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“Yeah. We’ve tried for months. He won’t even show us the blueprints.”
Maverick and Parker stray off into a conversation about business while my mind is still stuck on my ex. I thought he was exactly the same, but clearly, I was wrong. Something is different about him, and even though I shouldn’t care what it is – I can’t let it go.
Since the two men are distracted, I excuse myself and go into the kitchen, watching the door swing closed behind me. I lean forward and grip the edge of the edge of the sink. The cool ceramic feels good against my skin.
“Breathe, McKenna. Just breathe.” I whisper softly.
“Still talking to yourself, I see.”
My body jolts upright and spins around to see Colton standing in the doorway that leads to the dining room. I place my hand over my chest and mentally beg for my heartbeat to slow.
“Christ. You scared me.”
He grins apologetically, leaning his back against the fridge and messing with something on his thumb nail. It should be awkward and uncomfortable, being as neither of us are saying anything, but it’s not. It feels just as natural as it always has and I hate that.
Just when I’m about to walk out the door, he opens his mouth once again.
“You didn’t tell him about me.”
I stop dead in my tracks. I hadn’t expected him to bring up anything about our past. After all, he was the one who wanted to end it and I was left to deal with the aftermath. Memories of the times we shared together start to play through my head.
“What are you doing?!” I ask as he sneaks into my bedroom. “Maverick is going to wonder where you went.”
He chuckles. “He’s out cold. If he wakes up at all before 10 AM, I’ll be shocked.”
I’m about to argue it further but he doesn’t give me a chance. Before I can say another word, his mouth is on mine – wiping every thought on my mind clean so the only thing I can focus on is the soft feel of his lips.
“I missed you.” He places his forehead against mine.
There they are again, the butterflies that come anytime he acts like what we have is more than a secret love affair; something that doesn’t only exist in our own little world. I melt in his arms and allow myself to believe every word he says.
“I missed you, too. How was the party?”
“It was like any other party. There was drinking and loud music. Your brother got wasted and I had to call a taxi to bring us home.”
“Did you hook up with anyone?” The words slip out before I even have a chance to stop them. I know I’ve made a mistake the second I feel his body tense.
He sighs and takes a step back. “You know what, I’m actually really tired. I think I’m just going to crash.”
“Colton, wait. I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m sorry.”
Unfortunately, my words do nothing. He gives me a sad smile and places one last kiss to the top of my head. “Goodnight, McKenna.”
Like so many times before, he slips out the door and down the hallway – and like every other time, I beat myself up for thinking this will ever be anything but a good time to him.
Looking at him now, he’s a little less confident than I remember, but he’s still the same Colton. He’s still the guy I spilt more tears over than I’d like to admit; the one who would get my hopes up only to make them come crashing back down. It would do me a lot of good to remember that.
“There was nothing to tell.” I lie, leaving before I can see his reaction to my words.
3
The pavement rushes by beneath my feet as I try to control my labored breathing. Crisp morning air blows softly against my skin. While I was at NYU, running was essentially limited to treadmills. In a city that’s crowded with people, it’s difficult to keep a good pace without trampling over someone. Here, however, it’s perfect. The breeze that’s coming off the shore does just enough to keep me from becoming overheated, and the sight of the sun glistening on the water is striking.
I come to a stop right in front of the docks. It’s a place I remember well. My dad used to have a boat in one of these slips, which meant every night of the summer was spent down here. I can still picture Maverick and I pulling up the crab traps we left. We never caught much but that didn’t dull our excitement to check them every time we arrived.
My phone vibrating in my hand pulls me from my nostalgia. The number that flashes across the screen is local, yet not one I recognize. Curiously, I swipe to answer and put it to my ear.
“Hello?”
