She arches a brow as the corner of her lips curve into a smirk. “Did you get that quote off an inspirational calendar?”
“A fortune cookie, actually.”
Her head tilts back as a laugh bubbles out of her. “You’re an idiot.”
“An idiot who made you laugh.” I shoot her a wink, and there’s that pink tinge creeping into her cheeks. “Wanna sit together on the bus again?”
Her nose scrunches. “What are we, in high school?”
I hold out my arms and gesture to the scene around us. “We kind of are.”
She rolls her eyes as she climbs onto the bus ahead of me.
But she sits with me anyway.
With our legs pressed together in the narrow seat, we sit in comfortable quiet for the first half of the ride. Then Ainsley breaks the silence.
“What happened between us can’t happen again.” Her eyes are closed, her head back against the seat.
I knew she felt that way, but hearing it doesn’t make it any easier.
I side-eye her. “Can I ask why?”
Her shoulders rise and fall with her deep breath. “It was impulsive. I don’t want anything to get in the way of our jobs.”
“So, don’t let it.”
Hazel eyes meet mine with the slight turn of her head. “It’ll make things difficult having to work together every single day like this.”
I hike a shoulder. “Or it’ll make it more fun.”
A small smile tugs at her mouth. “I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Who says I am?”
She purses her lips, giving me a knowing look. “You saying you’d be okay with me messing around with other people?”
On instinct, my eyebrows snap together, and she chuckles. “Didn’t think so.”
It’s quiet again before she says, “Let’s just work on being friends.”
She’s making excuses, trying to take control of the situation, and I let her.
For now.
I know Ainsley better than she thinks I do—sometimes better than she knows herself. Letting her think she’s in control is how to get her to play along.
But this is one game I’m not losing.
Chapter 22
Ainsley
After early practicesevery day during Spring Break this week, I finally get a day to relax.
And byrelaxI mean listen to the sound of a relentless hammer knocking nail after nail into wooden boards.
Landon insisted on coming over to fix the loose wooden boards on the porch. I haven’t decided on what I should do with the house yet, so he’s making repairs in the meantime.
