Page 31 of Between Us

When she catches me staring, her skin flushes and she pulls on the sleeves of her crewneck. “What are you looking at?”

And suddenly I decide today is not the day I want to bring up any of those questions about her past, and why her mom was so worried yesterday. I just want to enjoy today with her. Maybe I can worm my way so far into her life that she opens up to me without me having to ask. I just have to show Blake that I’m here for her, in whatever way she wants.

“You,” I tease.

“Well, stop,” she mutters looking aside, and I don’t miss the way her lips curve up just the slightest bit more. “I didn’t think it’d be so hot today.” It is warm for this time of the year, and she’s wearing a thick Nike crewneck but otherwise, she’s in a short fucking tennis skirt and sneakers. It’s somehow sexy and innocent at the same time, which is extremely fitting for her. She notices me staring at her smooth pale legs and squirms under the attention. “I get warm easily, especially when I’m nervous.” Her head flies up and she gapes at me for a second, trying to recover. I do my best not to smile but I’m sure it isn’t a great attempt. “Or when my feet are covered,” she adds quickly. I scrunch my eyebrows and let her word-vomit all over us—another quirk I’ve picked up onquickly.

“I’m serious. I can’t sleep with my feet covered, and I hate the winter if only because I can’t wear sandals. I also kinda hate working at the vet clinic because of that. That’s not the only reason, as you know,” she nods in my direction but won’t look up. I do know. There’s a lot of aspects of the job that aren’t easy for Blake, like everything going on with Lela andChispa.

There are parts of the job she’s great at though. I’ve heard her talk to her dad a few times about different scheduling and filing software he should look into. Apparently, it’s been damn near a decade since he made any changes to those things. For all of Tim’s best traits, I could definitely see the middle-aged man getting stuck where he’s comfortable. Not only that, according to Olivia, Lela’s situation wasn’t the first time Blake’s offered to help a family understand things like pet insurance and which brands of foods are the best.

Blake has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen in a person, even though she tries to hide it from the world. I don’t know if it’s even possible to keep such an integral part of oneself a secret—especially when it brings so much light to people’s lives.

So Blake might not want to work around animals, but she wasmadeto help people. She’s resourceful, organized, and innovative. However, that’s something Blake needs to come to on her own, and there are so many paths it could manifest. Sometimes I have to remind myself she’s only eighteen. In some aspects, she’s wise beyond her years and tolerant in a way that isn’t always born into someone—rather, one that suggests she had to learn how to be. Other times, she’s so much of the young woman that is her age.

I remember that contradictory feeling of having all the time in the world and needing to figure out your entire life right at that moment. I see that in Blake a lot.

Pulling me from my thoughts, her rambling continues. “Sometimes even just the thought of putting socks on is abhorrent. Especially in a humid environment like this? Ew.” She waves one hand in the air next to her head. She’s still going, spewing out whatever thought works into her mind next. Usually, she goes for teasing when she feels flustered, but this is almost like she’s trying to put as many words as possible between ‘when I’m nervous’and whatever I say next. She’s not getting off that easily today, though.

“Are you nervous?” I ask as I take another step toward her. She takes one back and I follow, crowding her against the brick wall of the little candy shop we’re standing outside of.

“Uh, no,” she murmurs, her eyes wide and glued on mine. I move one of my hands to lay on the wall near her hips and lean down toward her. I’ve never been this bold with Blake before. Not because I haven’t wanted to, but I know that the animal clinic isn’t the right place either. With more confidence, she doubles down and says, “It’s the sneakers.”

I laugh. “The socks, too, right?”

She swallows and nods. “Right. The socks.” Then she gives her head a little shake, like she can’t believe she said that.

Chuckling, I brush my cheek against hers, whispering in her ear. “You make me nervous too, Storm Cloud.”

She lets out an almost inaudible scoff and shoves my shoulder, without enough force to push me further away. “Don’t make fun of me,” she says quietly. When I lean back she’s looking at me with an uncertain expression, like she doesn’t believe what I’m saying.

“I would never,” I promise her. She shrugs and tries to look away, but I gently grab her jaw, pulling her captivating gray eyes back to me. “Blake, I swear, I wouldnevermake fun of you. I may like teasing you a bit,” I add with a smile, “but not likethat.” Not wanting to overwhelm her, I take a step back, catching the flash of disappointment that flits across her face when my hand drops.

We stand there staring at each other for a long moment, only inches apart. Blake is leaning against the wall, with her ankles crossed and hands twisting in front of her skirt, her eyes assessing me the entire time. I stand in front of her, my hands in my pockets now, mostly to stop me from grabbing for her, and I look back at her. I try to wear all of my emotions for her, not wanting to hide anything from Blake.

I want her to trust me. Yeah, with her secrets and quirks, but with more than that. I want Blake to trust me withher.I want her to be comfortable and sure in my presence. For her to hear my words and trust that I always mean everything that I’m saying. I’d never lie to her or try to deceive her.

I don’t get the impression Blake is very forgiving, or that people in her past gave her any reasons to learn to be.

So, I let Blake take me in and make a silent oath to prove to her that everything will be different with me. I’m not sure how, since I don’t knowwhathas happened to her, but I know that it will be.

As I’m about to say something—anything to break the tension—a Monarch butterfly flits through the air between us. They’re common in the area, but I can’t think of a time when one got so close to me.

On the other hand, Blake doesn’t look surprised by our fleeting guest. If anything, her expression softens, and she looks up at me with more surety than a few seconds ago.

Giving me a small nod, she straightens up in front of me and takes a deep breath. I don’t say anything, just letting her come back to the day together when she’s ready.

Pretty girl, always so stuck in that head of yours.

Shyly, she looks away and breaks the silence first. “Let’s go into the candy shop. It’s my second favorite in town.”

I jerk my chin toward the entrance and place my hand on the small of her back, like I’ve done a few times today.

Except this time, she leans into me. Not a lot—just enough for our hips to brush with each step and the wispy stray hairs to tickle my upper arm—but it’s enough. More than that, it’sprogress.

“Areyousure?”

I hand the cashier my card and give her a questioning look. “What?”

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