Page 125 of Crazy for this Girl

“Why do you have this?” Her voice is a low, pained mutter, as if it’s just as agonizing to her to remember those times as it is for me.

When we didn’t have a care in the world, and it was just us. It was always supposed to be us at the end. I would’ve bet anything on it.

“Why wouldn’t I have it?” I reply placidly. “It’s us.”

Her blue eyes glide up to mine. She obviously still doesn’t know how much she affects me. How much I still care about her. How I’m still tied to her in every fucking way and the aftermath of just one night was the icing on the cake for me.

I left her, yes.

But I loved her.

I would’ve done everything in my power not to get deployed. Laynee Reese was everything.

She still is.

“It’s just…” I see her knuckles whiten around the picture frame, either wanting to demolish the thing or hold on tightly to it. “I figured it’d be in a box somewhere or thrown out.”

My brows collide because she can’t be that dense.

She couldn’t have forgotten me that much.

I know what I did, but it’s what I’m trying to do that should show her how much I care about her being upset.

“Those memories mean too much. It’s not something that gets easily hidden away.”

She sets the frame back down crooked and steps away from my desk. “I’ll—uh, get back to work. I have a lot of things to do.”

Like evading me.

“Make a reservation at that restaurant,” I tell her. “The one in Detroit. Was that the only place you ate at while you were there?”

“No…there’s plenty more. Two, actually, that I liked.”

“Book them both. We’ll fly out next week.”

“We?” She looks like she just saw a ghost, and technically, she has, but I’ve only been around a week.

Pushing back on my chair, I get to my feet and round my desk. That’s when Laynee begins to fidget with her fingers and eyes me like a predator.

And I can’t say that makes me upset.

Actually…it gives her a reality check.

The one where she’s at my side. Where she’s my wife. Where I get to take care of her.

“I am the one that will be signing his check,” I innocently convey. “And I do need to sample his fine dining before I even consider him.”

She bobs her head, trying to knock out my presence and the nervousness that creeped up her firmly wrapped curves in that outfit of hers that makes me rock hard. “Of course, I’ll let Mr. Abner know.”

I shake my head against her feeble attempt to get away from me and her job. “Elliott’s not coming. You are, though, Miss Reese.”

“I have plans.”

You said that too quick, Tone Deaf.

“This early?” I cock my head challengingly to the side. “Hot date at the Watering Hole?”

Her deer in the headlights expression immediately wears off and transforms into an unamused eye roll. “Haha. I don’t date college boys who just legally became able to drink.”

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