Page 76 of Quiet Beautiful Things

His lips are firm, warm, and inviting. And completely wrong for me. The guy in the booth—he’sthe one who’s right for me. He’s the one who gets how frustrating it is when hearing people don’t include you in conversations. He’s the one who understands how vulnerable I feel when using my voice.

But as Blake’s mouth devours mine, how come all I can think about is how muchthisman gets me?

Movement to my right startles me. Cooper Calloway walks in the office. He holds his hands up. “Sorry.” Then he backs out of the door.

Blake: Caught red handed. I guess there’s no going back now.

I’m staring at his text, wondering what that even means, when I’m reminded of the call I got from him earlier.

“Why did you call me?” I sign.

He looks guilty, and he may have said a curse word under his breath.

Blake: It was a stupid mistake. I was so excited to share the news about Maisy’s birth certificate that I forgot. I didn’t realize my mistake until I heard the robot voicemail greeting.

Before I’m done reading the text, he sends another.

Blake: I mean, I didn’t forget you were deaf, El. I just… shit… I’m sorry.

Me: It’s okay. Sometimes I forget you can hear.

He looks up. “You do?”

Me: I spend all day signing to colleagues and children. So, yeah, sometimes I forget that when I get home, not everyone is deaf.

He chuckles. “I thought that you just liked to challenge me with complicated ASL conversations.”

I laugh. “I do.”

“So, we’re good?”

I cock my head.

Blake: We’re good? As in I’m the only one you’re ‘not’ dating?

I roll my eyes.

Me: Yes, Blake. You’re the only one I’m NOT dating.

He leans in for one more kiss. It’s just a peck, but it has me wanting to speed up time so I can NOT date him on Friday.

“You should have brought Sierra.”

And, now reality strikes again. I’d almost gone five whole minutes without thinking of my new sister.

I shrug and sign, “Let’s go.”

He takes my hand like it’s a habit. Then both of us look down, surprised at his gesture. He releases me and smacks his forehead with his palm as if to say ‘what was I thinking?’

I swallow, because for a moment, I didn’t want to pull away. Then I see Seth’s warning in my head and know pulling away is exactly what I should want to do.

Chapter Twenty-eight

28

Ellie

Blake drops me off at my apartment. It would have been pointless to turn down his offer and walk home. After all, I’ve been in the car with him and Maisy a lot.

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