RYE
“You have...”
Jessica keeps talking, rattling off my schedule, but those are the only two words that break through. My mind is only on one thing. I’ve never slept so damn good as I did last night.
No doubt it was from the exhausting evening. It had to be. I refuse to believe I slept so well because Brin was in my arms. But damn she looks sweet when she sleeps.
I wasn’t going to get up with her. I knew I’d end up in the shower with her and doing things that would only complicate our lives, but I wanted to play. She always makes me smile when she gets that fake angry hissing tone. She loves our war.
“And Tag Masters is here to see you,” Jessica says, somehow managing to make me hear her again.
I turn in my chair and frown. Why’s he here?
He walks in, and Jessica’s eyes roam over his body. Nice to see she’s recovering from my rejection so quickly.
Tag, of course, doesn’t acknowledge her. He sits down in front of me, and she pouts on her way out. That girl is going to develop a complex working here.
“What?” I grumble.
“Rain’s surprise party is tonight. I just wanted to know if you want Leah to meet you there. She’s called me like ten times, wondering if I’ve talked to you since the night you left her stranded. Ash is going to kill her if she doesn’t stop calling my cell phone. Apparently she’s very jealous while pregnant. I’m still learning all this stuff. She’s never really been jealous before because she knows without a doubt that I’d never do anything.”
I walked out on Leah after kissing Brin, and she wants a date with me? Again?
“No thanks. I prefer girls with self-respect.”
I can’t tell him about Brin. I don’t know what to say or how to explain it. At this moment, I don’t even know what’s going on. But she’ll ask. She’ll ask soon, and it’ll be the end of us when I don’t have the answer she wants.
“Hello?” Tag says, waving his hand in front of my face as though he’s been talking and I’ve been ignoring him.
I clear my throat and try to give him my attention. “I asked if you were still pissed at me or something.”
I’m not pissed at him. I’m pissed at me for being such a little bitch.
“No. I’m coming to the party, but I’ll bring my own date. No more setups.”
He frowns and nods. “Fine. I’ll see you there. I need to grab some sort of present. What the hell do you buy a girl like Rain?”
I give him an incredulous look. “And you think I know?”
He shrugs and turns to walk out. I’ve lived in Sterling Shore my whole life, but there’s one place I’ve never visited—the museum. They don’t need me here. I’m no good to them while I’m distracted.
I need to go speak to Brin. Maybe today things will be different and I won’t feel like I have to have her close to me.
Then again, I am going to the fucking museum to see her, so maybe my shit has just gotten worse.
***
BRIN
“Make sure that is packaged properly. If it arrives at the owner’s home with even one scratch, I can promise you that you won’t be buying your kids a Christmas present this year,” I say mildly to the men who start taking much better care of the
artifacts they are packing up.
Ash is still standing beside me, pouting as she awaits my answer.
“No. I don’t want you setting me up. Ever. Again.”
I turn and start walking toward the next few crates, taking inventory and making sure everything is here.