Page 76 of Just a Heartbeat Away

Well, she did totally have a crush on him, but that was just the topmost layer of her feelings. Her feelings were dense and strong. And, God help her, growing roots.

Via tossed her school things on the couch and strode into her bedroom. She carefully placed her work clothes into the dry-cleaning bag and pulled on workout clothes. She’d take a jog to Fin’s. That would help clear her head.

This wasn’t a disaster. Sebastian knew she was single now. But he hadn’t exactly seemed like he’d understood everything ELSE. That she was single because of this soccer ball of pulsing romance that just wouldn’t stop growing. So, her cover wasn’t blown. She didn’t have to deal with it all quite yet.

Via tied one sneaker, then the next. If anything had almost blown her cover, it was the staff meeting last week. Jeez Louise, she’d been out of control!

Well, it wasn’t her fault that he’d shown up with a new haircut, all fresh and tight, and a dark brown shirt that completely set off his eyes. She’d felt like a middle schooler about to kiss the poster of a rock star when she’d caught her first glimpse of him that day. That had been around lunch, and she’d fully prepared herself to sit next to this handsome, dapper man-of-her-dreams at the staff meeting, no big deal. But then she’d sat down, and he’d looked even better close up.

What followed had been the most embarrassing hour of her life. Via had been so turned on just fromsitting next to himthat she hadn’t even been able to sit still. He was just so much arms and long legs and those big old boots, untied at the top. She’d wanted, irrationally, to dip her foot in one of those boots, watch herself get swallowed up in something that was his.

And then, horror of all horrors, he’d called her out on it! Sort of. She’d thought he was asking if she were turned on—which she was. She’d been mortified when he’d just been commenting on how hot her coat must have been.

But the torture hadn’t ended there. Nope. Instead of putting herself out of her misery and just going home, she’d watched him fix something for her. And then she’d jabbered on about how good he looked until he got uncomfortable and left.

He hadn’t seemed particularly turned off by it, but he definitely hadn’t stuck his head into her office to say hi that week. She’d hoped he might. But no, he’d kept a very respectful distance. The way he always did.

Now he knew she was single. Would he act differently? Would he put up distance between them? The way she’d seen him do with some of the other young and single teachers? She’d noticed that he was politely distant from Rachel these days, even though Rachel didn’t seem to get the drift. Would he do that to her too? Firmly friend-zone the single girl?

Or, she gulped as she locked up her house and zipped the key into the pocket of her running leggings, would he try to close the distance between them?

She wasn’t sure she could handle either option.

She made it to Fin’s in record time. Apparently, all this zinging uncertainty was good for something.

Fin opened her apartment door with a cold glass of water already in hand for Via.

“But I didn’t even call to tell you I was coming.”

“Sister, I felt your vibes coming from two blocks away.”

Via laughed and followed her into the house. It smelled like microwave popcorn and incense inside. Like Fin. Via instantly felt calmer being in her circle. Fin had always been able to do that. Pretty much since the day they’d met one another.

“You wanna guess what happened? Or you want me to tell you?” Via asked as she sat her sweaty body down in the porch chair on Fin’s balcony. Fin did the same, lifting her wool socks up to the balcony rail and reclining like she was poolside.

“I’m tired tonight, fill me in.”

“He found out I broke up with Evan.”

Fin’s eyes snapped open. She didn’t have to ask who thehewas in this scenario. Via figured that Fin had known about her feelings for Seb even longer than Via had.

“How?”

“It was at the staff meeting today. He saw me filling out a wedding invitation and RSVPing as just me.”

“And...”

“And he asked a few questions and then went to pick up his son.”

“Were there more sexy vibes? Like last week?”

“I think so. But I can never quite tell with him.”

Fin shook her head. “You must be stuffing cotton in your ears, eyes and nose not to pick up on what that man is putting out for you.”

“What’s he putting out for me?”

Fin rolled her head to one side, her hair falling into her face for a moment. “Passion.”

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