Number Neighbors - Emma Hart Page 0,47
an adult. You can do it.”
“Like you did with Mason you mean?”
“Totally different situation.”
“The principle is the same.”
“Ugh, shut up.” Immy shook her head and picked up her coffee. “Look, Han, your fears are totally valid. I bet he’s probably wondering something similar. You’re just gonna have to open yourself up to take a little bit of a risk, that’s all.”
“I hate risk-taking,” I muttered, picking a jalapeno off one of my tacos. “Stop putting jalapenos on my damn tacos.”
She reached over and took the little pile I’d made, sprinkling them on hers so she had double the peppers. “That’s why I do it.”
“I know. When do you think I should talk to him?”
“As soon as possible. The worst that can happen is you go back to normal where you pass as neighbors and that’s the end of it.”
“He’s also Lucifer’s vet now.”
“Yeah, but you’re getting rid of the kitten, aren’t you?”
“Oh, stop it. We all know the Lord of Darkness isn’t going anywhere,” I huffed.
Immy grinned. “We were right about that. I’m right about Isaac, too.”
“I know you’re right, but that doesn’t make it any easier, does it? Like, the situation is no less simple.” I looked down and picked at my taco again. I really didn’t have much of an appetite. It was hard to want food when your heart was all twisted up in knots.
“No, it doesn’t. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think he would have tried as hard as he has with you so far if he wasn’t interested in you. I know you, you always expect the worst, so think of it like this: the worst he’s going to do is tell you he isn’t interested in taking it further.”
“Wow. That helps so much.”
“That sounded better in my head.”
“No kidding. Don’t audition for the part of Cupid anytime soon. Best to avoid the agony aunt columns, too.” I fought a smile. “But I know what you mean. I already texted him earlier to book Lucifer’s vaccines, so I’ll probably see him later.”
“And just ask,” Immy said. “It’s better to know the truth and be hurt than it is to ignore it just because you think it might suck.”
“All right, Socrates, calm down.”
“Who the hell is Socrates?”
I rolled my eyes and picked my taco back up.
The girl needed to learn Google, that was for sure.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN – HANNAH
Bribery For The Win
I hauled the grocery bag out of the back of my car and put the trunk down. It’d been two days since I’d seen Isaac because our schedules just hadn’t lined up. We’d talked some over text, but not at all today yet.
Which was fine.
Mostly.
I was starting to feel like a crazy lady. I didn’t really want to be that weird lunatic who obsessed over things, but it was the weird timing of everything. We’d slept together and now we hadn’t been able to see each other.
I know. It didn’t make sense, but it was true.
When I’d planned to speak to him two days ago, he’d ended up staying late at the clinic for an emergency surgery. Yesterday, I’d worked all day then had dinner and drinks with Immy and Francesca, so I hadn’t seen him then, either.
It just hadn’t worked, but such was life.
I knocked three times on Grandma’s door and pushed it open. “Hey, Grandma! I have your groceries.”
“Thanks, dear! Put them on the table and—no, you’re reading the instructions wrong!”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Can you bring me some water?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” I rolled my eyes as I set my purse and the grocery bag on the kitchen side and headed into the living room.
“It’s that screw!” Grandma shrieked, pointing at one of the long ones on the floor.
Isaac was sitting on the floor, surrounded by flat pieces of wood. “It’s not that screw!”
“What on Earth is going on here?” I looked around the hot mess that was the living room—the kind of mess that was going to make Immy lose her mind.
Isaac looked up at me. “I fell for the cheesecake bribe.”
I looked at Mason who was sitting on the other side of the wood staring at the instructions. “Why are you here?”
“I also fell for the bribe,” he said reluctantly.
“I here for da cookies!” Maya grinned from the sofa, kicking her legs. She held up a large cookie that had a bite taken out of it. “I maded dem!”
I grinned. I loved that kid. “Is there one for me?”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh.” She looked down at her plate. “Um, no.