Page 28 of Fall Love

His heart beats erratically beneath my ear.

I melt against him for a minute, taking comfort in his spicy clove fragrance before I realize what I’m doing.

I shove at his chest, pushing off him with enough force that he falters back a step, and Lumi catches my back.

“Neve,” she quietly admonishes, her tone as stunned as I am that he slipped between us and held me.

“What do you care?” I bark at him. “All you want is this place for Bucky Beaver Body Shop. What kind of name is that anyway?”

He stares at me, eyes wide and round.

“What?” Lumi says, her voice shaky. “You’re Tatum Love?”

I wave toward Tate. “He’s the buyer for Bucky Beaver or something like that. He wants to purchase Rusty’s Wrecks.”

Lumi’s hand is still on my back, but she stares at Tate, puzzled by the sudden embrace from him and the knowledge of who he is.

I’m quick to give her additional information. “And oh, yeah, he’s also the father of my child.”

Then I break into another sob and tip toward my sister, who circles her arms around me this time.

And as much as I love my sister, her arms around me only feel half as comforting as his, which is a real conflict of interest when I consider him the enemy.

CHAPTER 11

[Tate]

Her sob stabs deeply at my chest.

Neve has this shield around her. A veneer as thick as the rocks circling that old well in Lovewell Landing, and it wrecked me to hear her let out a wail and then cry.

I was so stunned I didn’t know how to respond. Or what made me react the way that I did, but as Neve leaned toward Lumi, I wedged between them, tugging her against me.

The need to hold her was overpowering. Overwhelming. I just wanted to take the pain from her.

Lumi shifted behind Neve, her eyes wide and bright blue like Neve’s, only darker. Above those eyes is a deep scowl of concern and wonder.

Who did I think I was hugging her sister?

I didn’t have a chance to answer this hypothetical question before I’m shoved so hard it throws me off balance.

Hugging Neve was already a little off kilter as her belly hit just below mine. I couldn’t get her as close as I wanted, so at the odd angle when she pushed me, I faltered back from the force.

Neve rebounds in the opposite direction. Before I can grip her arms, she moves her arms up and away from my touch. Thankfully, her sister catches her before she falls.

Lumi continues to glare at me, like I have a bull’s-eye between my brows.

Then Neve went into that tirade about who I am.

I’m not a buyer for Bucky Beaver directly, but this isn’t the time to explain how Hessfield Holdings works. The truth will only stab at an already open wound and I can’t do that to her right now.

Neve continues to mumble into her sister’s shoulder. Something about only another month and close the shop, and I just wanted more time.

I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have stopped, but I was passing by and saw Neve standing here, staring at this dilapidated building.

Then the red-haired woman joined her, and I just followed the pack.

Call it curiosity. It’s probably called something other than that.