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I take my time driving by the house and pull in to take a few pictures on my phone. Life is changing, and I’m excited about it. I just hope this house isn’t the only change coming soon. I hope my relationship status changes as well.
Chapter 21
Aspen
All day long, I’ve racked my brain, trying to come up with an excuse not to go to Sunday dinner at Lena and Stanley Riggins’s house this evening. The only excuses I could come up with are lies, and that’s not me. So, here I am, standing in front of my closet, looking for something to wear. I don’t want to look frumpy, and well, I don’t want it to look like I tried too hard either. However, I need to choose something soon, or I’m going to be late.
It’s February in Tennessee, so I can’t go wrong with black leggings and a long steel-gray sweater. I’ll wear my black Sperry boots and call it good. My hair is in loose curls falling over my shoulders, and my makeup is light.
Making sure I have my phone and keys, I head to the bakery before leaving. I need to grab the box of leftover goodies from yesterday. I hate tossing them, and I know the guys love everything we have to offer. I figure it’s as good a place as any to take them. I sent Gloria and McKenzie home with a box as well. Anything leftover on Saturdays is donated. We usually drop off boxes to local businesses, hotels, nursing homes, bars, and the boxes are always labeled with the Warm Delights logo. It’s a good form of marketing, and I really do feel like we’ve gained a lot of exposure and business from it. However, this week, it’s the staff who got the treats. I had planned to drop some boxes off today, but when Lena called, and I knew I couldn’t get out of it, I combined them all in one.
The traffic this evening is light, so I get to the Riggins’s in record time. However, from the cars in the driveway, I’m the last to arrive. Climbing out of my car, I grab my phone and then reach into the back seat to retrieve the box of goodies.
“Hey, babe, let me help with that.” Conrad takes the box from my hands. “I have been waiting to lay eyes on you all weekend,” he says, grinning. “Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”
I follow him inside and stop at the foyer to take off my boots and coat. By the time I’m sliding off my last boot, he’s back and pulling me into a hug. “I missed you.”
“Conrad, you saw me yesterday.”
Pulling out of the hug, he laces his fingers through mine and pulls me down the hall and into the laundry room. “That was at the bakery. It’s been over a week since I’ve held you.”
“Conrad, we’re not together.” I say the words, but I don’t want them to be true.
“We are. You just haven’t admitted it yet. Come here.” He pulls me back into his arms, and I’m too weak to resist him. I let him hug me tightly and end up wrapping my arms around him in return. As soon as I do, he exhales and squeezes me a little tighter.
His warmth wraps around me, and it brings tears to my eyes. I’ve missed him more than I was willing to admit to myself. It’s been a week, and here I am, hidden in his parents’ laundry room, stealing hugs.
“Come on before they notice we’re missing.”
I hate that my heart sinks. I hate that I’m questioning if he’s hiding for my benefit or for his. I hate that I won’t take the risk of getting my heart smashed beyond repair to be with him. After watching what Aurora went through with her ex, I promised myself I wouldn’t settle. That I would hold out for a man who loved me. I want more than anything for Conrad to be that man. The problem is I’m too afraid to find out.
With his hand on the small of my back, Conrad leads me out of the laundry room, and we make our way to the kitchen. Just before we reach the door, he drops his hand, and I miss his touch. I miss the warmth of his touch and the comfort that it brings me.
“There she is.” Marshall cheers when we walk into the room.
“Hey.” I wave and offer him a smile.
“Thanks for these.” Stanley holds up a cookie from where he stands at the counter in front of the Warm Delights box.
“You’re welcome.”
“Everyone grab a plate. It’s ready,” Lena says, pulling the last of three large pans of baked spaghetti out of the oven.
I turn my head to find Conrad watching me. He shrugs, and I can’t help but wonder if he requested his mom make baked spaghetti. The same meal we had the first night in the cabin. Was that really just a week ago? It feels as if a lifetime has passed.
