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Her face lights up. “¿Neta?”The slight raised pitch in her tone makes the possible blackmail worth it.
I’m positive Dahlia’s love for investigating began when she borrowed her first Nancy Drew book from the library, and it’s never stopped.
I dangle the key in front of her, keeping my grip tight to stop her from noticing my twitching muscles. “Stay downstairs.”
She cocks a brow. “What are you hiding up there?”
My heart thumps wildly in my chest. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
Dahlia takes off toward my house while I drive to town. While I can’t get her sushi from Aomi at the last minute, I place an order with Lake Wisteria’s best—and only—sushi spot before they close their doors for the night.
Although I planned on taking the long way back home to give her time to conduct a thorough investigation of my place, I decide differently. I’m afraid she might end up going upstairs and checking out my bedroom solely to satiate her curiosity.
Unlike the usual oppressive loneliness that hits me whenever I turn into my driveway, my body buzzes with anticipation as I park my car in the garage and walk inside thebrightly lit house.
Neta:Really?
I’m welcomed by the sound of Dahlia messing around on the piano in the distance. Unlike Nico, she lacks the proper skill and training to do anything but massacre her way through “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
My spine tingles as I walk through the long hall leading to the formal sitting room. Never have I felt this excited at the end of a workday, and I pause to process why.
No painful silence. No dreadful loneliness. Nothing but a strong sense of contentedness as I think of the person waiting for me.
You’re getting attached, the cautionary voice speaks up.
I’m pretty sure it’s far more serious than that.
It’slove.
Something is shifting inside me—that much was made clear when I returned to carpentry after almost a decade avoiding it—and it has everything to do with Dahlia.
When she hits the last note, I enter the room.
“Dinner’s here.”
She startles, banging her fingers against the keys. “You scared me.”
“Did you have fun looking around?”
“Tons. Check out what I found next to your prizedThe Little Princecollection.” She stands and reveals theSecond Besttrophy she gave me.
Damn. I was so focused on keeping Dahlia away from my bedroom that I forgot about the incriminating trophy.
“I’m flattered you kept it after all this time.” She rubs at an invisible stain.
“It’s a reminder of what failure feels like.” The words come out at lightning speed.
“So you keep it beside your most prized possessions? Interesting location choice given how big your house is.”
I blink slowly.
She smirks. “I know you bombed our physics final on purpose.”
“You have no proof.”
“Physics was your strongest subject and my weakest. There was no way I could have beat you any other way.”
I exercise my right to remain silent.
