Page 31 of Text Appeal

“Okay,” I say, choosing my words with care. This conversation suddenly has sharp edges. “Well, in my case, I’m looking for a place that feels right for me.”

“This is my point. How do you even quantify that?”

“Wait. What are you saying?” I ask. “Do you really think that I, a grown-ass woman, am incapable of understanding my own feelings?”

His mouth opens then closes again. A wise choice on his part.

“Not all of us were lucky enough to be born where we feel we belong, Connor. For some of us it takes some searching.” I think calm thoughts for a moment. Walks on the beach and bowls of breakfast cereal—things like that. But it doesn’t really help. “Does your reaction have something to do with your ex not wanting to settle down here, do you think? Or just a general disdain for people who come from the city?”

“I’ve insulted you.”

“No shit.”

He sighs. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Sure.”

And neither of us speak.

Seems we’ve successfully managed to push each other’sbuttons. He says nothing and I say nothing and this goes on for a while. Long enough for us to start fidgeting and feel uncomfortable. He looks so damn miserable. Like this night is an abject failure before it begins.

“What?” he says when he catches me watching him.

“You know we don’t have to go,” I say, choosing my words with care. “You could disappear right now and it would be okay.”

Nothing from him.

“Or we could try to shift this mood and go have a casual dinner like you first suggested. Or open a bottle of booze, sit on the couch, and stare at the TV in a comradely fashion,” I say. “After you apologize to me for being a jerk just now, of course. But Connor, you have options.”

“None of those are going to fix my problem.”

“No. But fuck those people.”

His gaze remains grim. “You mean my friends and family and half the town?”

I nod.

For a long moment, he just stares at me.

“If you don’t want to go, Connor, then let’s just not go. We’ll do something you want to do tonight. This situation doesn’t get to suck the joy out of your life all the time.”

Without a word, he steps forward and wraps his arms around me. Just presses all of him against all of me with nil hesitation. There’s nothing sexual to it. No. This is something else entirely.

I frown in confusion. “We’re hugging?”

“We’re hugging,” he confirms, giving me a squeeze. The man’s moods are mercurial. But having him wrap himself around me is sublime. The feel of his strong arms holding me tight. It’swarm and safe and sort of everything. He really puts his heart and soul into this hug. I give it twelve out of ten. Would hug again. “You’re a good person, Riley.”

“That’s just a vicious rumor,” I say, smooshed against his chest. “You’re going to get makeup on your shirt.”

“I am sorry about what I said. When you find your home, I’m sure you’ll know it.”

“Thanks. I think so.”

He’s smiling when he draws back. It’s not a big smile, but it’s there. And the sight of it makes my insides giddy. I don’t know how else to describe it. Then he holds out his hand and says, “Let’s do this.”

CHAPTER SIX

Ava’s welcome home party is at the Lighthouse Bar and Grill. Just across from my apartment. A sign out front says closed for private function. The storm is still hovering, but it’s busy out on the street just the same. This weekend there’s a black and white film festival at the old cinema down the street, a new show opening at one of the art galleries, and the high school reunion, of course. There’s a decidedly cool culture in this town. Things happen here.

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