Sweet Little Lies Read online

  was in college studying to be an engineer.

  She was so happy for them.

  “Tim,” she said when she answered. “Everything okay?”

  “That lead you gave me on the apartment near campus, it might pan out,” he said excitedly. “They’re going to call you as my reference. If we get it, me and my friends will live there together.”

  “That would be great, Tim,” she said.

  “You know how hard it is to get a place here,” he said. “Almost impossible.”

  She did know. It’d taken a hell of a long time for her to get into the Pacific Pier building.

  “Anyway,” he said. “Thanks for the lead. It means a lot.” He laughed a little humorlessly. “We aren’t looking forward to living in our cars. Been there, done that.”

  “No worries,” Pru said, her stomach jangling unhappily at the memory. “How’s school going?”

  “Hard as fuck, but I’m in it,” he said. “Gotta go. Talk to you soon.”

  Pru disconnected and looked at Thor. “We did good. They’re going to be okay,” she marveled. “All of them.” And then she called her contact and put in a second good word for Tim, and was assured they were first in line for the place. It warmed her from the inside out to know it.

  Now you need to get okay . . .

  But she was working on that. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Thor yawned.

  “You know, I could have a cat. A big one who eats little dogs for snacks.”

  He blinked and she sighed. “Okay, I took that too far. I’m sorry.” She crouched down and hugged him in, which he graciously allowed, even giving her a sweet little lick on her cheek. “Love you too,” she murmured, kissing the top of his head. “I’m not going to get a cat.” She could barely afford to feed the two of them.

  She’d never even meant to get a dog at all, but about a year ago, she’d been walking home late one night when she’d heard a funny rumbling sound coming from behind a dumpster. She’d stopped to investigate, but the rumbling had stopped. It was only when she’d started walking again that the rumbling came back.

  Pru had walked around the dumpster. Crouching low, using the flashlight on her phone, she’d fallen back on her ass when two glowing orbs had locked in on her.

  Scrambling up to run, she realized the rumbling had stopped again and she slowly turned back. Channeling her inner Super Girl, she’d moved closer and had peered down at a scrap of fur surrounding those two huge eyes.

  Thor, underfed, filthy, and trembling in terror. It’d taken a bribe to get him out, and another before he’d let her pick him up. All she’d had on her was a granola bar but he’d not been picky. Or dainty. He’d nearly bitten her finger off in his haste to eat.

  And Pru, who’d been known to snarl herself when hungry, had fallen in love.

  Straightening now with Thor in her arms, her gaze caught on the window across the way.

  Finn’s office.

  The pub wasn’t open. The accordion doors were shut and locked, but the morning sun slanted inside. She could see Finn behind his desk, head down. He was either dead, or fast asleep.

  Both she and Thor stared at him. “I know,” she whispered to her dog. “He’s something. But you can’t get attached to him, because once I tell him everything, it’s over.”

  Thor set his head on her shoulder. He loved her no matter how stupid she was being.

  Leaving her box and Thor—his leash wrapped around a bench—to guard it, she quickly crossed the courtyard to the coffee shop.

  Tina stood behind the counter. Tall, curvy, and gorgeous, she had skin the color of the mocha latte she was serving. When it was Pru’s turn, Tina smiled. “Your usual?” she asked, her voice low and deep and hypnotic.

  “No, this one’s not for me,” Pru said. “It’s for a friend. Um, you don’t happen to know how Finn O’Riley likes it, do you?”

  Tina smiled wide. “Sugar, he likes it hot and black.”

  “Oh. Okay, um . . . one of those then.”

  Tina laughed her contagious laugh and got it ready. When she handed it over, there was a dog biscuit wrapped neatly in a napkin to go. “For Thor,” she said. “And how about some advice that you didn’t ask for?”

  Pru bit her lower lip. Was she that obvious? “Yes, please.”

  “Two things. First, don’t even try to speak to him before he’s caffeinated. That man is hot as hell and a great guy, but he’s also a bear before his coffee.”

  “And the second thing?”

  “There’s no doubt, he’s a serious catch,” Tina said. “But he’s barricaded himself off behind work. So if you want him, you’re going to have to show him what he’s missing.”

  “I’m think I’m working on that.”

  Tina grinned at her. “Because you’re the Fun Whisperer?”

  Oh, God. “You heard that, huh?”

  “Sugar, I hear everything.” Tina winked at her, making Pru wonder if that meant that she’d also heard about Pru nearly killing him. Or their first kiss . . .

  “Good luck,” Tina said. “My money’s on you.”

  Pru took the coffee and dog cookie and headed back through the courtyard. Finn was still asleep. She gave Thor his treat and put her finger to her lips. “Stay,” she said and stepped into the planter that lined the building.

  Thor ignored her and attacked his cookie.

  Pru, draped on either side by two hydrangea bushes, knocked on Finn’s window.

  He shot straight up, a few papers stuck to his cheek. His hair was tousled, his eyes sleepy, although they quickly sharpened in on her. His five o’clock shadow was now twelve hours past civilized. And holy cow, he was a damn fine sight.

  Before she even saw him coming, he’d crossed his office and opened the window, looking far more alert upon wakening than she’d ever managed.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he asked, in the sexiest morning voice she’d ever heard.

  “Got you something,” she said. “It’s not a waffle but . . .” She lifted the coffee and added a smile, trying to not look as if she hadn’t just sweat her way through the courtyard with Thor and a heavy box of painful memories—impossible since her shirt was sticking to her and so was her hair. She didn’t have to look in any mirror to know that she was beet red in the face, her usual after-exercise “glow.”

  Finn climbed out the window with easy agility. Pru backed up a step to give him room but he kept coming, stepping right into her space, reaching for the cup like a starved man might reach for a promised meal.

  Clearly the man was serious about needing coffee. She stared up at him as he took the cup and drank deeply.

  She might have also drooled a little bit.

  “Thanks,” he said after a long moment. “Most people won’t come within two miles of me before I’m caffeinated.”

  Not wanting to tell him that Tina had already warned her because she didn’t want to admit to soaking up info on him whenever and however she could, she just smiled. “How’s the hole in your chest?”

  He absently reached up and rubbed a hand over his pec, a completely unconscious but very male gesture. “Think I’m going to live,” he said.

  She eyeballed his hair and the crease on his cheek where papers had been stuck to him. “Living the wild life, huh?”

  “The wildest.” He looked past her. “So who’s the fat cat?”

  She turned and followed his line of sight to Thor, who’d curled up in a sunspot next to her box to doze. “I’ll have you know that’s my fierce, very protective guard dog.”

  “Dog?”

  “Yes!”

  He scratched his jaw while eyeing Thor speculatively. “If you say so.”

  “He protects me,” she said. “In fact, he won’t let anyone get near me. And don’t even think about trying to touch him, he hates men.”

  “Not me,” Finn said. “Dogs love me.”

  “No, really—” she started but Finn crossed the courtyard and crouched low, holding his hand out to Tho