Page 50 of Unexpectedly Yours


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“So, he covered for you?”

Josh still had her hand, but now he was leaning in and resting his head against hers. “It was more than that. He listened. He listened to a drunk, babbling kid and he didn’t get me in trouble. He cared.”

“Was something wrong?” The Campbell kids didn’t exactly have a warm, nurturing upbringing.

“It was typical shit. My family was a mess. My father was a tyrant. My grades were tanking. Basically, I got senioritis as a junior. Your dad made a deal with me. He’d keep the incident between us, but I had to get my grades back on track. He made sure I did.”

“That’s when you started hanging out with him?”

“Uh-huh. It was good. He helped me a lot. He knew what a bad scene it was at the house. The whole staff did. Thank God for it because it saved me, Jason and Grace.” He paused and Caroline felt so sad for everything he’d had to go through. No child should ever have to worry about talking to his own parents. “I miss him,” Josh said, his voice thick.

“I was so angry when he died,” Caroline said. “I felt cheated.”

Josh leaned in and kissed the top of her head just like he always did, but this one felt different, like there was more invested in it. “You were cheated. You were.”

10

Caroline wondered whose life she’d hijacked.

She’d just had the most amazing three hours with Josh. They’d swapped stories and ate and now they were walking back to her apartment with two icing-heavy cupcakes from a local bakery that kept late hours on the weekend.

It was the most date-like non-date she’d ever been on. Inwardly, Caroline gave herself a high five. It was nice to know her instincts about Josh were right all along. The man was a definite keeper. Of course, he’d have to want an actual relationship, which according to him, he didn’t. A total suckfest to be sure, but Caroline had decided she was going to take his advice to heart.

When he took her hand as they crossed the street, Caroline tingled from head to toe. It was almost instinctive the way his large, warm hand circled hers. Surprisingly, he didn’t let go when they safely made their way across Ninth Avenue. He kept hold, their fingers winding together, as she fell a little more in love with him.

Which she knew could end really badly, but for once she wasn’t going to overthink this. She was going to go with her gut and see what happened.

“I feel bad you got all dressed up and we ended up having diner food.”

“Don’t. I was very content with the mac and cheese and I liked that we were able to talk.”

He turned his eyes in her direction and the corner of his mouth ticked up. “Me too.”

They continued in silence and thought about his idea to get cupcakes to take to her place. He wanted to spend time with her, but something was still holding him back. Something was keeping him from going all-in.

Her building came into sight and Josh loosened his grip, knowing she’d have to get her keys out of her bag. She reached in, feeling around, and emerged with the set that reflected her life. Two keys for work. Two keys for home. One key each for her mom and sister’s places.Work, home, family. That was Caroline in a nutshell.

Once she had the fob in her hand, he took the keys and opened the door. God, he had great manners. That alone could make a woman swoon.

“You seem unhappy,” he said. “Is anything wrong?”

“I guess I feel guilty. You’re always doing things for me...” Her apartment was on the second floor, and she stopped on the first landing and faced him. He was one step behind her and the height of the step and her high heels brought them eye to eye. “I wish…”

“You need to stop beating yourself up. You’re a good friend, Caroline. You do a lot for me. Like tonight. I can’t tell anyone else the things I tell you. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

“I’m glad. Things started out so weird between us. I’m happy we’re okay.”

“We’re very okay. And weird isn’t always bad.” He grinned and Caroline felt her knees wobble. They actually wobbled. What this man did to her was indecent. When they got to her door he did the same thing he did before, unlocking and then opening her door, but then he handed her the cupcakes when she stepped over the threshold.

He didn’t come in.

“Why are you standing there?”

“I think I should take off. You and Tessa can share the cupcakes.”

He wasn’t going to make this easy, was he? She looked down because it was the only way to avoid his eyes. But Caroline couldn’t be a coward. Tilting her head back, she locked eyes with him and the tremor struck. It was tiny, just a little wave of emotion that made everything in her react. That’s when she saw she was in real trouble. This was beyond anything she’d felt for him in the past. This feeling was a connection that went so deep, it terrified her.

It was amazing.

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