Page 153 of Crazy for this Girl

Straightening his spine, he pulls from my touch, and I notice a vein in his neck twitch.

“Thank you for stopping in, Miss Reese.” His tone is professional and not deprived like it was minutes ago. It twists body parts of mine that I don’t want touched. Bringing back emotions that I’ve capped away and buried deep to where they can’t harass me anymore. “Please schedule me a meeting with Mr. Hurn with the mattress company. He’s screwing me over with getting my inventory to me in a timely manner over the Marriott.”

He pivots for his desk, back to where he feels more in control, maybe. I, on the other hand, have never jumped out of a seat so quickly and left a room in my life.

He needs time to get whatever out.

And I need time to hear it because whatever it is, it’s screwed up, and it’s killed him inside. Taking me along with him for the ride.

Jonah and Ellie talked my ear off all night as soon as I arrived at my family’s cabin late Friday. I’m astounded at how big my brother has gotten, how much of a man he looks like now, even though he's only gained a little muscle and some facial hair he keeps shaved. I can’t help but remember him as being the annoying little shit that followed Cal and I around all the time, especially being back at the place where it all started.

Dad made dinner—thank God—and we played some cards, but nothing about this place stops memories of Cal and I as kids. Every inch of it reminds me of a moment, a conversation, or an argument. It’s like walking through memory lane where the ending was soul-crushing and depressing, and now, confusing.

I would’ve given anything to see you again, Laynee.

Thankfully, I only had to work one more day with Cal before getting off early—which I asked to do through email—and hoped that time away would give me the courage I craved to continue working for him and doing what he asked.

Along with what we both needed.

The air was too thick in that room and some space was what was needed to process and to hear everything that’s happened in his life, whether it hurts me or not.

I know it’s going to.

I’m aware that the truth is going to be something I’m not going to want to hear because then why would he have been gone for so long?

Sitting with a cup of hot coffee and a romance novel I bought off my Kindle, I relax into the same rocking chair I did summers long ago, the next morning. The wind gently whips through my hair, attempting to calm the stress of this past week, so I can enjoy my time with my family.

I know that I only have a small window of time before everyone comes out here and demands I come back inside to spend time with them, but I need some peace.

Some quiet.

Some focusing on nothing but this rom-com in my hands and the hope that I get sucked into it.

With the warmth of my beverage and words that make me chuckle here and there, I get lost in a roommate romance and how they try to juggle their feelings.

Then I get the shit viciously scared out of me.

“I swear, nothing changes, Tone Deaf.” My head nearly snaps off as I locate a man leaning against one of the porch beams, dressed in black tattered jeans and a hunter green flannel with a white tee underneath that molds to his upper body.

I stare at him, wide-eyed at what the hell he’s doing here...in North Carolina. “Cal?”

He lifts a brow. “Were you expecting someone else that looks like me?”

“What are you doing here?” My Kindle falls to my lap as I clutch the edges to give me strength, because holy crap. I can’t decide if I like him like this or in the sexy suits he wears.

He jerks his head next door with a sultry smirk. “I live next door…still.”

Right, I knew that.

Cal pushes from the pillar and strides toward me. Each thud of his weight on the old porch sets the hairs on my arms and neck on end.

Teenage crush.

Over ten years of being apart.

I still have hella feelings for you.

We kissed in your office two days ago, and I promised I’d let you talk about things I’m scared to discuss.

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