Page 2 of That Kiss

“How the fuck did I get it all so wrong?”

I pull my phone from my pocket, my thumb hovering over Ranger’s name. I know he’d tell me exactly what I need to hear so I don’t make any rash decisions. But I don’t call him. He has a new baby now, so he doesn’t need to worry about me and my mantrum.

Instead, I do what I’ve been doing every night for the last few months. I swipe over to my pictures app and scroll through the hundreds of photos I’ve been sent from my family since I moved down here. A video of my oldest niece, Cecilia, learning to roller skate makes me laugh. Her little hands dart out in front of her every few seconds while my brother Tyler encourages her from behind the camera.

When I reach the point in the photos where I normally stop reminiscing, I decide to keep going, dragging my thumb down my phone screen so it scrolls back a few years. When the screen stops moving, my thumb lands perfectly over one I haven’t seen in ages—one I completely forgot I took.

I press the photo to enlarge it, my chest immediately growing tight when her face takes up half the screen, my face next to hers, both of our eyes blurry from drinking, her arm casually draped around my shoulder as I extend my arm to take the selfie.

Her, the real reason I ran away to Texas and wanted a fresh start.

Her, the woman who has tormented my brain for the last few years.

Her, Juniper Riley, far too young and far too naive for a man like me to be getting any ideas.

I continue staring at the photo and now remember the night like it was yesterday. It was her 21st birthday, and she insisted on me buying her the first shot of the night. It ended up being the first shot of many. Most of us Slades were there that night, along with several of her friends, but I think it was the first time I realized that the little crush Juney Riley had on me growing up had grown into full-blown desire. I clocked it in her eyes the second time I caught her staring at me from across the room. In fact, Ranger and Tyler both teased me about it that night. But it didn’t stop there—in fact, it felt like her crush only grew stronger, as did the teasing from my family.

The real issue was that it wasn’t one-sided. The last year I lived in Colorado, she was a senior in college, 22 years old, and it seemed like her mission was to end up in my bed. I knew I could only resist for so long, and that it would only be a matter of time before I caved and did something we’d both regret.

Juniper Riley isn’t just too young for me, she’s just starting out her life. She’s young and should be out with her girlfriends partying, not talking to a 31-year-old man who runs away from his problems instead of dealing with them. Not to mention, her father and my father are best friends. I know damn well that Mr. Riley knows that all of the rumors about me being a fucking playboy asshole through my teens and most of my twenties are true. I close the photo app quickly, a pang of guilt shooting through me like I’m betraying Camilla.

I thought running down here would solve all of that, but it didn’t. Then, I met Camilla. She was sweet and quiet and it felt like she accepted every part of me. I promised myself I wouldn’t hold back with her, so I let myself fall for her and I felt truly loved by her. My heart aches as my thoughts turn into past tense.

Loved.

I let it sink in, a tear falling from my eye and rolling down my cheek. It feels like a semi is parked on my chest and a dam of tears is seconds away from breaking if I let myself wallow. So I stand up, heading inside and up to my room to do the one thing I can think of that will actually give me some time to think through things. I pack a suitcase and set my phone alarm for 4 a.m.

Driving from Texas to Colorado to visit my family is exactly what I need right now.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” Ranger’s smile spreads from ear to ear as he walks down his front steps in only his socks, his arms already outstretched to pull me into a big bear hug. “Did you and Dahlia plan this?” he asks, referring to his wife.

“Nope, actually just decided on a whim last night that I needed to come back home and see everyone.”

He pulls back, an eyebrow cocked. “What’s going on?”

I shake my head just as the front door opens wider and Dahlia steps out with their daughter on her hip. “We’ll talk later, but for now, I’m dying to see my little niece.” I step around Ranger, walking up the stairs to give Dahlia a hug and kiss before snatching Amethyst from her mother’s arms.

“Look at these cheeks!” I pretend to nibble her cheeks, sending her into a fit of giggles. “She looks just like you, Dolly.” I hold her up next to her mom. “It’s crazy.”

“Thank God for that!” Ranger laughs as he ushers us inside his house.

“Mom and Dad know you’re in town?”

“Nope, came here first.” Amethyst tugs on my beard.

“No, sweetie,” her mom says, removing her hand then turning to me. “How long are you staying? You’re staying with us, right?”

“Yeah, would love to. I’ll even be your built-in babysitter for the weekend. I’ll head back out Monday morning. Can’t leave Ethan alone too long; the cowboys love playing jokes on that man.” Ranger and I laugh. Our younger cousin, Ethan, is bright and extremely driven, but gullible too, and the cowboys and ranch hands have caught on.

“You guys sit and chat. Let me take her and give her a bottle before she starts getting cranky,” Dahlia says as she takes Amethyst and heads toward the kitchen.

“Since you’re staying through the weekend, are you going to the Riley celebration on Saturday?”

“Riley celebration?” My stomach drops.

Did Juniper get married? Engaged?

“Yeah, it’s Ron and Mary’s 40th wedding anniversary. The party’s going to be at Mom and Dad’s house.”

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