Page 32 of One Touch

I’d been jealous, and he knew it. So why did admitting it feel like everything I’d known up until now would crumble beneath me?

My subconscious urged that Miller would be there to catch me, but my intrusive thoughts shot that out of the sky.

It was too risky, and I was already risking too much. This facsimile of a dream was all I could have. There was no use hoping for more.

Hope was for weak people, and I wasn’t weak.

CHAPTER13

MILLER

The longer wewalked through the booths and stalls of the Farmer’s Market, the more I wanted to hold Lathan’s hand. It was a stupid want, though. He made it clear nothing could happen outside his apartment, so wanting more was a recipe for disaster.

Tell that to my stupid heart.

I still didn’t know how to process the incident this morning. Was it wrong that I wanted to push him more to see what else he’d do? Yeah, that screamed toxic, and while it was hot in fictional books, it wasn’t in real life.

Not to mention how dangerous it was for my heart. I had to remember that. It didn’t matter if he acted like a caveman in his apartment; we were barely buddies outside of it.

On that depressing note, I needed something to take my mind off all the things I couldn’t have. I zeroed in on a booth with homemade fudge and bread and beelined for it. The smell assaulted my nostrils the second I stepped under the canopy. It alone settled my frayed nerves.

“That smells amazing,” I groaned.

“Baked fresh,” the little girl standing behind the table said with a gap-toothed smile.

“My favorite kind!” I rubbed my hands together and returned her smile. “What’s your favorite?”

“Hmm.” She tapped her chin in thought, and the cutest dimple popped out. “The banana chocolate chip bread.” She leaned forward like she wanted to tell me a secret. “Momma doesn’t feel as guilty because it has fruit in it.”

“Ah, that is a good point. I’ll take two loaves!”

“Yes!” She fist-pumped her little fist in the air, and that was when I noticed her bracelets.

“Cool bracelets. Did you make them?” She nodded as her mom bagged up the bread and took my card. “I made these with my little sister.” I showed her my right wrist. “And these, I made for my hockey team.”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped. “You have so many!”

“Want to trade?”

“Really?” she asked.

“Absolutely, that’s my favorite part.” I held out my two wrists so she could see them better. “I’m Miller, by the way.”

“My name’s Savannah.”

“Nice to meet you, Savannah. So, which one is your favorite?”

She scanned them all with a critical eye before picking a pink and purple one with letter blocks spelling out SUNSHINE. “Good choice.” I moved it off my wrist and placed it on hers. It was a little big, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“Your turn,” she said and showed me her bracelets again.

“How about you pick for me?” I offered.

Savannah nodded again and looked them over carefully before selecting a green one that spelled out SMILE and a blue one that spelled YOUAREBRAVE. She motioned for me to come closer and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “For your friend. It matches his eyes.”

“That it does. He’s a bit grumpy today. Let’s see if I can get him to wear it,” I whispered back.

She giggled, and I put her bracelet on my wrist. Savannah motioned for me to give the other to Lathan. I turned to him, and he lifted a brow.

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