Page 35 of Tell Me Again

But there’s gotta be a reason, and that reason is really none of my business. Probably. I mean, it’s probably none of my business.

He slows down again and then turns and pulls into a parking spot right at the front of the diner.

“Five twenty-eight. Two minutes early,” he declares, grinning at me with a sort of fake cheerfulness.

“Heh, yeah. Uh . . .”

Fuck. I’m torn. I could be on time and not lose my job but only be able to offer him another simple “thanks” for saving my ass. Or I could maybe stick around for a few minutes and see if he might want to talk about whatever’s bothering him.

I don’t really get a chance to decide, though, since my phone chooses that second to ring. Loudly.

“Ah, shit, sorry, um...” I pull the phone out of my pocket and groan. “It’s Mel. I’d better, um—I mean, I gotta go.”

I silence the call and glance back over at him, and he’s watching me now, all the tension gone from his eyes. All the negative tension, that is. There’s still something else there—something that somehow feels all fucking warm and hopeful. He gives me a small nod.

“Just call or text and let me know if you need a ride home later,” he says. And oh, his voice is warmer and deeper, and his smile’s different. Fuck, what—what happened just now that changed it? Why’s it so obvious and different and... god, so sexy?

“Right, yeah. Thanks again, man. You’re a lifesaver. Really.”

He smiles again, and I can’t help as my eyes find his lips. And I can’t help as my heart stutters and my fingers itch to reach out and touch his cheek. But shit, I have to go, and...

The phone rings again. I let out a sharp breath, force a quick smile and nod, and then climb back out of the car and give him the fucking most awkward little wave ever before spinning around and jogging toward the diner.

Five thirty on the dot. Totally fucking on time.

But I doubt that’s gonna matter since there’s no way I’m gonna be able to focus with the way my whole body seems to be buzzing and warm and tingling. Ah, dammit, Josh.

I glance over my shoulder as I reach the door, hit by some strange urge to see him one more time. And the look on his face as he watches me both doesn’t make sense and sends another jolt through me.

I manage to wave again. And it’s stilted and awkward. Again. But it makes him smile, and so it’s totally worth all the awkward I can manage.

Chapter Fourteen

Josh

God, I’m not even sure what’s happening to me this morning. It’s like a rush of something amazing that I can’t even define. It’s warm and tingly and almost some sort of dizziness. And it’s both incredible and terrifying.

It’s at least a minute after Coop disappears into the diner before I can even think enough to put Brenna’s car in reverse and back out of the parking spot. My heart’s still beating so hard it feels like it’s going to just burst right out of my chest. I’m pretty sure I’ve never been so happy to be on the receiving end of a wrong number before. And I’m pretty sure I’ve never been so happy to be awake before the sun’s even up.

The drive back to the motel is short, and when I enter the room as quietly as I can a few minutes later, all the lights are still out. I can see Brenna’s outline in the bed, her back to me, but I hesitate as I carefully slip off my shoes and coat.

It’s a strange feeling—to go from reeling and winded, my heart racing with a wild anticipation, to... whatever this is now. It’s an uncertainty and a sadness, and it’s mixed with something else too. Maybe the reminder of how much she’s probably hurting because of me.

I step slowly toward her, holding my breath, and I stop at the foot of the bed, still watching her. She’s not really asleep; there’s an unsteadiness to the rhythm of her chest rising and falling, and I can see it even though she’s lying on her side.

It’s not my place to presume I can just crawl back into bed. In fact, I’m not sure I even have the right to be here in the room with her now. So instead, I sit down on the edge of the bed and clasp my hands together in my lap.

She’d said we could talk more in the morning. Figure it all out. I guess that means now. Or soon. Or something.

I hear her shift behind me, and her voice is quiet and a little shaky when she speaks a moment later.

“Are you coming back to bed?”

“Uh, yeah, if you don’t mind?”

There’s a soft laugh, and when I turn around, she’s watching me with a kind smile.

“The sun’s not up, so I’m going to pretend it’s not morning yet,” she says, reaching out one hand toward me. When I hesitate, she frowns and lets out a shaky breath. “You’re still my best friend, Josh. And I could really use my best friend right now.”

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