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They both laugh, but she nods. “Yeah, I’ll take whatever you got.”

I make my way into the office, ready for a single damn minute to clear my head. I shut the office door behind me, walk to the refrigerator, and prop my arm against the cool metal surface.

My dad and I giving each other shit is one thing. We always do that, and I should consider myself lucky that his meddling isn’t that bad most of the time. He could have worse hobbies than getting a kick out of nosing in his kids’ lives because it’s entirely well-meaning.

As much as I don’t want to admit it, I don’t think he’s wrong, and that’s the worst part. Even if he doesn’t know why I ended things with Josie back then, he knows it wasn’t easy for me. He also knows it wasn’t easy for Sisi to lose her best friend. Growing up with three older brothers, Josie was practically a sister to her.

Maybe I should get my head out of my ass and do what he says—not let a chance go to waste to make things right in some way or another. Getting some closure might be a good thing.

Taking a deep breath, I gather my wits and open the fridge. Inspecting our inventory, we have our leftovers from the diner, root beer, seltzer waters, and a full shelf of hot sauces and hatch chile salsas that Dad and I play chicken with most days, seeing who can eat hotter food. But there’s one thing I don’t see in our shop’s fridge, which makes my lips curl into a smile.

CHAPTER 7

JOSIE

Stick Around

“That’s quite the rig you got there.” Mr. Sterling’s, I mean Eddie’s, raspy voice pulls my eyes away from the now closed office door. I pretend like I wasn’t just fixated on Sly walking away from me. His broad shoulders completely filled that door frame—one I’ve seen him walk through countless times—telling me yes, Sly Sterling grew into his man-body.

I still loathe my subconscious for the way it responds to him. Ten years later, and the sane parts of me still aren’t over how he ended things between us. My horny little brain is decidedly not one of those sane parts. Even as he walked away from me, his muscular build and imposing presence sent heat climbing up my neck.

Last night I chalked up my body’s reaction to some combination of shock and exhaustion, but I can’t blame either of those factors today. Nope. He’s just that freaking good-looking. He was always toned from being active, but I would never have described him as hulking or bulky back then. Standing in the garage where we spent so many days together, and not in the dimly lit parking lot, I also have a true frame of reference.

Then there’s that freaking beard. As pissed as I still am at him, I keep finding myself wondering if those dimples I swooned over as a teenager are hiding under that beard he keeps scrubbing his hand through. If they’re still there, that beard is guilty of two crimes—being criminally hot while also being criminally stupid for hiding those dimples.

The sound of Eddie’s chair squeaking, which looks an awful lot like the same chair that I remember from ten years ago, snaps me out of my daze. Yeah. He definitely saw me staring at Sly.

“Oh, thanks,” I squeak out, giggling awkwardly. I hide my hands in my hoodie pocket and fiddle with them, trying to ground myself.

Eddie looks back at my van and I follow his lead, appreciating that he’s not going to grill me on why I was so focused on his son—at least for now. “Looks like you’ve put some serious miles on that beast, girl.”

I nod and a warm smile spreads across my face. He knew how much I started to obsess over these vans in high school, and it feels like I can hear his quiet approval.

“Yeah. Me and that van have been through a lot and seen even more together.” Our eyes meet again and the pleased smile on his face confirms it—the genuine approval I thought I heard.

From the way the tension in my shoulders eases to how my mind slows down, I can feel my body relax in a way I haven’t in years. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia or the need to fill the void that casting aside my parents left, but I can’t help but feel at ease around the patriarch of the Sterling family. There’s a genuineness about him—about his whole family, really—that I’ve always appreciated.

Even after everything happened with my parents—when everyone else in this town turned their back on me—the Sterlings treated me like family up until I left for good when their youngest son shattered my heart.

He nods and lets out a contented sound that’s somewhere between a grumble and a hum. “What’s your plan next? I assume you weren’t on your way here when you broke down.”

I snort a laugh. He’s more spot on than I think he realizes, but who really knows what’s going on in that head of his.

One thing’s for sure—I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. I still plan on meeting Grace in a month, but outside of that, this is what I love about my life. For the most part, I go where I want, when I want. I look at my van sitting in the old garage, thinking back on the past twenty-four hours.

“I’m supposed to meet my friend for a music festival. I think you met her? Grace? At Sisi’s wedding… or… I mean—” Shit. I stop myself, unsure how safe of a topic that is.

Sisi might have put on a brave face this morning, but I’m sure they were all beyond upset and still might be. They were always so protective of their youngest child and only daughter.

He makes that same contented grumble again. “Relax, Josie. We don’t have to dance around that. And you’re right, I did meet Grace. I’m not surprised in the least that you two are friends.”

“Yep, we’ve been close for years. After the music festival though, I really don’t know where I’m heading next. I just know that I don’t want to run into a bear again.”

“You ran into a bear?” A surly, deep voice from behind me nearly makes me jump out of my skin. Eddie and I both turn to see Sly standing behind us, outside the open garage door.

“Shit, Sly. How the hell is someone your size so damn quiet? You almost gave your old man a heart attack,” Eddie says, clutching his chest.

“Whatever, you’re still here,” Sly chirps back. He tips his head back, looking at me. “I still want to know about the bear.”