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need food,” she snapped. “Not him.”
    “Oh, my bad.” Brody danced out of the kitchen before she could smack him. “I’ll talk to you later, guys. See you soon, Abby.”
    She followed him to the front door. “What does that mean?” And why did she keep feeling the heat of him in her hands? Smell the musky cologne of sex, citrus, and man whenever she thought of him?
    “It means you have a website to design. Mine and Flynn’s, remember?”
    “Oh, right.” She had forgotten. “But I can work with Flynn on it.”
    “Sorry, Abby. You can’t.” Flynn shrugged. “I promised Mike I’d help watch Colin while he and Dad work on some new project they contracted.” Mike worked construction with his father, and he often used his family to help care for his son.
    “So we’ll talk next door. I’m flexible.”
    Brody nodded and said, “Good to know,” in a suggestive voice that raced over her last nerve.
    “Shut up.”
    Flynn laughed then quickly covered his mirth when she scowled at him. “Ahem. Right. Well, Colin is playing indoor soccer, so I’m having to run him across the city at odd hours to practice. But Brody’s available, and he knows better what we want anyway.”
    “Oh yeah. I know exactly what I want.”
    That innuendo again. Brody’s deep voice put her entire body on alert.
    Behind her, Maddie said, “I don’t see the problem, Abby. Besides, it’ll really help business.”
    “True. Who the heck owns a business and doesn’t have a website in this day and age?” She chewed her lip, then stopped when Brody homed in on the action. “Fine. But no more staring at my breasts while we talk.”
    “Brody.” Maddie laughed. “Don’t be such a guy.”
    “Yeah,” Flynn agreed.
    So nice to have them on her side for a change.
    “Stare at her ass instead,” Flynn suggested. “So when she’s turned away, she won’t know.”
    “Good advice.” Brody gave him a thumbs-up, then winked at Abby before he left. “I’ll call you,” he said over his shoulder.
    She slammed the door and turned to face her friends. “Flynn, if you even think of playing matchmaker, don’t. You and Maddie have a great thing going. Throwing me and Brody together is a mistake.”
    “Don’t worry. I have no intention of putting you two together.” Flynn shook his head. “Not a good combination.”
    “Oh?” Maddie crossed her arms. “Why? Is she not good enough for your idiot bestie?”
    He flinched. “First of all, he’s not my ‘bestie.’ We aren’t girls braiding each other’s hair. Second, he’s not an idiot.” At their stares, he amended, “Well, not all the time. And third, she’s probably too good for him . He’s not a player. He’s honest with women, but Brody just isn’t ready to settle down yet. Not like me, Maddie.”
    Maddie dragged him into her arms and plastered a kiss on his mouth.
    “Suck-up,” Abby said with disgust.
    He winked at her, and she turned to forage in the kitchen for some toast. A banana, maybe. Something to settle her queasy stomach.
    Two hours later, after eating, showering, and cleaning up her room, she frowned at her bookcase.
    “Maddie?” she called as her friend walked by.
    “What?” Dressed for the day in jeans and a pretty but practical sweater, Maddie looked ready for a day of staging houses. Her new profession.
    “Did you borrow one of my books?”
    “Nope. I’m not that crazy. I refuse to pledge my firstborn to borrow from your personal library. You probably misplaced it.” Maddie walked past her and downstairs.
    “Maybe.” Abby continued to look at the empty spot on her shelf, then finally trooped downstairs with her roommate and returned to work. The books certainly wouldn’t write themselves, and it seemed she had a new client to work with. McSons Plumbing. Brody and Flynn’s business needed help. Time to organize and get busy with scheduling through the holidays.
    Yet the loss of her book irked her throughout the day.
    ***
    “I refuse to continue