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He keeps it in such good condition. But I guess when you own a house this expensive, you can upgrade whenever you want. Have any problems fixed without waiting to save multiple paychecks.

I wonder what that’s like.

With this new job, I have more money than from the bar. And the house I rent is better than anything I could have dreamed of. I just wish I could own a place like this.

We step into a room with cinema seats and a wall with the credits of the movie takes up a whole side. My mouth parts in awe.

“You have a projector?”

He gives me a smile. “Yeah, why?”

“Nothing.”

Nothing at all.

“It seriously is the best. I don’t think I could go back to watching a movie on a regular TV now. It’s not a vibe.”

I get that it would be hard to go backward after this type of lifestyle.

Aria sits down in one chair, and Marc sits beside her. “Come here.” He pats the chair beside him, his eyes trained on mine.

The giddy excitement is back. But I also can’t help but wonder if Aria thinks anything about it.

“Where do you want these?” I ask, peering around for a table or something.

“Hang on a sec,Bel—” He stops mid-talk when he starts to say my nickname, saving himself at the last moment.

He clears his throat and walks out to grab a low table, placing it down. Then he takes the bowls from my hand, brushing mine. It’s brief and the soft way he touched me made me wonder if it was on purpose. It was nice and warm, and it triggers my memory of the way he held me.

How nice would it be to fall asleep and wake up with him holding me again?

Being here tonight made accepting a kid easier, which would help matters. But it’s still early, so let’s see how the night unfolds.

“Are you ready for the greatest movie?” Aria asks me.

I look over, and she’s leaning forward, looking at me.

I smile and say, “Yeah, I can’t wait.”

“Oh, the popcorn. I’ll grab it. Hold on, I’ll be one minute.”

He rushes out, leaving me and her alone. And the nerves return. I wet my lips and press them together as we stay silent and, thankfully, Marc is back quickly. I slump back into the chair, and the tension releases from my body.

The movie plays, and I really enjoy it. When it ends, I stretch out and yawn. These chairs are so comfortable, I could have slept, but the movie was surprisingly entertaining.

“What did you think?” Aria asks, leaning in and wearing an eager smile.

If I didn’t like it, I would have a hard time telling her, because the cute way she is beaming at me, I couldn’t break her heart. Lucky for both of us, I did. I nod and smile back. “It was good. I really liked it.”

“There is more. So you will have to come back forCatching Fire,” she says, licking her lips.

I flinch a little. Come back? Something I joked about in the kitchen earlier with Marc, but it’s brought up again. With her head nodding rapidly, I find myself unable to say no. It’s not that I don’t want to come back; I’m still overwhelmed with getting to know her. She was kind and sweet, and I should have expected that because of who her father is, but I still did worry deep down that it wasn’t going to work out. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Every time I get my hopes up, I get crushed. Having low expectations or none at all prevents the pain.

Her little mouth opens into a loud yawn, and I know it’s my cue to leave.

“That sounds like a deal. But I better get going.”

“How did you get here?” Marc asks.


Tags: Sharon Woods Romance