Page 70 of Forever Only Once

Did I love him? I didn’t know.

However, I was enjoying the fact that I was free to find out.

My phone buzzed, and Cross’s name appeared on the screen.

Cross: Hey, can you stop by the shop?

I frowned. I was supposed to meet him at his place because he was going to cook for me. Not at his shop. In fact, I had never actually been there. He was staying away from it as much as he could these days because he was still trying to make plans for what came next with Chris. I understood that and didn’t want to make things more difficult for him. But maybe he wanted to show me his art. I loved watching him work. Even though I’d only really seen it happen at his home studio. I didn’t mind dropping by the store.

Me: What time?

Cross:Whenever you can. Earlier, the better. Can’t wait to see you. XO.

I frowned again. XO? That didn’t sound like him. Or maybe that was just him trying to figure out the next stage of our relationship.

Cross:Sorry about the XO, I’m trying out a new thing. You know me. Inept.

That made me laugh, and it sort of made more sense. A little.

Me:I like XOs. Though I think I like them more in person.

Cross:Get here quick, and we can do that.

I blushed, my whole face heating, and then I smiled.

Me:Be there soon.

Cross:Good. The sooner, the better.

That was good. That’s all he wanted. I didn’t know why he wanted me to meet him at Chris Cross, though I didn’t want to wait for lunch to see him either. I stuffed my salad back into the fridge, knowing I would eat it later. I didn’t want to wait to head over. He wanted me there and this feeling of being wanted had been so foreign before Cross. The fact that he was trying meant everything to me. And while I was attempting to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with my life, maybe he was figuring it out with me, too. That wasn’t something I’d truly let myself think about before. But now that I had, I couldn’t wait to find out.

I got ready, fixing my makeup and hair, and then put my bag in the car with me. I would be leaving a few things at his house. My stomach clenched at the thought. This was a big step. Not living together, no, neither of us was ready for that yet, but it was us figuring out who we were together. And that was a big thing.

I drove to the other side of the neighborhood and then down the highway a bit to where Cross’s shop was located, pulling into the back. I saw another car that I didn’t recognize and hoped it wasn’t Chris’s. I hadn’t even thought about that. I hadn’t met the man, but I didn’t want to find him here. I honestly wouldn’t know what to say to him. Maybe Cross was parked in the front, I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but I was sure he was here somewhere. After all, he had just texted me.

I made my way around the building to the front and knocked, wondering exactly how I was supposed to get in. The door opened, and I took a step back, fear suddenly crawling over my face, my body. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I looked at the man in front of me, someone that I didn’t recognize. He had wide eyes, dark hair, and an almost soft smile on his face, even as he looked confused for a second.

“Can I help you?” he asked, his voice deep and gruff.

I cleared my throat. “Chris?” I asked, my body shaking. I already had one hand in my purse, ready to use my pepper spray if needed. Not that I wanted to do that on a stranger, especially someone that worked with Cross, but I couldn’t be too careful. A scowl covered the man’s face, and he shook his head.

“No, I’m Macon. Who are you?” he asked, his voice even gruffer.

Relief spread through me, and I smiled again.

I knew that name. Macon. I had never heard of another person with that name, so this had to be Cross’s brother.

“I’m Hazel. Sorry, I haven’t met you before, so I didn’t know who you were.”

Surprise covered Macon’s features, and he smiled at me then, his face brightening.

“Hello there. Come on in. I’m just here to pick up something for Cross.”

I frowned and halted. “What do you mean?” I asked as the door closed behind me.

“Huh?”

“What do you mean you’re here to pick up something for Cross? He texted me and told me to meet him here.”

Macon shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. I was just on the phone with him. He said that he needed me to pick up something since he was at the house cooking for you. I wondered why you were here.”

Fear crawled over me, and I took a step back towards the door.

“Macon, I really think we need to go.”

“No, I really think you should stay,” a voice said from the darkness as a shadow came forward, and then another. Macon was in front of me in a second, and then I had my hands up, pepper spray in one, my other hand on Macon’s back, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

“You always were stupid,” a familiar voice said. I froze, my whole body shaking. But before I even had time to react, before I had time to think, I heard a shot, and then a scream, and then Macon was on top of me.

And I could scent the blood in the air.

---