I blink. “Elle?”
He shoots me a look. “No.The roommate.”
“…Tina?”
He exhales sharply. “Yeah. Tina.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What happened?”
“She nearly called the cops on me,” he growls.
“What?”
“I was here to pick up the girls, and before I even make it to the porch, this woman—this intense, brunette firecracker with a track star’s build and a don’t-mess-with-me walk—comes marching up like I broke into your house.”
I’m already biting back a laugh. “Tina’s protective.”
“She’s a menace,” he snaps. “Gets all up in my face and demands to know who I am. Like I’m the sketchy one. So I askherwhosheis, and next thing I know, we’re in a full-blown verbal sparring match on your front steps.”
“You serious?”
“I’m dead serious. She accused me of casing the place and started reaching for her phone to call 911. I’m standing there thinking, ‘Is this woman for real?’ Then, thank God, Beth opens the door.”
I can’t help but smirk. “Let me guess. She greeted you like nothing was wrong.”
“‘Hi, Nate,’” he mimics flatly. “Like it wasn’t DEFCON one on your porch ten secondsearlier.”
I shake my head. “Please tell me you introduced yourself.”
“I was about to,” he grumbles. “Then she turns to Beth all smug, and before I can say a word, I may or may not have said, "I'm glad we've figured out who actually belongs here.”
I nearly spit my coffee. “You didn’t.”
“I did. And she did that thing women do—you know, when they raise one eyebrow and silently judge you down to your soul? She didthat. And I just stood there like an idiot.”
“So… let me get this straight. You had a showdown with Tina, insulted each other, almost called the cops, and still managed to remember the exact way her eyebrow moved?”
He narrows his eyes. “She’s got those eyes, man. Big, brown, intense. Like she could read your DNA.”
I just stare at him for a second. “You’re into her.”
He scowls. “I amnotinto her.”
“You described her like she’s your favorite nemesis.”
“She’s five-foot-nine of pure, athletic rage wrapped in sarcasm and perfect hair.”
“Definitely into her.”
“I’m not,” he insists. “You’re lucky I didn’t get arrested on your front steps.”
I chuckle. “Don’t worry, I would’ve bailed you out.”
He grabs his mug and heads for the door. “Can you take Bethy to school in the morning?”
“Will do,” I say. “Thanks for helping out with Hannah.”
“You’re welcome,” he says, stopping at the doorway. “You tell that woman next door to stay on her side of the lawn from now on.”
