Sunset In Central Park (From Manhattan with Love 2)

“Mmm.” Sounding unconvinced, she took another sip of her coffee. “So how’s it going?”

Familiar with every nuance in her tone, he put his phone down on the table. “Has she said something?”

“I’m a woman. I’m your sister. And I’m not stupid.” Her eyes lit up. “I’m so excited. My brother and my best friend.”

“Paige, it’s not—”

“No, and it never will be if you don’t let me help! And if you’re about to tell me that this is none of my business, don’t waste your breath. You owe me this one.”

Matt forced himself to clamp his mouth shut.

“Fine. Interfere. But this is a onetime thing.”

“I prefer to call it helping.”

“I don’t care what you call it—I’d rather deal with this my own way.”

“Even if your way sucks and will probably ruin your chances and your friendship with Frankie? Relationships have always been straightforward to you. All you have to do is look at a woman and she goes weak at the knees. Don’t ask me why. I don’t get it, personally. Not that I’m saying you’re hideous or anything—”

“Thank you.”

“One of your exes did once tell me that your unique appeal is that you look like a bad boy but inside you’re a good guy. Which gives a girl the best of everything.”

Matt was intrigued. “Which ex-girlfriend?”

“I always protect my sources. But what I’m saying is that you’ve never had to think about it. You’ve never had to work at it. You pretty much picked who you wanted.”

He was starting to find the conversation more than a little uncomfortable. “Paige—”

“Frankie isn’t like that. She finds relationships scary, and you’re freaking her out, Matt! Don’t think about our experiences, or our parents’, think about Frankie and what her life has been. Her father had an affair with a woman barely out of college, and Frankie was the one who virtually nursed her mother through her meltdown. Since then she has seen her mother hop from one lover to the next like a rabbit on steroids. It’s hardly surprising she thinks relationships are doomed. And she doesn’t want to doom a relationship with someone she cares about. You need to take it slowly. Stand back and let her come to you.”

He’d tried taking it slowly and he’d realized that if he waited for her to come to him he’d be waiting forever. He had no intention of doing that.

“I know what I’m doing, Paige.”

Paige topped up her coffee. “Dating has pretty much always been an embarrassing and humiliating experience for Frankie. You’ve put her on her guard, Matt. Why do you think she didn’t want to join you on the roof terrace last night? You pushed her out of her comfort zone and she was all hot and bothered.”

Good.

He wanted her hot and bothered. He wanted her out of her comfort zone.

“I’ve got this, Paige.”

“Matt—”

“I said I’ve got this.”

“Men! Fine, be stubborn. But don’t blame me when it all goes wrong.” Paige finished her coffee and put the empty cup on the counter. Her gaze fixed on an invitation propped on a shelf. “What’s that?”

“Wedding invitation. Sounds as if you’re seeing plenty of those right now.”

“Only as part of work.” She picked it up. “Ryan, Emily and Lizzy? The guy is marrying two women?”

“Lizzy is Emily’s daughter. Adopted daughter, although I think they might be related. Niece or something.” He picked up his laptop and slid it into his bag. “It’s Ryan Cooper. Do you remember him? We were at school together. The family lives in—”

“Harbor House. I love that place. It has incredible views over Puffin Point. I babysat Rachel Cooper a couple of times.”

“That was a while ago. She’s teaching at Puffin Elementary now.”