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“Jolene, this is my cousin, Liam. Liam, this is Jolene.”
I held out a hand, then remembered touching wasn’t recommended. “This is going to take some getting used to.” I lowered my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Jolene. Take care of my cousin here.”
She grinned. “I’ll do my best, and nice to meet you too.”
“Well, I best be getting on,” I said, repeating her word ‘best’.
“Where are you heading?” Jolene asked.
“New York.”
“Best of luck,” Grant said, with the emphasis on ‘best’. “Make sure you keep me updated with what’s going on. You know your mother is going to be on my ass about where you are.”
He knew me well enough to know I hadn’t told her what I was up to. We both knew she would talk me out of it.
“I will. You two stay safe.” I gave him a knowing look while he stared back in warning. “Though I have to say, not much to do up here.” I glanced at them. “But I’m sure you guys can figure out some way to pass the time,” I teased.
“Bye, Liam,” Grant said as I laughed and hauled myself back into my truck.
I made it almost to the Maryland border when I decided to stop and grab a bite to eat at the last rest stop before crossing into Delaware. A bus pulled in at the same time.
When I reached the entrance, I held the door open for the woman behind me. If I’d though Grant’s Jo was hot, this woman topped her.
She smiled and said, “Thank you.”
I managed a, “You’re welcome,” before I swallowed my tongue. I caught myself watching her ass and had to glance away because there was someone else I should be thinking about.
There were two people I wanted to see in New York and one of them was my ex. We’d been a thing while growing up and though I hadn’t seen her in four years, it felt like my duty to see if that spark was still there.
I grabbed my food and left. The same woman I met at the entrance was on her way out too. This time she held the door for me.
“Uh, thanks,” I said. It hadn’t come out right, but she was just that attractive. It was hard not to notice.
“What’s wrong? A woman can’t hold the door for you?”
“Uh, no. It’s just—” What was it exactly? I shouldn’t have been tongue tied given my plans when I reached the city, but I was.
She didn’t wait for me to finish. She just rolled her beautiful eyes and walked off. Fuck my life. The view was perfect going and coming.
“No ‘you’re welcome’?” I called after her in amusement because I couldn’t let it go. I wanted to hear her speak again.
She didn’t stop. She just glanced over her shoulder to roll her eyes again before joining the line to board the bus. At least she hadn’t given me the finger.
I shook off our encounter because she wasn’t the only beautiful woman in the world…
I got in my truck and continued up Interstate 95. Hours later, when I crossed into New York, I dialed a number I hadn’t deleted from my contacts four years ago. I had no idea if it would work.
“Liam.” The voice was as soft and sweet as I remembered.
“I’m in town and wanted to see you if you’re not busy. I know there’s the quarantine.”
“Here in New York?”
Since she was on the phone, I was forced to say, “Yes.”
“It’s fine. You can come over. I’ll text you my address.”
We ended the call, and she did as she said. I tapped the address in the text and a map came up. I hit the directions icon and let the navigation led me to her place. Street parking was nonexistent, but luck was on my side. Someone pulled out of a spot on the other side of the street. I wasn’t sure if it was legal or not, but I swooped around in time to snag it.
Inside, the building had a doorman and I had to be called up. After I’d been given the all clear, I took the elevator up and went straight to her door. There wasn’t time to prepare myself for this reunion. This was it.
I barely knocked when the door was opened.
Carrie had been a stunner in high school. Time had only improved things. She wasn’t that innocent girl I’d deflowered in the back of my truck in a field on a Friday night after a football game. She was all woman and wore a robe that was open enough to reveal her sexy bra. Things were looking up as I forced the woman from the rest stop out of my head.
“Come in,” Carrie invited, opening the door wide enough for me to enter. The apartment was small but cozy. Before I could sit on the sofa, she said, “I need to tell you something.”
