Page 109 of Reckless

“Yeah.”

A question wells up in my heart:But are you still myguy?

Amockingbird tweetscheerfully in the tree outside Kat’s kitchen. The sun shines bright and high in the sky. Everything belies the misery in my bones. It should be raining and gray and cold like my sad littlesoul.

My sister side-eyes me again. “Are you sure you’re okay? It’s been days, and you’ve barely said a word. Are you mad atme?”

“No, of course I’m not mad at you. Stop talking to me or I’ll screw up your recipe.” Food is forgiving. Her bath and body supplies? Not somuch.

I’m making a batch of bath salts for her lavender company, and I always misread the ingredients when she’s talking to me. It’s the reason I didn’t ask her to hire me instead of working for Ethan earlier this summer. I screwed up a huge order for her last year, and it was an expensive mistake. Really, I shouldn’t be measuring anything when my head is such a mess, but I can’t let my pregnant sister do this herself. I’m sure Brady could manage, but he has one more week at the tattoo parlor before he takes off on maternity leave. What’s it called for dudes? Paternityleave?

My sister tugs on my shirt. “Come on,manita. Please talk to me. I know something is wrong. You haven’t tried to embarrass me allweek.”

“Oh, my God. Fine. I miss Ethan and thekids.”

She tugs a lock of hair. “I’m surprised you haven’t gone over to seethem.”

I would’ve, had he askedme.

But I don’t saythat.

Clearing my throat, I shrug. “We’ve texted a bit. Had two awkward phone calls. He’s up early and exhausted by the time he’s ready to crash. Not super-conducive to being chatty on thephone.”

My big plan to keep this relationship going while I’m back in Austin is slowly withering away. Ethan’s not big on the phone. He’s clearly not comfortable texting. Those are required criteria for living in different towns, even though they’re not terribly farapart.

The whole thing makes me irritable. I’m trying to be optimistic. He calledme. Twice. He says he misses me. That’s something. But I won’t bang down his door while he has so much goingon.

I have one small bright spot. He said once we wrap up the party, he wants to take me out on thatdate.

Hopefully we’ll be able to talk for real. To find some time to connect. Because right now, he feels like astranger.

But first I have to get through the party with Allison and herfriends.

Kat wipes the counter. “You still doing the food for Cody’sbirthday?”

“Yup.” Beverly gave me the head count yesterday, and I almost choked on my spit. Sixty-five people and rising.Thank you for inviting the entire county, Allison.“Bev said I could hire a caterer, to save the bill, and they’d reimburseme.”

“That’s arelief.”

I roll my eyes. “Ethan can’t afford a caterer. Except for the cake, I’m going to make everything.” She gasps, and I look at her sharply. “You think I can’t pull itoff?”

“No, of course you can. It’s just a lot ofwork.”

“Newsflash. I’m a hard worker.” I might mess up once in a while, but I always give my whole heart. This way, Ethan only has to pay for theingredients.

“Of course you are. I’m not suggesting you’renot.”

“I’ll keep itsimple.”

I have to pray I don’t screw up for once and hope that Allison and I can stay out of each other’s way at theparty.

I might need amiracle.

49

Ethan

“You need help bringing everything over?”With one shoulder, I hold the phone to my ear while I button myjeans.

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