Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
I now had their undivided attention.
“We’re not the ones sleeping with him every night,” Chick pointed out. “Are you noticing anything off about him, August?”
When Bernie sent me a worried look, I pushed aside the rest of my quesadilla in favor of my glass. “He’s avoiding me again.”
Chick shook his head. “I know you’ve both been busy for the last two weeks, but from what I can see, he spends every night and most of the day with you. He just spent the weekend under your sink, fixing your plumbing. How is he avoiding you?”
I sighed. “It’s going to sound clingy, because yes, he’s always around, but he’s been different. Maybe avoiding is the wrong word. He leaves me sweet notes in the morning and answers all my texts. He fixes my plumbing and he…” I glanced at Bernie as a blush crept into my cheeks. “We’re still having sex. But he’s holding something back. And we aren’t talking.”
We hadn’t laughed together all week. The absence was a neon warning sign, and my stomach was constantly in knots about it.
“Something is wrong with him,” I insisted, sagging in my seat. It had started the day of the Lemons meeting. Even though he said everything was fine, things hadn’t really been the same since. “Maybe he’s rethinking moving into the house Morgan found and he doesn’t know how to tell me.”
Bernie coughed and sent Chick an apologetic look. “Maybe he thinks you’re leaving soon, and he’s trying not to get too attached.”
“She’s probably right. Men,” Chick grumbled as he hacked off another bite of his steak. “I told him to talk to you, so he avoids talking to you. Because that makes sense.”
I straightened. “What did you tell him to talk to me about? And when?”
“After I shared the voice message. He was brooding about you keeping him out of the loop. He didn’t know about the theme. He didn’t know about the message. I imagine he would have been on your side about the race a lot sooner if he had.” Chick was watching me closely as he added, “I also imagine he’s thinking that means you aren’t as invested in what you two are up to as he is.”
I stifled a gasp of indignation. “I’m invested.”
They gave me matching Oh, really? looks.
“I am! I’m not making any decisions right now because I’m living in the moment. That’s all.” Why was it starting to sound like an excuse? “Anyway, I told him the day he moved in I was planning on leaving. Why is he acting differently now?”
“My brother is not a temporary fling kind of guy,” Bernie said, her expression serious. “I’m not saying he hasn’t had a few civilized one-night stands, because he’s human and has needs. But affairs with looming expiration dates he has no control over? This is his first. And because it’s you, it’s more complicated in more ways than one. I imagine it’s screwing with his head a little. Maybe he’s trying to give you space to decide if you want more from him.”
I’d never been a temporary fling girl either. But I’d been clinging to my stay-in-the-present mantra since he showed up at my door, too afraid that if I let myself think about what came next, this amazing moment would disappear.
In the present, I was starting to feel like myself again. I hung out with friends. I wrote and finished books. Merlin was finally warming up to me, and the full house didn’t feel as much like a spirit-draining abyss. I had great sex and slept better than I had in years with someone beside me. With Wade beside me.
In the present, thinking about leaving didn’t have the same appeal anymore, but staying felt almost as risky. What if things didn’t work out? Could I take another loss? Now, when I’d barely gotten back on my feet?
“Do you want more from him, August?” Chick asked.
“You and I have plans,” I started. He’d been so excited about being roommates again. So had I. I’d told him I was in.
He reached out to squeeze my hand. “If that’s what you want, I’m still all for it.” When Bernie narrowed her gaze on him, he shrugged. “August comes first. Always.”
He looked back at me. “I know the offer sounded great when it didn’t look like you had any reason to stay. But it seems like that might have changed recently. Or am I wrong?”
He knew he wasn’t.
“You don’t have to decide your entire future over lunch,” he finally said, letting me off the hook, “but maybe you could throw the poor man a bone until you do.”
“How do I do that? I already said he could bring that puppy home from the garage if no one adopted her.” I’d even taken to having talks with Merlin about the possibility, and how he wasn’t allowed to eat the new baby.