Page 71 of Always Knew It Was You

I laugh and shake my head. “Nah, it’s nothing like that. I just… I don’t know.” I sigh. It’s hard to describe my feelings, but I push to get it out for whatever reason. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like I keep trying and trying and life keeps finding new ways to knock me down. To the point that I’m scared of trying anymore. You know?

He blinks at me and says plainly, “Nope. That kinda talk is way above my pay grade.”

For some reason that makes me snort and I shove him. This leads to him shoving me back and I try to tackle his head under my armpit to give him a noogie like when we were kids, but he laughingly traps my wrists and my shoulders in a bear hug that I can’t escape from.

A loudly cleared throat interrupts our battle.

I shift my head and then gape at a familiar form, silhouetted against the sunset.

Micah.

My heart stops and then gallops away like a horse.

As he moves closer, I meet his glittering eyes.

His emerald gaze gleams with an almost feline grace as he hovers over us.

Elation and annoyance hit me in even waves, and I try to stop my heart from beating erratically at his presence.

He’s back?

Damn it, why is he here? Why now?

I mean logically it makes sense why he’s here. It’s partially his hotel after all. But still. I didn’t think he would be back so soon, since he’s mentioned a few times how much he dislikes Laketown.

I wish he would have stayed away for at least a few more weeks.

I almost started to convince myself to forget him. To forget about how green his eyes are, and the way his hair curls over his face. I almost stopped thinking about his smile filled with mischief, his seductively plump lower lip, his wicked gaze, and his tall, built form, always impeccably dressed in something that makes him look like a million bucks.

I told myself constantly that I exaggerated how handsome he was and how breathless he made me feel.

But staring at him now, I can’t convince myself of that lie anymore. I was only trying to gaslight myself into forgetting him.

Because even unsmiling and looking vaguely threatening, Micah is as delicious and earth-shatteringly dazzling as ever.

It takes me a second to realize he’s no longer looking at me. His eyes shift to Robbie with a predatory gleam, which looks even scarier when he flashes his teeth in a mocking smile.

“Who is this?” he says, his tone artificially upbeat. “New boyfriend?”

“Who are you?” Robbie asks blankly. He gets to his feet, still holding my hand. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. If you’re new in town, the Pink Hotel’s not open for guests yet. You should try the Marriott.”

“Right.” Micah doesn’t look like he paid any attention to anything Robbie said because as he talked, his eyes were trained solely on the grip Robbie has on my wrist. And Micah keeps staring at it, long after Robbie is done talking, long enough for the atmosphere to turn awkward.

“Are you going to let go of her or what?” he says finally.

Robbie frowns at him. “What’s it to you?”

“What it is to me is that you should let her go. Or you’re going to find your teeth on the ground.”

My jaw drops. I can’t believe he just said that. Did he just threaten Robbie?

Robbie’s face reddens.

“Oh yeah, pretty boy?” He glares at Micah, sizing him up. They’re both about the same height and weight probably, but there’s just something dangerous about Micah right now.

I decide this has gone way too far. I pull my hand out of Robbie’s grip and hold both hands out to ward off the violence I can sense coming.

“Calm down, both of you,” I say. “Micah, if you want to see Declan, he’s meeting with Emma right now.”

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