“You’re always welcome here, Pix.”
Her eyes widen. “I am?”
“Of course.” I take a wide step back. “You’re Gabe’s sister. And no need to send for it. I’ll grab your suitcase on my way back. Just text me the hotel.”
“Thanks.”
From down the hall, I hear Connor clunking around, followed by the whine of a vacuum, a crash, and an indignant, “I’m fine.”
“We have a guest room if you’d prefer,” I say.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You say that because you’ve never seen a teenage boy’s room.”
She smiles. “I grew up with Gabriel, remember? Trust me. I know.”
I hesitate a second too long, and she catches it.
I pocket a hand to avoid touching her. “I won’t be long.”
“Take all the time in the world, Harrison Evans,” she replies. “And it’ll give me a chance to extract dirt from your kids and snoop through your things.”
That smile again. Sweet and innocent and oh, so dangerous.
I narrow my eyes.
“Too soon?” she asks.
She’s definitely enjoying this way too much. And all I want to do is punish that sassy mouth of hers.
Having her in my house won’t exactly be helpful. Even if it is for just the night.
I pat Snooki’s head. “Be good.”
She clings tighter, beaming. “Promise.”
And then I leave.
With a donut in my hand.
A celebrity in my house.
And the distinct feeling that my life just took a very sharp left turn.
CHAPTER 24
Harrison
By the time I slide into the back seat, Travis has been waiting a while.
I know because when he picked me up earlier, he was on today’s New York Times crossword. Nine across.
He’s now on forty-two down.
I let out a slow breath through my nose. “I thought you were checking on her.”
He pulls away from the curb, shoulders lifting in a shrug. “I did. She’d already left. Took an Uber.” He glances at me in the rearview. “You said not to bother you unless shit blew up.”
