Page 64 of Now That We Don't Talk

I step closer, sliding my hands around her waist, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. “Can I tell you a secret?”

She lifts a brow. “Sure. I don’t think anything could surprise me anymore.”

Leaning in, I lower my voice. “I enjoy bickering with you.”

She leans back slightly, studying me. “Really?”

“Really.”

A slow grin spreads across her lips as she playfully taps a finger against my chest. “Then I guess you’re in luck, because I don’t see that ending any time soon.”

I laugh and bring my lips to her ear. “Good. But just so you know, I plan on making up for lost time.”

I take her hand in mine, and we walk back to my car. I’m hopeful this is the first of many more evenings like this. I’m not letting any more time go to waste, and I meant every word I just said.

When I open my eyes, it takes me a few minutes to realize where I am. I’m in the apartment above my parents’ garage, not in Tennessee. I reach for my phone and see that it’s already after nine. I don’t think I’ve slept this late in years. After a few seconds the events of last night flood into my mind, causing a smile to spread across my face. My evening with Vivian was…I don’t even know if I can put it into words.

After strolling along the river, lost in conversation and the lingering electricity of our unexpected kiss, we sat in mycar in front of her house. Neither of us ready to say goodbye, so we sat, talking for what felt like hours. Eventually, Vivian reminded me she had to get up for work this morning.

When I got home, still buzzing from the night, I fired off a text to my teammates letting them know the evening was a smashing success. Then, exhaustion must have taken over because I don’t remember anything else.

This morning my phone is full of messages, a mix of congratulations and warnings. A few of them reminding me not to screw this up like I did with the veterinarian. I let out a chuckle, rubbing a hand over my face. Believe me, I don’t need the reminder. I’ve already messed up enough when it comes to Vivian. The amount of time I’ve wasted turns my stomach.

I still haven’t heard from Kyle. I know avoiding this won’t make it any easier, so I refuse to let it drag on much longer. He needs to hear me out, to understand where I’m coming from. And more than anything, I hope he can be happy that Vivian and I are getting along so well. Our friends have wanted this for years and now that it’s happened, Kyle and I manage to have our worst fight.

Vivian is planning to talk to Katie, and maybe with her help we can start smoothing things over. The twins’ birthday bash is next week, and I fully intend to be there—even if it means crashing the event. There’s a good chance I’ve been uninvited, considering I’m probably not Addi’s favorite person right now. She had high hopes for things working out with Claire, and I have no doubt Kyle has already broken the news to his fiancée.

I finally force myself to get out of bed, dragging my feet to the bathroom and brushing my teeth as my thoughts continue to spiral. The uncertainty of it all is weighing on me, but there’s no turning back now.

I’m in need of food, so I head to the main house, where the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee still lingers. My parents aren’t home, but thanks to my mom’s caffeine addiction, there’s always coffee ready.

As I sip my drink, I wander through the house, my gaze landing on the framed photos and articles lining the walls. Each one is a reminder of the career I’ve built and the milestones I’ve reached. My parents have always been my biggest cheerleaders, never missing an opportunity to remind me of how proud they are. It also stirs a feeling of guilt for not visiting more often.

But right now, none of that feels as important as figuring out how to address the argument with Kyle—and making sure I don’t mess up what’s happening with Vivian. There’s a lot at stake but being here gives me a feeling of peace. I’m realizing I’ve been away too long. I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything, but all those times I could’ve come back and didn’t might haunt me. I believe in timing, and maybe it’s all happening the way it’s supposed to. I knew there was a reason I needed a break, I just had no idea it would lead me to this point.

I settle into my dad’s worn leather recliner, with the familiar sound as I kick up the footrest. I used to love sitting in this chair when I was a kid. I exhale and pull my phone out of my pocket. I scroll past a flood of notifications—sports updates, news alerts, random group chats. When I come to Kyle’s name I hesitate before tapping on his number. I’m not ready to call him yet. We haven’t exactly been acting like mature adults, and I don’t want to push too hard. A text is safer right now.

Let me know if you want to talk.

I stare at the screen, rereading the message at least twicebefore pressing send. A groan escapes my mouth because we’re really acting like teenagers.

While I wait for a reply, I scroll up through my recent conversations with Vivian. I grin as I reread the messages full of fun banter and teasing. I never imagined messages like this could be so entertaining.

The familiar creak of the back door pulls my attention away from my phone, followed by my parents’ unmistakable bickering.

“I’m just saying, I don’t need your help. I’ve been driving longer than you, my love,” my dad grumbles in a frustrated tone.

“You were too close to those other cars,” my mom counters firmly as if this argument is one they’ve had a thousand times before.

I smirk, shaking my head.

“Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad,” I call, setting my phone aside.

Kyle hasn’t responded yet, but at least I can listen to my parents debate over who’s the better driver.

“Oh, hi, honey!” Mom calls from the kitchen, the clinking of dishes echoing behind her voice. “What are you up to?

I sink deeper into my father’s recliner, stretching my legs across the footrest. “Just sitting in Dad’s chair and trying to figure out how I can convince him to let me take it back to Tennessee with me.”

---