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“I think that’s the right attitude. And, besides, if you need extra storage for your tools or whatever, I have an empty shed you could use. My place is closer, so it would save you a lot of driving back and forth.”
That makes her pause, frown, and then fidget with her measuring tape.
“Okay, why did that trip you up?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I think I’m about done here, so you can take off if you want. Thanks for your help. You made it go a lot faster than if I was by myself.”
“Juniper.”
“I’m going to check on something in that back room before I lock up. Thanks again for dinner.”
She waves and takes off for the door, and I hurry after her, take her hand, and pull her around to face me.
“You don’t need to be jumpy around me.”
“Earlier I was bitchy, and now I’m jumpy. Make up your mind.”
“You can swipe at me all you want, but I’m not leaving until you tell me what just set you off.”
Her green eyes are blazing as she looks up at me.
“You’re not the boss of me, Apollo Winchester, and if buying me dinner makes you think otherwise, I’ll go fish fifty bucks out of that tiny excuse of a purse that Sarah made me carry.” Her words are full of venom, but then she swallows hard and her eyes soften, as if she’s sorry for what she just said.
“Why does it piss you off so much when I’m nice to you?”
“Because you’renotnice.” She plants her hands on my chest and pushes, so I step away. “You’re not nice to me, and I don’t want you to be nice now, only for me to get used to it and then have you turn back into the jerk.”
“Wait.” I rake a hand through my hair in agitation. I want to kiss the hell out of her and shake her at the same time. “I’m not a jerk, and I think most people who know me would tell you that Iama decent guy.”
“They don’t really know you,” she whispers, and I narrow my eyes on her.
“What in the world, Juniper? I don’t even knowwhyyou don’t like me. I don’t understand why I’m the butt of your jokes or why you always pick little fights with me. Even when we’re with our friends, you smirk, you poke, and you’re just—”
“Bitchy,” she finishes for me.
“Sometimes,” I confirm. “Why? What did I do? Where does all of this come from?”
“You weresomean to me.” Her voice is rising now as she starts to pace the few feet between me and the door to the future mudroom. “I was just a kid, and sure, I had a stupid preteen crush on you, but youlaughedat me, and in front of your friends, you were like,‘Why would I be interested in a carrottop like you, kid?’”
“I never said that to you.” But, as soon as the words leave my mouth, I remember the moment she’s talking about, and shame washes over me.
“Oh, you did. Yes, you absolutely did. As an adult, I can shake it off and even chalk it up to kids being kids, since most kids are pretty awful, but I was so heartbroken and so fuckingembarrassedbecause you all laughed, and I had enough issues about my hair at the time.It almostruined my friendship with Luna because the thought of seeing you on a regular basis filled me with so much anxiety that I didn’t think I could pull it off. But I love Luna and Sarah, and I wasn’t willing to stop being friends with them, so if that meant that I had to endure time aroundyou, then so be it. It didn’t mean I ever had to be nice to you, though, because you didn’t deserve it.”
“I’m sorry, Juniper.” I swallow hard, filled with shame. “I do remember that day, and wewerehorrible to you.”
“Save it.” She shakes her head and turns back to the door. “Let’s consider the truce over, so there is no need to fuck or be nice to each other. Let’s just leave it be.”
“No.”
I turn her to me again, ready to duck out of the way in case she takes a swing at me, but she doesn’t.
Instead, I’m shocked to see that she has tears in her beautiful green eyes.
“Juniper.” My voice is soft as I drag my fingers down her cheek. “Honey, I swear to you that I’m so sorry foreverhurting you.I was a foolish, selfish, prick of a teenager, who thought he was being cool in front of his so-called friends.”
“Yeah, you were,” she whispers, closing her eyes, and those tears splash onto her cheeks, effectively breaking my heart.
“If I could change it, I swear I would, but I can’t. I can only apologize again. Juniper, I’m completelyobsessedwith your hair. God, it’s gorgeous and feels like heaven in my hands. There isn’t anything about you that I would change, and that’s the God’s honest truth. Look, I’m swearing it while Jesus himself watches, so you know it has to be true.”
