Dash pouted. “Why not?”
“I have a lot of homework, and I’m sure you do too,” Orion said. He crouched down again and stuck out his hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Dashwell.”
“Dashwell?” Dash laughed, scrunching up his face.
“Dashiel? Dashopher? Dashraham?”
My little brother was cackling with laughter, the sweetest sound.
“Those aren’t my name!”
“No? What’s your full name?”
“Dashismy full name. Just Dash.”
Orion smacked a hand on his forehead. “Silly me. Pleasure tomeet you, Just Dash. Until next time.”
“When is next time?”
“I don’t know.” Orion stood to his full height and met my eye.When is next time?
Dash tugged at my hand. “Harper, Harper, when can Orion come back? Tomorrow?”
“Um, we’ll see,” I said, my gaze locked with Orion’s. “Why don’t you go get a snack? I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay. Bye, Orion!” And then Dash threw his arms around Orion’s waist and ran inside.
“Sorry,” I said, tucking a curl behind my ear. “He’s, um…effusive.”
“Doesn’t seem to run in the family, does it?” Orion teased, and then his phone chimed a text. He fished it from his back pocket and his eyes widened. “Bloody hell. This can’t be.”
“Bad news?”
“No, but…I have to go.”
“Oh, sure,” I said. “But, thank you for today.”
Orion’s expression had hardened. “You don’t have to thank me. I’ll find out who messed with your car and—”
“No, please don’t,” I said. “Leave it. It’ll just make things worse.”
His mouth made a grim line. “I don’t want to leave it. I thought…” He shook his head, frustrated. “I don’t like it. This Cold War between us.”
“Me neither,” I said softly. “But it’s been an uphill battle since I got here, and staying in my lane seemed…safest.”
“I know.” Orion’s anger melted into uncertainty. “Harper, do you think—” His phone chimed again. “Shit. This is madness. I really have to go.”
“It’s okay. Go.”
He hesitated, torn. “Let’s talk later, okay?”
I nodded faintly.
Orion gave me a last, lingering look, and then put the phone to his ear. “I’m on my way. If you’d havetoldme you were coming…”
His words cut off as he shut his door, and he drove away.
I waited on my front drive in the falling dark until his car was out of sight, my pulse slowing because it had been pounding during the entire conversation.
