Obsession Falls (The Haven Brothers #1)

I nodded. “I will, but I don’t think I have your number.”

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and lifted his eyebrows.

My heart seemed to skip and a pleasant tingle swirled low in my tummy. I gave him my number and he typed something.

“I texted you.” He met my eyes again. His were a stormy blue-gray. “And seriously, anything weird happens, call me.”

His concern was both sweet and electrifying. My cheeks warmed and I was more aware than ever of the cool morning breeze on my skin—and my lack of bra.

“Thanks. For everything. I really appreciate your help.”

“Sure. See you later, Audrey.”

“Bye.”

With my heart beating a little too fast, I went back home. Max tried to rush out the door but I managed to block him with my body and get him under control. I’d let him out there to sniff around and realize the squirrel was gone later. For now, I had a very silly and very desperate need to see the contents of Josiah’s text.

I went to my room and unplugged my phone from the charger, then swiped to his message.

Josiah Haven

Just his name. Not that I’d been expecting a cute message or an emoji string. That wouldn’t have been like him at all. But his name on my screen didn’t feel impersonal. It was like a declaration, a simple assertion of who he was and the fact that we were connected in a new way.

I suppressed the urge to text him back. I’d already thanked him and I was sure he needed to get to work. He hadn’t planned on starting his day with roadkill removal. Or a squirrel funeral. Plus, he wasn’t a big talker and I didn’t want to annoy him.

Looking at his name on my screen, I realized something. It wasn’t just that I didn’t want to bother him.

I wanted Josiah Haven to like me.

CHAPTER12

Josiah

A squirrel.Somehow Audrey Young had reduced me to participating in a funeral service for roadkill.

At least none of my brothers had been around to see it. Or my dad. They’d never let me hear the end of it.

Trying to push her out of my mind, I got to work. And there was plenty of it. The drywall wasn’t going to fix itself.

Of course, the more I tried to not think about Audrey, the more I thought about her. And the squirrel.

She didn’t seem like the kind of girl to make enemies, not even ex-boyfriend enemies. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had put that dead squirrel in front of her house for a reason.

Had it been her ex? Was he still holding a grudge from their breakup? Or maybe it was retaliation for rejecting him at the bar. I’d humiliated him pretty thoroughly; he might have decided to blame her.

Not knowing the guy, I couldn’t be sure.

About an hour later, my phone buzzed with a text. For a second, I wondered if it was Audrey. Had something else happened? I hurried to get my phone out of my pocket, but it wasn’t her. It was my dad.

Dad:How goes?

Me:Slow and steady.

Dad:I won’t be able to get over there today. Mom’s orders.

I knew what that meant. Either his back or his knees—or both—were bothering him and Mom had insisted he take it easy.

Me:Don’t worry about it. I have it covered.