Page 157 of Finding Our Reality

But what’s the point?

I don’t wanna go out. I’m happy with my life.

His voice stops me in my tracks. “Is thatSingin’ in the Rain?”

I turn around, watching him point to the movie playing across the big screen TV. It’s one of the best scenes—TheMake ‘Em Laughsequence with Donald O’Conner. “Yes, it is.”

“I’ve never seen it all the way through. My cousin, Ella, loves it.”

My heart stops beating. Sacrilege. Utter sacrilege. Trying to wipe the shock from my face, I fold my hands in front of me and politely nod. “You should really take the time to watch it. It’s a classic.” Despite my best efforts to keep my emotions locked away, I make the mistake of glancing back up at the screen. Unable to contain myself, I laugh.

And snort.

Holy shit. I can’t believe I just snorted.

Cocking his hands on his hips, Holt chuckles, watching me.

Bonnie smacks her lips, interrupting whatever moment we’re having. “Old movies make no sense. They’re outdated. I like theFast and Furiousmovies.”

It takes all my strength not to throw her out of my store. “Let me get Anna’s shoes,” I say, retreating around the corner to the back.

I make a quick detour to the bathroom. Flipping on the switch, I study my image in the mirror. Same as every day. Store shirt and comfortable shorts. Although, I do wear leggings when it’s cold. My normal makeup routine consists of tinted moisturizer, mascara, and lip gloss. Apparently, the makeup companies toss around the word ‘tinted’ very loosely because it’s doing nothing to conceal the flushed embarrassment etched across my cheeks. Berating myself for getting swept away by this guy’s good looks and charm, I make a pact to get him out of my store as quickly as possible.

Positioning the ladder, I climb up the rungs, carefully balancing myself at the top. Somehow, the box has gotten pushed back and I’m struggling to reach it with my fingertips. I’ll be so glad when the safety-angle gets here.

Right as my hand wraps around the box, a voice startles me, making me jump. The hard cardboard edge of the shoebox hits me in the tender skin underneath my right eye and then clatters to floor. The unexpected impact, makes my foot slip off the ladder. My vision blurs with a nano-second injection of adrenaline, and I brace myself for a painful fall on the floor, praying I don’t break anything.

But I don’t fall. Onto the floor, that is.

Instead, I fall straight into the arms of the handsome Holt Hill.

It takes several seconds for us both to realize exactly what happened.

“Oh, shit! I’m sorry, I was just coming to see if you needed help. She said your ladder was broken.” He scans my face. I’m not sure if he’s reading my emotions again or searching for injuries. “Are you okay? It looks like you hit your eye.”

See, that was an appropriate ‘oh shit’ moment.

I can’t breathe. His body is literally pressed right against mine and I can’t breathe. It’s been two years since I’ve been this close to a man, and it’s confusing my brain.

Confusing my soul.

Confusing every single cell in my body.

I glance down at our tangle of arms and legs. Both of my hands are resting on top of his shoulders. He has one arm snaked around my back and the other is underneath my left knee, propping my leg up against his waist.

Like we’re dirty dancing. Or like I’m about to jump on him and wrap both my legs around him.

That thought makes my mouth dry.

My feet dangle in the air. My heart pounds in my chest.

“Are you okay?” he asks me again.

Looking up, I stare into his deep blue eyes, struggling to find the right words. Eventually, I settle on the first thing that comes to mind. “You can put me down.”

The movement of his calloused hand against the bare skin of my leg stirs a heat low in my stomach. He sets me on the ground but doesn’t release me from his grasp. We’re so close, I can see the small crow’s feet lining the side of his brow. He smells like soap and peppermint. The collar of his pale blue T-shirt is frayed, adding to his boyish, innocent charm.

But he can’t be all that innocent.

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