prick in his place, Mike needed to understand the relationship. Edward spoke to Tori like an irritated older brother, but there was no family resemblance between them. She was a slender blonde with crystal clear blue eyes and legs that went on for miles even on her petite frame. Edward, on the other hand, was a dumpy looking white guy with curly brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses over mud-colored eyes.
Meanwhile, Tori had just set two lumpy looking pies on the stove. One of them had clearly spilled over, its reddish brown innards burned onto the cookie tray. Once those were set down, she pulled off her rooster-shaped oven mitts and turned to face Edward.
“If I promise to answer the phone, will you leave?”
“Only if I can see that it’s charged.” He looked over at Mike. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to call her only to find her dead phone sitting beside our bed. Or lost under it.”
Uh-oh. Our bed didn’t sound like something a brother would say.
Tori sighed and stepped around them, heading for the back door. “Fine. I’ll get it.”
Mike was still trying to picture Tori sleeping with this jerk when he suddenly realized what she intended to do. He was out of his chair and rushing after her a second later. “Don’t—” he began, but it was too late.
She was already climbing the tree, her blond hair was so white it seemed spooky in the fading light.
“What’s she doing?” Edward called from still inside the house. Mike looked back to see him turning off the oven.
“Getting her phone,” Mike answered, trying to keep his voice calm. It was twilight. She hadn’t taken a flashlight of any kind. If she took a misstep, no way would Mike be able to catch her again. He could move his shoulder without much pain—thanks to the anti-inflammatories—but his arm didn’t have any strength. A little bit of strain and the whole thing just quit working.
He stepped out into her backyard, choking back his words. He wanted to tell her to be careful, but he remembered his daredevil niece. The moment someone said “be careful” was the exact second the child would make a show of exactly how daring she was. Tori wasn’t that childish, but she certainly wouldn’t appreciate him hovering either. So he held his tongue and didn’t clue Edward in on the possible disaster-to-be.
Then he heard the shadow of her body speak. “Call my phone, will you?”
Hell. She couldn’t find it. He fished his phone out of his pocket. “What’s your number?”
She recited it, and he dialed. A second later a man’s voice pealed out. “Tori, pick up the phone. Tori, stop reading. Pick up the phone.”
Then it stopped, and he heard her voice through his cell saying, “Found it.”
“Is that your ringtone?” he asked.
“I know. Obnoxious, but Edward thought it was funny. Come to think of it…”
She suddenly hung up. He waited, peering into the darkness and trying to pick out her silhouette. Then tiny electronic notes sounded. Then piano chords. Next came a train whistle.
It took him a moment to understand that she was changing her ringtone right there on the roof. He grinned. Of course she would change it right then and there. She was an immediate-thought kind of girl.
“Take your time,” he said. “Figure it out before you start back.”
He heard a dull thump as she settled down on the roof. “It’s a nice night. Tell me when he’s gone.”
Trumpets blared. Another ringtone choice.
“You’ve got my number,” he said. “Call me when you’re ready to come down. I’ll spot you, just in case.”
A cascade of electronic notes came next.
“I’m not going to rip up your shoulder twice in one week.”
“Just in case, Tori. Okay?”
“Sure.”
The Twilight Zone music sounded.
He waited a moment more, but she seemed well occupied. He turned back to the door only to see Edward heading out of it.
“What is she doing?” the man demanded.
“Changing her ringtone.”
The man rolled his eyes. Jesus, he’d never seen a grown adult do that before. “Typical. Just typical,” Edward groused.
“If you don’t mind my asking, exactly what is your relationship with Tori?”
Edward headed back inside, aiming straight for her refrigerator. “I’m her fiancé, that’s what. Or I will be as soon as she gets this silliness out of her system.” He waved over his shoulder at the house in general.
Popping open the refrigerator, the man searched for something, then grumbled when he didn’t find it. He straightened up with another roll of his eyes.