Free Sweet Talk Me by Kieran Kramer Page B

jungle, we’d be celebrating our great find. We’d move in out of the elements and win the competition.”
    “We’re not in a jungle. You could own a home, a nice one, and you could invite people over. No one’s gonna want to visit. You definitely can’t bring your girlfriend here.”
    “She’s moved away, and she wasn’t a girlfriend. She lived next door, and we were friends with benefits.”
    “The benefits obviously took place at her house.”
    “Yeah, so?”
    “What about other friends? Don’t you need some?”
    “I have plenty. I see them every year at the National American Crossword competition and I talk to them online every day.”
    “That’s awesome. But what about having people over? An honest-to-goodness girlfriend, maybe? You can’t do that here.”
    It was the first time since he’d crossed the threshold into the trailer that Gage’s face showed some change in expression. His mouth opened a fraction, and he got crinkles around his eyes. It was a genuine wince.
    “See?” Harrison got closer, in his face. “ See? You know you want a girl around here. Someone you can cook a romantic dinner for.”
    Gage’s mouth thinned. “I have little chance of that. Biscuit Creek’s population is minuscule, and single women, ages twenty-five to forty, number less than fifty.”
    “Oho.” Harrison chuckled. “So you keep track.”
    “Of course. I’m a bachelor. I try to stay attuned to the social scene.”
    “That’s staying attuned? I call it sitting back and missing out. You need to join in.”
    “How?”
    How? Did he ask how? Harrison took a subtle breath. “By getting your ass out of this trailer,” he said in a tight voice, his arms crossed over his chest. “You’re moving out, Gage. And I’m not giving you a choice.”
    There went his long weekend in the Hamptons. He’d have to stick around here a few days and help Gage find a new place.
    “ No. I’m staying.” Gage walked ramrod-straight back into the sitting room. The TV came on. ESPN. His second favorite love was baseball.
    Harrison was desperate for something to kick. His brother was so smart—a genius—yet the simplest things just went right over his head.
    His phone chirped. “What?”
    It was Dan. “I drove this woman’s piece-of-crap car all the way back from Atlanta.” His Boston accent was thick. “The AC doesn’t even work. She could’ve warned me.”
    “Sorry. Google Maps got you to the right place?”
    “As far as the sign with the giant tomato. After that, I was on my own. I was worried some southern people might come out of the woods with their hunting rifles and shoot me for trespassing. Or offer me lemonade. I wasn’t sure which. They do both down here, right?”
    “You’re an idiot. Some southern people. As if we’re from another planet.”
    “Well, you kinda are. A girl named Weezie met me out front. She didn’t even know me, but she talked my ear off, quite frankly. She wanted to know what the worst part of my job was. And the best. And then she asked me who I’d have to dinner if I could invite five people over, living or dead.”
    “Did she try to give you a strawberry milk shake?”
    “No.”
    “You missed out.” Harrison paused a beat. “Did you meet her sister?”
    “Yes, and her fiancé, too. They were running out the door to a party, so we only exchanged hellos. She didn’t look too happy, to tell you the truth. She was smiling, but I could sense some tension.”
    A deep, secret part of Harrison reveled at this news. But he put the lid on the feeling quickly. “You? Mr. Insensitive Clod?” he said easily.
    Dan chuckled. “Yeah, well, I had some help. The talkative sister told me the fiancé’s leaving tomorrow and won’t be back until two days before their wedding.”
    “For real? That would suck pretty bad, I guess, if you’re a girl.” Poor True … although Harrison didn’t want to feel sorry for her when she was marrying such an ass.
    “He’s a smart cookie, getting