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“We were visiting the Books, Spine, and Sinker store.”
“Ah, Millie’s shop? She’s got a great selection of books.” Paxton leans against the bar.
“Not anymore. I think we bought out the entire store.”
Greer swats at my arm playfully. “Not the entire store.” She laughs lightly.
I know we’re not in the city limits of Saint Pierce, and we’re not trying to flaunt that we’re a couple here, but I like pretending with her a little too much. It does something to me to think that a remarkable woman like Greer has chosen me as her boyfriend.
It causes a sense of calm to wash over me, and I can’t get enough of it.
NINE
GREER
I’m having the best time, and as we drive back to my place, I consider asking Roman to stay the night again. But I can’t do that. I don’t want to use his anxiety as a reason for him to stay and sleep in my bed.
Even though I loved having him there. When he fell asleep I stayed awake, staring at him for entirely more time than I care to admit. I felt grateful that I was able to help ease his anxiety, even if he probably fell asleep out of pure exhaustion.
As we pull into my driveway, I glance over at Roman. “I had the best time,” I tell him.
He opens the door. “Me too. Let me walk you to your front door, make sure you get inside okay.”
I’m sure I’ll be fine, but I want him to walk me so I can spend more time with him. More so, I want him to kiss me. Nerves and excitement flutter low in my belly as he strides around his SUV and opens my door for me. I take his hand as he helps me out of the vehicle.
“Thank you.” The words to ask him to stay are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to say them.
We walk slowly, like neither of us wants the night to end. His presence comforts me, his hand warm against mine as we approach my front door, bathed in the soft glow of the porch light. I find myself hoping for just a few short stolen moments with him before we say our inevitable goodbyes.
“I knew you’d love the bookstore,” he says, setting the books on my porch table.
I smile wide. “You know me so well.” Better than anyone, actually.
“I do,” he murmurs.
The air between us sizzles as he inches closer. I take a tentative step forward, yearning for a sweet goodnight kiss. His eyes sparkle as he gazes at me. I try to memorize every detail of his face so I can forever capture this moment in my memory. And it’s like he’s doing the same thing.
My heart pounds in my chest. Kiss me, you fool, I want to scream out, but instead, I remain silent, rooted to the spot on my porch.
He slides both hands into his pockets. “Call me tomorrow,” he says, and the mood shifts, the magical night over.
I nod. “Sure thing.” And then I pick up the books and head inside, wishing more than anything he would have kissed me, or hugged me, or something.
However, I’m not sure I would have been able to stop myself if he had.
“When are you heading out to see Dad?” Dev says to me the next afternoon at a local coffee shop where we met to discuss our father.
I shrug. “Maybe next weekend. I have the Delgado arraignment coming up, so I need to be prepared for that.”
Dev’s eyes meet mine. “You remember Dad being the biggest asshole toward us when Mom died, right?”
I drop my gaze to my coffee. “I know, but he thought she killed herself. He must have been heartbroken.”
Dev chuckles, but there’s zero humor behind it. “We’d just lost our mother. Least he could have done was, oh, I don’t know, taken care of us,” he says in a sarcastic tone. He’s getting angry. I can tell.
“You were older. I guess he felt you didn’t need anything.”
“Well, you did. You were only fourteen.”
