that description to a tee.”
“That’s true.” Her eyes danced over my face. “Youareoutlandishly handsome, aren’t you?”
I adjusted my glasses. “I was referring to the bespeckled, geeky part, but…”
