“It’s not as bad as I imagined.” Fran glanced around.
Dustin and she remained silent for seconds, and then Claire spoke up “What?”
“Coming back here?” Fran traced her lip with a pink nail. “Looks like you’ve made some changes to the place. How are your parents doing, Dustin?” Even the way her sister said his name brought back a rash of unwelcomed memories. She didn’t just say his name. She acted as if she tasted each letter.
Claire realized Dustin hadn’t spoken a word. Not one. He’d been asked a direct question. Her ears pricked. Was he in shock, awe, or wishing so hard she’d disappear he couldn’t muster a thought?
“They’re fine.” His voice was hoarse and forced, and it reminded her of the way he spoke to her last night in the park.
She’d had enough and her temper flared. “Are you ready to finish? I don’t want to continue working all night.”
“Why, do you have a hot date?” Fran’s gaze flicked, if not licked, up and down Dustin and ended with single winged brow. It was her smirk that was too much.
The gloves were about to come off. Claire stepped closer to her sister and she lowered her voice. “Let’s go finish what we started. Okay?”
Dustin grazed Claire’s neck with his fingers and trailed them down her back.
Fran’s eyes narrowed and she shifted on her high-heeled feet. “Fine. How about we invite Dustin to dinner. Catch up on old times. Make some new memories. Wish we still had that porch swing. I see you’ve still got yours.”
Dustin moved against Claire, his hands turned her body. “What are your plans tonight?”
“Not much else to do. Dinner and then I’ve no idea.”
“Call me when you’re through. I’ll be here or in the barn.” He smiled his cocked-head-heated-stare-grin and the metal band around her chest eased. She inhaled and smiled even though her lips trembled. Dustin raised his gaze. “Thanks but you both need to catch up. Sorry about your parents. I’ll see you around Fran.”
His body tensed under Claire’s hands. She didn’t understand what was going on, and the space was filled with enough tension to cut and serve like a glazed Bundt cake.
“Remember, I know where you live.” He brushed his mouth against her cheek, tracing a line directly to her mouth. “I will find you.”
Chapter Thirteen
After dinner, Claire’s phone buzzed. She was a tangled mess of nerves. She’d promised herself that tonight she’d not dissolve into a shrieking fit. She’d never lost her cool with Fran and wasn’t about to give her sister the upper hand that easily.
Fran and she skirted around discussing anything important. They’d decided to begin upstairs and were inside their old bedroom, Fran sitting on the floor in a pile of memorabilia from her closet, her hair caught up in a ponytail, holding out their senior yearbook. “Do you want—”
As Claire’s phone rang, Fran’s face changed from a smile into a concentrated stare. Her tingle of anticipation stopped when Claire noticed it wasn’t Dustin calling.
“Hold on, it’s my boss. Excuse me.”
She didn’t want to share this conversation if it included more demands on her new writing. Mike had already sent her several emails acting as negotiator between upstairs and her.
“Hey, Claire Bear, how’s it going? You okay considering?”
“Yes. My sister’s here. What’s up?”
“I’m sending you a contract. Nothing unusual. I need your signature.”
“You don’t mind if I take my time and read this one carefully?”
He snorted. “Take all the time you need through tomorrow. It’s standard in the business. Off the record, you should think about an agent. I’ve known you for a couple of years and you more than likely will need someone to protect your interests.”
“You don’t think I can stand up for myself?” Even Mike thought she didn’t have a spine. What type of reputation did she have?
“No… You’re just, I don’t know. A pleaser. It’s not a bad thing. Far from it. Being kind and generous is nice.”
“Nice? Why doesn’t that sound like a compliment?”
“It’s not the point and just an idea. I’ve got a list of names. I’ll email them to you. I want to set up an interview as well. From this point on, Kevin James’s office will be your contact for your fiction. You’ve been assigned an editorial assistant. I’m still your editor as long as you still want to remain in your position at Ethos. Any thoughts on a change?”
“Might be. How soon do you need to know?”