Page 8 of Second Chance Serenity

That’s good to know.

Her gaze pins mine. “My car is out front.”

“Lead the way,” I reply with a grin.

Reyna starts out, walking past Mrs. McGinley, who is on the phone—probably with her other friend Juniper, the third member of the matchmaking trio. She winks at me, and I chuckle, shaking my head.

Honestly, I can’t even tell her to stop because I need all the help I can get.

Reyna pops the trunk to her small SUV, and I slide the tub into the back, noting there are quite a few other boxes of books.

“Collecting books?” I question.

“Yes.” She closes it and turns to me. “Thank you for your help.”

“I can come help you with the unloading if you’d like. I don’t have anything going on right now.”

“I already have help.”

“Oh.”

Reyna’s expression softens briefly, and I get the impression being near me is just as hard for her as it is for me to be beside her. “Have a good day, Michael.”

“Reyna, wait.”

She turns to face me and folds her arms. The cross around her neck catches a ray of sun and shines brightly for a breath of a moment. “What is it?”

“I—can we have lunch sometime?”

“I told you I’m not interested in dating you.”

“I’m not trying to date you. I just—” Why is this so hard? I run a hand over the back of my neck. “I want to try to explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain,” she replies. “I told you that. Goodbye, Michael.” She pulls her door open, then steps back and trips against the curb.

Lunging forward, I catch her right before she hits the ground. Reyna stares up at me, our gazes holding for a brief moment as desire shoots through my body like lightning. Having her in my arms, for even this brief moment, feels so right that it can’t be wrong.

“Thank you.” Reyna straightens and climbs into her car, then pulls away from the curb before I’ve even caught my breath. How am I supposed to move on when she’s the very air I breathe?

God, you’re the only one who can help me here. Please. Help me be the man who deserves her.

CHAPTER 4

Reyna

“How many stars do you think are in the sky?”

Michael turns his head and smiles at me. I’m struck by his beauty. By the fact that he can be so handsome and so incredibly breathtaking, all at the same time. The ground is hard at my back, and my feet are sore from all the dancing at prom earlier, but there’s no place I’d rather be than lying here in my yard beside Michael Anderson, staring up at the sky.

Even if I am wearing a dress I paid nearly three hundred dollars for.

“Far too many to count,” he replies. “But if you wanted to know, I’d count them all for you.”

“That would take lifetimes.” I laugh lightly.

“Then I’d spend lifetimes counting each and every one of them just so I could give you the answer you wanted.”

“You don’t have lifetimes.”

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