Page 38 of Choosing Forever
“Not really. I’m just hoping not to have to work on any fundraisers.”
“You’re not a fan of them?”
“I don’t mind the fundraising part, but the planning isn’t for me. I’m not a very organized person. Are you?”
“I think so. It’s the teacher in me.”
Sam chuckles, and slowly, the space he left between is cut in half. “Maybe I could get some tips sometime. If I’m lucky, we’ll be teamed up together.”
“If you’re lucky? You want to be lectured on how to be more organized?”
“By you? Any day,” he says boldly.
I swallow and laugh stiffly. “We’ll have to see, then.”
His eyes flick down to my mouth before he clears his throat and lifts them again. “You know, even if we aren’t put on the same team, I’d love to?—”
“Hey, Elle. The groups are posted. We’re on the same one.”
Darren’s voice startles me hard enough that I gasp. Loudly. For both him and Sam to hear. My cheeks burn as I whip around to face Darren and glare up at him.
“It’s Delaney.”
He isn’t fazed by my snappy comment. Instead, he smirks in response, one brow tugging up. “Okay,Delaney. You’re in my group.”
Sam hasn’t shifted an inch. He watches Darren curiously, almost like he’s trying to figure out what he’s thinking. My first instinct is to wish him luck. Darren isn’t one to let just anyone into his mind. At least, he never used to be. But then again, it’s not my place to interfere. I hardly know Sam, and right now, I could say the same about Darren.
“And what group is that? I think I’ll go and look for myself,” I say.
Darren shrugs. “Go for it. But I’m telling the truth.”
“Your truth doesn’t matter to me.”
“It should, considering I’ve always been a man of my word.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. It’s low, dark, a cruel noise that for a brief moment, I hope digs into him as deep as it does me. Darren flinches, but as much as he deserves it, I don’t get any satisfaction from his pain.
“I’m not sure you know what that means,” I bite out.
He reaches up to touch that damn hat again, and my eyes follow the movement. Seeing it once was enough, but again? It’s starting to chafe.
“Enlighten me.”
“You’re old enough to run an internet search.”
A puff of air escapes him. “Fair enough. We’re on the first round of cleanup.”
“Sam isn’t with us?” I ask.
Apparently, hearing his name is enough to remind the officer that he’s still here and not just watching from afar. He blinks a few times and focuses on me, offering an uncomfortable smile.
Darren ignores him. “No. Just you, me, and a few of the guys from the fire station.”
“Oh, how did I get so lucky? Who put me there?”
I’m snippy, but seriously? Out of all the groups, I’m on the one with my ex-boyfriend and all of his friends? This is bad karma for something.
“No idea. But I figured we could walk over together.”
