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“Should I be worried?” I ask, moving my thumb to drag across her bottom lip.
“Most definitely,” she says as she pulls free and steps back.
22
CORA
Four days have passed without me seeing Briggs. It’s crazy how that happens. You would think that since we live next door to each other, we’d bump into each other, like maybe on the road, but we don’t. I took the cupcakes to Avery, which she devoured, and then I spent the night. We got caught up on working on new music since Ash was gone. She loved what I’ve come up with and have been creating. Toss in that the leaves have changed even more, and Briggs is super busy at the orchard, too. People seem to arrive at all times of the day to either pick apples or taste his ciders. I hear them up there, so I haven’t ventured up. I don’t want to disturb him.
Just thinking of him has me glancing his way. To save time, we took the family plane late this morning, and by the time we arrived in New York City, I had already slipped into my dress, and we were ready to go. Unbeknownst to us, my black dress matched perfectly with Briggs, as he’s wrapped in a black suit with a black shirt and tie. I’ve had to swallow my tongue to keep it from rolling out of my mouth.
Guys in the city dress city. Unless they are working out, their wardrobe is pretty much always the same. Guys who are musicians, it’s the same thing. I hate to stereotype, but clothes typically match the people. But with Briggs, he wears all kinds of styles. I’ve seen him in loungewear, workout wear, orchard professional clothes, working the mountain clothes, and dress clothes. I like that he doesn’t fit in one box, just like I don’t feel like I fit in one particular box. I like it a lot.
After my parents’ party, our driver will take us back to my condo, where we’ll spend the night. I’m already thinking about it because I know Briggs well enough to know he won’t sleep in the guest bedroom. He’ll climb right into my bed, just like last time.
Only last time we weren’t at the place where we are now. Now, it seems we have crossed the line into more, and the possibilities are endless.
“I know I told you earlier, but just so you don’t forget, you look beautiful tonight,” Briggs says from beside me.
“Thank you. I don’t hate that suit on you either,” I tell him, taking in the way the shoulders are cut and how the pants are smooth across his thighs. His legs are long and spread a little wide to accommodate our space in the back seat, and I just admire how good he looks. Good from head to shined shoes good.
One corner of his mouth tips up, and my gaze is drawn to his mouth. He’s shaved again, showing off his perfect jawline, and his pink lips look even more delicious than usual. I know at some point tonight he will most likely kiss me. After the other day, I feel certain in my bones that it’s inevitable, and the anticipation is painful. I should have kissed him the moment he climbed into the car back in North Carolina just to get it out of the way. Having his lips back on mine is all I can think about.
Does he think about me too?
“This is the second time you’ve worn a black dress. Is that your color?”
I look down and run my hand over the long skirt to smooth any wrinkles. “Don’t you know, Neiman Marcus once said, ‘Women who wear black lead colorful lives,’ and I happen to agree.”
His eyes connect with mine, and there’s a heat in them that I might have seen glimpses of before but never like this. He likes my answer, and something heavy swirls in my stomach.
“Black definitely suits you.”
At this, his hand slides across the seat between us and covers mine. He turns to look out the window like this isn’t a big deal, but to me, it really is. I never hold hands with people. In fact, I’ve never been much of a touchy person. I didn’t grow up getting hugs, kisses, or high fives, and outside of Avery and Emma, affection isn’t something I’m familiar with.
Is he a touchy-feely person? Is touch a love language for him? For as much as I know of him, there’s still twice as much that I don’t.
City blocks pass as we sit in silence. Neighborhoods that I’m familiar with flash by, and instead of reminiscing about moments of my life, I almost overtly obsess about the man next to me. The man who was at one point my enemy but has now seemed to have become my friend.
I know this trip is just a quick twenty-four hours, but travel can be exhausting, and he didn’t have to come. He could have backed out, and I would have said okay.
As we pull up to the restaurant, I see Emma and Clay waiting just outside the door. My heart leaps at the sight of her, but then again, I could spot her anywhere as she’s wearing her signature color, purple. Her dress cuts off just below her knees, she’s wearing four-inch heels, and Clay looks as sharp as ever, standing next to her in a charcoal-colored suit.
It’s been over three months since I’ve seen Emma. That’s the longest we’ve gone in years, and tears spring to my eyes. I didn’t realize how much I needed to see her, but as we come to a stop and I throw open the door, not waiting for the driver, all I can think about is wrapping her in my arms and breathing her in.
“I can’t believe you’re in New York! I’ve missed you so much,” Emma all but shouts as she returns my hug and squeezes me to death. Her enthusiasm matches mine, and I think we must look strange from the outside. She’s so petite, and I’m so tall, but I don’t care. I love her.
“You know I blame you for this, well, you and Avery. You somehow bewitch me into buying a mountain place, and then you leave.”
She laughs and pulls back to look me over.
“There’s something about that place, isn’t there?” Her eyes cut to Briggs and then back to me. At this, her smile grows even larger. She’s thrilled that he came with me, and I know she’s dying to hear any details I want to share, which I don’t. Not yet. It’s hard to talk about, especially when I’m not really sure what is going on.
I laugh. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“Hey, m-m-man. It’s nice to see you,” Clay says, and I glance over to see him shaking hands with Briggs.
“You too,” he says, and seeing the two of them standing together makes my heart feel so full. I didn’t think about whether Briggs would get along with Ash and Clay, but deep down, I hope he does.
