I grinned and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, I guess I’d start looking for a job there, too.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Really? You’d leave your family and your job for a woman you’re not even dating?”
I held her by the shoulders and forced her to look in my eyes. “Natalie, I’d move anywhere for you. You’re my best friend. Do I want to date you? I’m telling you now that yes, I’d very much like a second chance to prove to you that I’m not the asshole manwhore that I was more than a year ago. But even if you said no, I’d never want to stop being friends with you. Never.”
She was a little breathless as she looked up at me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “I would’ve moved to Baltimore right after you left except I was scared you’d file a restraining order on me. And… I knew I had some work I needed to do on myself before I was fit to be with you, either as a friend or something more.”
“Natalie!”
“I have to go.” She got a pained look on her face, then turned and ran from me, the fog of the dry ice swallowing her almost completely within seconds.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Natalie
“Heath, I have to tell you something,” I said after he’d helped me into his car. We were on our way to his parents’ house in Halliwell for dinner.
It wasn’t my favorite thing to do, but I knew these dinners with his parents were important to him.
“What is it?” He was facing the road and wearing dark sunglasses. I couldn’t see his eyes, and it was making me even more nervous than I already was.
I couldn’t keep it in any longer that I’d kissed Tim at the Orchid Ball.
I started to open my mouth, but he cut me off.
“Did you sleep with Tim?” His hands gripped the steering wheel in a chokehold.
“No,” I said, horrified. Then I wondered if I should be offended. Why did he just assume what I’d had to tell him had to do with another man? Also… how did he know it had to do with Tim? Was the chemistry between us that obvious?
“Then I probably don’t need to know.”
What? I couldn’t keep it in. There was no reason to. He’d probably turn around and take me home once I told him, and we’d break up.
“I kissed Tim.”
“When you were in the maze at the ball?”
“Yes,” I said slowly. How did he know?
“I figured something like that might have happened.” He glanced at me, but I still couldn’t see his eyes. He looked pretty calm, though. “It wasn’t rocket science, Natalie. You were dancing with Tim and then you disappeared. There’s only so much talking ‘best friends’ need to do at a function like that.” He used air quotes when he said best friends.
“You’re… not mad?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m not mad. I’m disappointed, and it upsets me. But I’m not mad. Do you plan to do it again?”
“No! No, of course not.” I only dreamed about it every night. But I didn’t want to be with Tim. I couldn’t ever trust him again.
“Then I’m okay. But I need you to listen closely, Natalie.” He pushed his glasses up on his head. Now I could see his eyes, and they told a different story. He was definitely mad. He just didn’t want to admit it, I guess. “Don’t let it happen again or we’re through. Messing up once is a mistake. Any more than that is a habit.” He narrowed those beautiful gray eyes at me. “Don’t develop a bad habit.”
I smiled weakly. He was almost a little scary. “I understand if you can’t forgive me…”
“I forgive you. Let’s change the subject.”
I gaped at him. Was he serious?
“My parents are very pleased you’re coming tonight.”
