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I chuckled, seeing right through her empty threat. But I obliged, holding up my hands in surrender before grasping the trellis on either side of her head.
Then, I leaned in close, my face mere inches from hers. “Better?”
Paisley swallowed hard, her eyes darkening as they met mine. The scent of her perfume made my head spin, and I wanted nothing more than to close the distance and capture her lips with mine.
But I needed answers first.
“Did that night mean as much to you as it did to me?”
She looked away, her voice barely a whisper. “It did. That’s the problem.”
“I don’t see how it’s a problem. It meant more to me than it should’ve, considerin’ how short our time together was.”
Paisley met my gaze again, her eyes searching mine. “If you could go back, would you change anythin’ about what happened at the end of that night?”
I hung my head, guilt and regret washing over me. I’d replayed that moment a thousand times, wishing I could’ve done things differently. Wishing I could’ve found a way to make it right.
I looked up at her, my voice rough with emotion. “I wish I could’ve talked to you more about it. Maybe we could’ve worked things out.”
“But you still would’ve detained my brother?”
I sighed heavily. “Yes. I had to do my job, Paisley. He broke the law.”
She shook her head, anger flashing in her eyes. “Ever since that night, he’s been in and out of jail for stupid stuff he has no business gettin’ involved in.”
“Then he should’ve made better choices,” I said, frustration edging into my tone.
“I warned you he was at a crossroads and impressionable,” Paisley shot back. “Your actions sent him down the wrong path, Adam.”
I clenched my jaw. “That isn’t fair. He wouldn’t have been at a crossroads if he wasn’t already actin’ up. You can’t put that on me.”
“I was tryin’ to guide him the right way!”
“It wasn’t your responsibility to do that,” I countered. “And it sure as heck wasn’t my fault he chose wrong. My duty that night was to do what my employer asked. What Tyler did was a crime, plain and simple. There was nothin’ else I could’ve done.”
Paisley looked away, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “This is why it’s a problem that our time together meant so much to me. It’s obvious we’re never gonna see eye to eye about Tyler or anythin’ else. We might as well quit while we’re behind.”
“Look, if I’m right, and I think I am, we need to figure this out or risk drama every time we see each other.”
Her brow furrowed. “What makes you say that?”
“Everett and Laney. This is the first time they’ve seen each other in years, and now that it’s happenin’, I can’t see them goin’ back to where they were. They’re meant to be, and everyone knows it.”
Paisley crossed her arms. “And what exactly does that have to do with us?”
I took a step closer, keeping my voice low. “Unless you’re plannin’ on quittin’ your job, it means we’re gonna be seein’ a whole lot more of each other from here on out.”
She looked away, her jaw clenching. I could practically see the wheels turning in that beautiful mind of hers. Paisley was a thinker, a strategist. I didn’t know her well, but I could tell she was probably trying to come up with a million different ways to keep her job with Laney without having to be around me.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “You can try to avoid me all you want, but it ain’t gonna work. You’re not just Laney’s manager, you’re her best friend. And Everett’s my brother. We’re probably both gonna be in the weddin’ party. We’ll be at the hospital when they have babies. We’ll be at every Thanksgivin’, Christmas, and birthday party from here to eternity.”
Paisley’s face fell, her shoulders slumping in defeat. The sight of her looking so down made my chest ache, and I couldn’t help but try to lighten the mood.
“What’s the matter? You wishin’ that pretty dress of yours had pockets for you to hold your Skittles so you can eat a blue one?”
She looked up at me, confusion etched across her features. “What are you talkin’ about?”
I shrugged, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I figure you eat the blue ones when you’re sad.”
