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It swung open to Mark’s familiar, “Why aren’t you answering your phone? And why is your alarm off?”

He stopped short when he spotted Sadie at the island.

Joan leapt to keep him from saying anything. Why had she given him a key? “What are you doing here? I told you I was unavailable tonight.”

“Something came up.” Mark peered around her. “Is this Cute Neighbor Sadie?”

“Yeah, this is Sadie.” She pointed the tongs at her brother. “This is Mark. ThecousinI told you about.” She gave him a meaningful look. “Right, cuz?”

He squinted at her, then said, “Yes. Your cousin.”

Sadie wiggled her fingers in a little wave. “Nice to meet you. Joan was just telling me about you.”

“Oh, she was?”

“She was. Wow, you have the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.”

“What’s up, cuz?” Joan said, a tad too anxious. “You don’t usually stop by unannounced.” Another lie. He did it all the time.

“There’s a family emergency. With Uncle Mel.”

Shit.“Uncle Mel’s acting up again?”

“Oh yeah, he’s…” Mark trailed off, darting a glance at Sadie. “Needs help moving. Tonight. Like, now.”

Ugh. That meant Trick wanted their help in stealing a big haul. “Did you tell him we don’t want to help him move anymore?”

“Remember the last time you tried to tell him that? He won’t take no for an answer.”

Ugh.Mark wouldn’t be here unless Melvin was being particularly douchey and uncooperative. Joan was the one who wouldn’t cave in and could make Mark and Perry stand firm.

Damn it. She still had to protect her brother and her…well, her Perry.

Sadie slid off her barstool. “It sounds like you have a work emergency,” she said. “Or a…family emergency?”

Joan looked to her, to the cut-up vegetables, to the steak that needed a turn, to the doughy dinner rolls nestled on a baking sheet. Then to Mark waiting expectantly. Well, this sucked.

“I’m sorry,” she told Sadie.For our date ending. For leading you on.

“Joanie will make it up to you,” Mark said.

“I hope so.” Sadie picked up the baking sheet. “Can we refrigerate everything for a rain check?”

“Everything but the steak,” Joan said. “It’s half cooked.”

“I can take it back to my place and finish cooking it. So it doesn’t go to waste.”

“It can finish cooking. It’s almost done.”

Mark snagged the cutting board filled with green veggies. “Joanie can put together steak sandwiches for you tomorrow. Has she told you how good her sandwiches are?”

“She’s alluded to that,” Sadie said.

Joan helped them put everything in the fridge. Then she turned off the stovetop and oven. Thissucked.

As Mark headed around the island, Sadie leaned close and whispered, “Mark knows about…you…?”

“Oh, yeah. He knows.”