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“Ben, from the hardware store.”
“No, not at all. Why would you think that?”
Drake’s shoulders relax, and his eyes soften. “Ben was always the most popular kid in school. All the guys wanted to be him, and the girls wanted to date him…including my girl.”
“What? No!”
“Yes.” Drake grabs my gloves and puts them on me while he continues to talk. “He even married her, although I think they’re divorced now.”
“They are,” I confirm. “Were you jealous? Is that why you looked grumpy when you called out to me?”
“I was absolutely jealous,” he says, closing what little distance there is between us. He strokes the back of his fingers down my cheek. “I’ve never been more jealous than I was when I walked in and saw you talking to Ben.”
“Not even when your ex married him?”
Drake shakes his head. “Not even.”
“Hmmm,” I hum. “And here I thought you’d forgotten all about me this week.”
“I could never forget about you. Trust me, I’ve tried.”
I pout and Drake smooths his thumb over the wrinkle in my brow.
“I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I just meant I’ve tried to stop lusting after you every time I look at you. My self-control is hanging on by a thread here lately, and I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you.”
“I’m not sure I’d stop you.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t called or texted you this week. Work has been crazy.”
“You don’t have to apologize, and you don’t owe me an explanation.”
“I know I don’t, but I want to give it to you anyway. Every time I got the chance to message you, it was well after midnight, and I didn’t want to wake you up. I kept telling myself I’d talk to you the next day at work, but then our paths never crossed or the day got away from me, and it was a vicious cycle.”
“Drake.” I take his hand in mine. “You don’t have to explain. You forget that I have parents who are just as dedicated as you. I’m used to it. I promise it’s okay.”
“I’m not your parents.”
“I know you’re not.”
“Do you?”
When I don’t immediately answer, Drake closes his eyes as though he’s trying to visualize what he wants to say. When he reopens them, they’re filled with so much hope and longing that it nearly brings me to my knees.
“I keep trying to remind myself that you’re leaving…that no matter how much I want something between us, I can’t have it.”
I want to tell him I don’t have to leave and we can have whatever this is between us, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet. So instead, I cup his cheek in my hand.
“Let’s not talk about this right now, okay? Right now, I just want to have fun. I want you to take me sledding.”
“Is Tom taking Bethany out on a date?” He smiles crookedly, but it looks forced, and I hate it.
“No.” I shake my head. “Today we’re Drake and Abby, and this is whatever we want it to be.”
Chapter 8
Drake
“Today we’re Drake and Abby, and this is whatever we want it to be.”
