Page 38 of The Significance of Moving On

Jesse’s knows, he knows I won’t be able to think about anything else. I nod. “Shoot me a text when you land.”

“Will do.”

“And… don’t forget to call every once in a while.” Then Jess hops out of the van, throws his duffle bag over his shoulder and walks through the doors, turning to shoot me a last wave before the glass doors slide shut.

Time to go home.

Three and a half hours later, the half because I ran through a drive thru for lunch and then switched out the vehicles at the office, I pull into my driveway, turn off the ignition, slip my bag over my shoulder and I’m home.

Tally must be napping when I walk in. Her car and keys are here. I hang my keys and slip off my shoes not to wake her. As it’s late October, it’s started getting dark earlier. All the lights are off—even in the kitchen. How many times have I told her to leave at least one light on? Especially after a possible break in attempt.

But the thing is, when I walk into my room, my bed’s not empty. What the hell is she doing in my bed?

“Casey?” Her voice cracks but those gorgeous eyes of hers stay hidden behind lids.

“I’m here.” I toss the bag on the floor in the corner. “Go back to sleep.”

“I missed you.”

“Missed you, too,” I tell her. “I’ll be—”

“No.” She reaches out, tugging my hand. “Stay with me.” Then Tal rolls over on her side attempting to drag me down onto the bed along with her. “Stay,” she whispers.

Jesse’s words smack me in the gut, and even though the couch is where my stupid ass s should be, I crawl in bed next to her and sleep soundly for the first time in weeks.

Chapter Seventeen

The flurries coming down when we left the house had changed to a sloshy, snowy rain once we hit Demetrius’s apartment building, and there wasn’t an open spot in the lot. I had to park almost a whole block down, on the street. Since she was wearing a costume under her coat, Tally’s shoes weren’t exactly weather appropriate. She wipes them on the mat before we head up the stairs to the second floor. D’s apartment is the first we come to on the left.

I raise my hand to knock, the other rests at the small of her back because some frat guy, I would guess D goes to school with, bounds up the stairs.

My brother opens the door with a rush of loud music and louder people greeting us. “Case, brother. Glad you made it.”

“You mean I had a choice?” I ask.

He laughs. “Nope, probably not.” Then he leans in to give me a half-hug with a firm back pat and before we ever break apart squeals fill the room.

D and I turn are shoved out of the way by the exuberant Kelsey in order for her to get at Tal, whose arms are open wide waiting for the hug she knows she’s about to receive. The women laugh and their arms pretzel around each other, tangled to the point that they look like a set of conjoined twins. She looks happy. I like seeing Tal happy.

The party is in full swing when we step inside. Several costumed, dancing bodies stop long enough to yell out “hey” or “hi”. It’s not until I hear some of their voices that I can identify. To some of them I just say, “Hi” back because I have absolutely no idea who’s behind the masks. Zorro strides up beside us. Zorro I know.

“Daniel,” I say. “How’s it going, brother?”

“I’m hanging in there. But you…” he nudges my shoulder with his elbow. “You look to be doingreallywell. I’m Daniel—Mr. Sourpuss’s foster brother.” He bows to Tally.

She removes her coat and,shit.Sexy Racecar Driver? How could she do this? My eyes bug out of my head along with the eyes of every other straight man in the room.

Including Daniel’s. No one told me he’d be showing his face.

Awe hell. Maybe she came here to hook up. Last night was intense the way she had me lay next to her, but this morning she was back to being cooled off Tally. Things look different in the morning, isn’t that the saying? And she’d said we needed to talk.

“Really,reallywell.” He kisses her hand and it’s all I can do to keep from covering her up.

“Where’s the nun?”

She giggles. “It just wasn’t my calling.”

Both my foster brothers snicker at my expense. “Dance with me, pretty lady?” he asks, taking her hand and not giving her a chance to refuse.

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