Page 8 of The Sweetest Chirp

But one night fucked all that up.

However, the more I think about it, maybe it wasn’t the night of passion but the misunderstanding after and the words that were said. My heart aches as I dart my eyes back to him, though I know it looks like I’m talking to a patron. I can’t help but bask in the beauty of how his thermal fits as tightly on his body as a second skin. He has gained some muscle, and it looks really good. Meanwhile, I’m squishy all over, and he is a Greek god who demands to be worshiped.

Any other reality, I would sign up to do just that. But not now.

I want to run to him, tell him how much I’ve missed him.

But I can’t.

And now, I have to figure out how to get out of here and out of the state before he approaches me.

Because Thatcher Orlov has fucking found me when I didn’t want to be found.

Damn it.

I knew that dude from this past weekend was suspect. He was watching me too closely to not hit on me. He never spoke to me, but Ruby said he asked about me. She waggled her brows, saying he might be interested and that it was time for me to jump into dating once again, but I have no desire.

Not when I know Thatcher Orlov is out there.

No matter how much I asked not to be found, I knew from the jump he’d never stop looking for me. And here he is.

I swallow past the lump in my throat as I continue to move, unable to stand still. If I do, I’ll just stare at him, and I need to act as if he is not there. That’s harder than I ever imagined, and when I can’t handle it much longer, I move to the back and into the employee bathroom. I shut the door, locking it before I slide down onto my bottom. The cool tile has me hissing when my thighs touch it, but I’m burning everywhere so I can’t even makemyself stand back up to escape the chill. I can’t feel my legs. My heart is slamming against my ribs, begging me to run to him, and all I can think is, how the hell can I get out of here without him chasing me.

No, I have to approach him. I have to tell him to fuck off. But knowing I have to leaves me feeling like I’m being ripped in two. Has he already called my parents? Does Ingrid know he found me? What the hell am I supposed to do? My stomach cramps in on itself as I lean my forehead to my knees, and my eyes burn with unshed tears. There isn’t a night that passes that I don’t cry for my life back in South Carolina.

But I can’t go back.

Not now.

Not ever.

CHAPTER FOUR

Three years earlier…

While we’re both in our early twenties, I can’t help but admit that I love the TikTok trend of kissing your best friend. I have watched the videos endlessly, giggling and getting all gooey inside when the guy is shockedat first when his best friend’s lips meet his. But then he regains his wits before going back for the real kiss, devouring the girl he has lusted after too. The jealousy is real as I watch, wishing I had the guts to do it. To make a move.

Because I have been in love with my best friend since we were eight.

I know what you’re thinking. Audrina, there is no way. An eight-year-old can’t fall in love, but I did. Head over heels in uncontrollable love for Thatcher Orlov. The story, it’s a cutesy one, so brace yourself. We were on vacation at Disney. My parents and his wanted to take us on a trip before Maeve got too big with the new baby that was coming. They hadn’t planned on having another baby, but we were all excited for the surprise. Our moms had chosen matching shirts for us to wear, and we had different mouse ears for each day. We had ridden all the rides, and everything was grand, but for some reason, I got scared of the Haunted Mansion.

Crazy, right? Not even babies get scared. I didn’t voice my concerns, but somehow Thatcher knew. He grabbed my hand and leaned in, his lips right by my ear. “It’s all fake. Kinda funny, don’t you think?”

I met his eyes, the lights playing off his face and leaving me unable to form words. Everything disappeared—the fear in my soul, the spooky noises, and nothing mattered but his dark gaze that settled on mine. He squeezed my hand, urging me to agree, and I did. I nodded, my throat working as he gave me a wide grin. “Yeah.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, pressing his body to mine, and I leaned right into him.

Like I was made to be pressed to his body.

Like two magnets.

When we got off the ride, he used the rest of his Disney gift card to buy me a Mickey ice cream bar. And on every ride after,he held my hand. It reminded me of my mom and dad. How my dad never let my mom walk without their fingers threaded together. Even at a young age, I knew I wanted a man who loved me the way my dad loved my mom. For me, Thatcher was just that.

So, I’m sure you’re wondering why I think I have to use a TikTok challenge to kiss my best friend. At this point, it is written in the stars that we are meant to be together, but he’s never treated me as anything other than a sister. He’s never looked at me with a hungry gaze. He’s never made a move or flirted in a way that’s made me think he wants me to be more than a best friend.

When people assume we’re together, he’s the first to correct them. When I think he’s looking at me with lust in his eyes, I convince myself it’s all in my head because he’s never made a move. We cuddle and even sleep in the same bed, and neither of us has ever made a move.

I don’t know if it’s the fear of the unknown or if he truly doesn’t see me as more than a friend, but I can’t live in limbo anymore. After I slept with his teammate, Dart, a huge, drunken mistake, he lost his damn mind. I mean, he yelled, he ripped me apart verbally, and he didn’t talk to me for a month. Only texted me for things we both needed and when it was time to pay bills. He was pissed, and I didn’t understand why. Sure, I slept with a teammate, but who cared?

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