“I don’t want to hear it.” Noah shakes his head aggressively. “He’s a scumbag.”
“I get that. But I feel like we’re going too fast these days. Florida was four days ago. We’re so much more likely to make mistakes.”
“Nah. Not with you on it.”
I press my lips together. Arguing with Noah won’t get me anywhere. I just have to do what I always do: research and plan and protect.
“Hey, who ate the rest of the pie?” Noah nods to the pie dish, which clearly has another slice missing.
I shrug and can feel my cheeks heat. I’m blushing? Fuck me.
“You fed her apple pie.” Noah’s eyes widen with glee and accusation.
“Shut the fuck up.”
“She slept in your guest room, and you gave her pie.”
“What’s the big deal?”
“Did she pet Sir Fluffy?” Noah glances down at my cat, who is sitting on top of his feet, and immediately sneezes.
“Actually, he slept with her last night.” I was the slightest bit offended my cat chose Callie over me overnight, but I guess I don’t blame him. I would’ve made the same choice.
“I cannot believe she slept over. Have you ever had a woman sleep here?”
“It’s not like she was my invited guest.” I roll my eyes. And the answer is no, no I have not. “I told you. She followed me home from Portland, so I brought her in for some questions. And then there was a blizzard.”
“Brought her in, you’re hilarious.” Noah snorts. “I’m sure she just walked right into your cabin.”
“Not exactly. Tell me, brother, how’s your internet girlfriend?”
A dark cloud passes over Noah’s face.
“Oh, no. What happened?” I meant to tease him good-naturedly, but I didn’t realize something had gone wrong with Noah’s woman.
“She got weird after I left Cincinnati. I thought I’d managed her questions about our family, but then she kept pushing. She’d found an article.”
“Ah, fuck.”
“Yeah. She wanted to come here to visit. Said I needed to open up to her. She wanted to get to know me better.”
“The fucking nerve of her.”
Noah gives me an annoyed look.
“So it’s over?” I ask.
“Yup.”
Noah is less afraid to get involved romantically than I am, but he always keeps them strictly at arm’s length. Five hundred miles of arm’s length, to be exact, which I’ll admit is a perfect way to keep his life separate. He’d been dating this one for six months and had been to Cincinnati to visit her a handful of times. I think it was his longest relationship ever.
“Sorry.”
“I’m over it.” Noah’s been emotionally stunted ever since our family was murdered. I don’t blame his girlfriend for bailing—he keeps walls up so thick I can barely find my way through them, and I’ve got the key to the main gate.
Chapter 10
Burner Phone
