A shocked laugh bursts out. “Mine wasn’t quite so violent. More of an irate warning.” My lips purse. “That arrogant . . . pain in my butt. I can’t believe him.”

“No fraternization between employees is a fairly standard clause.” He doesn’t look as though he believes that’s the reason Macon ran interference. I don’t either.

Macon has been sticking his nose into my love life ever since we were kids. Every boy I showed any interest in was immediately told of all my supposed faults. They were run off with the effectiveness of a deployed stink bomb. I never believed jealousy was the motive. Macon did it out of spite. And now he’s doing it again.

“First off, I didn’t sign any employee contract, and there is no handbook. We both know that. Secondly, Macon said that because he’s an asshat. No, an ass bonnet with flowers on top.”

North laughs but then gives me a wary glance. “You weren’t . . . I mean, I think you’re great and pretty, but—”

The tips of his ears turn red as he squirms in his seat. And the devil in me can’t help but respond. “But what, North?” I give him a sappy look. “Don’t you like me?”

He clears his throat. “Of course I do, but . . .”

“It’s Macon, isn’t it? Trying to get in the way of our love.”

North pales, blinking rapidly as his mouth falls open. For a second, I imagine he’s contemplating jumping from the moving car, but then his expression clears with a rush of color and the narrowing of his eyes. “You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?”

The laugh I’ve been holding in bursts free. “I’m sorry. You were just so nervous about offending me.”

“Sorry. That was bigheaded of me, eh? I just . . .” He smiles tightly. “You know what? I’m going to shut up now.”

“Just to be clear, I’m not over here crying in my soup. I’m not interested in you that way.” I give him a sidelong look, still smiling. “Not that you aren’t pretty.”

He snorts and shakes his head. “Now I understand why Saint doesn’t know if he’s coming or going with you.”

Laughing, I turn onto the next highway. So many LA highways. “It’s awkward as all hell talking about this. Really, I’m annoyed on principle. And Macon just annoys me in general.”

“Probably because you two are so much alike.”

“Alike? Ah, no.”

“Both of you are uncomfortably blunt, proud, stubborn—”

“Hey!”

North grins, tilting his head in my direction. “I don’t find these qualities faults. I’ve known Saint for two years, and already, he is my closest friend. You’re both exceedingly loyal too.”

“Loyal? Macon? Are we talking about the same person?”

“If you can’t see his loyalty, you aren’t looking,” North says quietly.