Page 22 of Pick Me This Time

“Yep,” I said. “Your chin almost put a dent in the top of my head, but other than that, I’m fine.”

He let out an exasperated breath. “It’s too soon to joke about it.”

“No, it’s not. I’m probably not even going to have a bruise. Just relax, Sterling. It’s really not the end of the world.”

“I hurt you,” he said, voice suddenly gruff again as he chucked the last few pieces of pumpkin into the trash. “That’s not okay.”

I watched as he rose slowly to his feet now that the mess was mostly cleaned up. He wiped his brow with his forearm, but those eyes were still dark with worry. At least he was looking at me, which was a step up from where we’d been before.

“It’s official,” I said as I held his gaze steadily, needing him to see and to believe that I really was okay. It seemed this was a big deal to him, and I didn’t understand why. “You must be exhausted.”

Finally, after looking into my eyes for another beat, he cracked a smile. A real smile. It was small and it looked extremely uncomfortable, but it was still that nice smile I remembered. The smile that used to light my days and make my heart beat chocolates.

“I’m not,” he said, but it was easy this time rather than a genuine protest. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m just fine.”

“Are you?” I asked. “You seem heavy.”

“Gee, thanks. So what if I picked up a few pounds? I’m not playing football anymore, and running just isn’t the same.”

I snorted trying to hold back a burst of laughter, surprised that the sense of humor I remembered him having was still in there after all. “That’s okay. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You’re getting older. I mean, you’re almost thirty. It happens.”

His eyebrows shot up, and for a second, I wondered if I’d gone too far, but then he started laughing, cracking up as he shook his head. “I feel like I should remind you again I’m only three years older than you, Daphne. That means you’re getting older too.”

“Oh, I know, but I’m only twenty-five. The peak of the twenties. The golden spot. You’re on the downhill on your way to thirty.”

“I prefer to think of thirty as a goal rather than an expiration date.”

I shrugged, struggling to fight a smile as I nodded at him, my features wrinkled in faux sympathy. “You older folk are so sweet, but suit yourself. Whatever makes you feel better.”

He laughed again, and the sound washed over me like a cool, refreshing breeze on a hot summer day. “I don’t remember you being so mean.”

“How would you know?” I shot his earlier words back at him. “I’m three years younger, so it’s not like we had any classes together and you and I never hung out.”

His eyes widened. Then he chuckled and put his palms up in surrender. “She’s sharp, too. Who would’ve known?”

“As a tack,” I said, but the compliment made my cheeks heat. Dragging in a deep breath, I turned and walked out of the storage room, sliding my hands into the back pockets of my jeans. “Back to my original question, do you want any help bringing all those in here?”

“I should be okay,” he said. “I’m nearly done. Thanks, though.”

I nodded, glancing at him over my shoulder. “If you change your mind, I’ll be right inside. I’d be happy to make you a coffee if you’d like one?”

It might’ve been my imagination, but it almost looked like he was going to bolt when I invited him inside. He shook his head before inclining his chin at the truck. “I should get this done. I’m actually heading out to your brother’s cabin to go fishing this weekend, and the sooner I offload these, the sooner I can go finish packing.”

He’s coming to the cabin? He’s coming to the cabin!

The butterflies in my stomach started a party. I smiled, only just managing to keep myself from shooting him a full grin that probably would’ve creeped him out.

“That’s cool,” I said. “I need to finish up too, so I’d better get started inside.”

Our gazes clashed and held for a beat, and my breath almost got stuck in my lungs once more. There was no sight of chill in his eyes now when he looked at me, and the friendly warmth I saw there instead made my heart beat faster.

Back in the day, I’d known I was never going to catch his eye. I hadn’t even tried, but it felt like there was some kind of connection between us. It had felt that way since the party that night.

In a way, a lot of things went back to that party. I’d thrown a drink in his girlfriend’s face for making nasty comments to me, and instead of comforting her, he’d walked me home.

That night, I’d felt like he’d really seen me for the first time. Like he hadn’t just been looking but like he was finally seeing. For a few crazy minutes, I’d even wondered if I meant something to him. He definitely had a caring side not many people got to see.

He’d proven it again just a few minutes ago when he’d nearly cracked my head, and as I looked at him now, I felt like he was seeing me again.

Until he broke our brief stare-off, giving me a tight nod before he spun around and strode back to Eric’s old truck. I finally released the breath I’d been holding, my skin still tingling with awareness, but I walked away, heading inside to do what I’d come here to do.

The excitement was still there, though. The butterflies were still partying in my stomach even as I got to work. Sterling was coming to the cabin with us for the weekend, and it felt like an opportunity. I just didn’t quite know what for.