Read Calling It for Free Online

foundation of yours.” Aunt Laura began stacking dirty dishes. “That building’s practically falling down around us. And that was before the storm last week. The poor girl has to take care of all of it.”
    Sitting back in his chair, Nate tried to remember what Ella, his proxy for pretty much everything Inspiration-related, had told him. “The library reopening thing,” he murmured. “In a few weeks?”
    His aunt went on about bookshelves being thrown out and new ones being put in. Carpets to be pulled up and replaced; painting to be done.
    “You have no idea how many boxes of books she’s moved already,” she said, planting herself in front of Nate, a plate of freshly iced cinnamon rolls so close he could practically taste them. “I mean, unless you’re not supposed to be doing anything because of your kn—”
    “My knee is fine,” Nate snapped. Christ. If “tiny” Lucinda was able to manage, he could damn well do the same.
    Seeing the hurt flash through his aunt’s eyes, he made sure his voice was gentler as he added, “How about tomorrow at ten? Anything else you guys need done around here?” More labor might not be doctor-approved, but damn if he was going to just sit around like an invalid and let his almost eighty-year-old uncle do it all instead.
    He drew it out as long as he could, working himself up to being ready to face whatever crowd Fitz and Wash had rounded up. He was ashamed to admit how much he dreaded facing his family and friends. Not because he was afraid they’d come down on him for, well, whatever, but because he knew they wouldn’t. Just like his aunt and uncle, they’d be nicer to him than he deserved. And since they’d started treating him with kid gloves even before the Courtney years, they probably wouldn’t even lay on the guilt.
    “Take the truck, too,” Uncle A said as Nate was leaving. He handed over a set of keys, grumbling, “That fool car isn’t going to help matters any with Wash. Plus now I’ve got this perfectly good truck and ain’t got no reason to use it.”
    Nate hid his smile. The “perfectly good truck” was a fifteen-year-old Chevy that had a habit of breaking down on roads in the middle of nowhere. Knowing his uncle would never accept a flat-out replacement, Nate had instead given everyone in his family a new car after he’d gotten his signing bonus. It was easier that way.
    But when Nate stowed the Spyder in the barn and climbed up into the truck, he found himself just sitting there.
    He already missed what Dorie had given him the night before: attitude. Friction, with a little bit of a smile on the side. And although he didn’t like the feeling that he’d lied to her, it had been heaven to just sit and laugh and talk without the specter of who he was and the whole NateGate thing hanging over the room.
    Leaning his head back against the seat, he smiled at the vision of her in that robe, swinging the bat over her shoulder. Decided he was going to get some more of that. And with the smile still on his face, he gave a quick wave to his aunt and uncle, then headed out to the road.

Chapter Six
    “You’re living in Nate Hawkins’s apartment? Seriously? ”
    Even though Christopher was the brother Dorie was closest to, she was regretting saying anything. She just hadn’t been able to get him to shut up about her niece and nephews, and she already felt homesick without the additional guilt trip of hearing stories about them.
    “You can’t tell anyone,” she said. “You have to promise.”
    “Oh, shit,” he answered, laughing to himself in the exact same way Nate had the night before. “I don’t think I can do that. I mean...” The laughter grew louder. “Shit, Luce. This is just too good.”
    Luce. They completely refused to call her Dorie, no matter how much she tried. Why that bothered her even more than all the other teasing, she had no idea. She jerked the fridge door open. “Okay,” she sighed. “Name your price.” She wasn’t