Page 54 of The Art of Falling in Love with Your Enemy
“I’ll come help.” I shove my fingers through my hair, desperate to keep her in front of me. “Even if it’s cleaning up.”
“That’s okay.” She glances at her watch. “I need to get going; the dogs have a vet appointment and I literally would rather watch paint dry than continue this conversation.”
She spins on her heel and starts marching to the door, and my heart drops to my feet.
“Etta, wait,” I say as I reach out and touch her shoulder. “Please.”
She shudders as she stops, but she stops. She stands with her back to me, only turning her head so I can see the side of her face.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to know I really am so, so, very sorry.” When she doesn’t move, I inch closer and drop my voice down a notch. “I needed a kick in the butt to ask you out, okay? You kinda scared me when we met, but the more I was around you, the more I needed to get to know you. Then I kissed you and everything blew apart inside me, as if you were the glue that was here to put me back together. I. Am. Sorry. And I’ll tell you that every day for the rest of our lives if you’ll let me.”
Her eyes focus on the floor as she swallows. I watch her shoulders rise and fall as she takes a breath, and I fight the urge to pull her close to my chest and run my lips up and down her neck.
As I wait for her to respond, we’re both surprised when a couple of men wearing T+T Auto Parts uniforms fling the main door to the office open. “Yo, Dubs. Where you at? We’ve got your delivery here.”
Making eye contact with one of the guys, they wave an invoice in the air at me. Realizing I need to go find Dubs so he can handle this, I look to Etta so I can explain. But she’s already got her hand on the door handle and is on her way out.
“Etta, wait,” I call out.
She waves a hand at me, but doesn’t look back. “We’ll talk later.”
It’s not good enough. I know I am the last person who should be making demands, but I can’t have her leaving here mad. “Look, I don’t give a toss about that baseball card. I want you, okay? You’re the only reason I took the bet.”
Behind me one of the delivery men clears his throat. “So, can you get Dubs for us?”
I hold up a hand to the guy. “One sec.”
Running to the door, I watch as she makes her way down the sidewalk to her car. She opens her driver’s side door and starts to get in.
“Etta.” I wait for her to pause so I don’t look completely insane screaming down the street. “Please believe me. All I wanted was a date with you. Only you.”
I don’t know if she’s even listening to me because she gets in the car and slams the door shut. I watch as she pulls out of her spot and drives past me and down the street.
I just hope she’s not driving out of my life.
TWENTY-THREE
Etta
Ever since I was little, I’ve had a habit of digging into a project when things take over—you know, when the world as you know it spins out of control and you have no way to rein it in. That kind of habit. I think it’s always worked for me because it keeps my mind occupied and I can stop thinking about whatever it is that I’m upset about.
But that was before I had an Amelia and a Riley in my life. Dylan, too, who may be absent, but her phone call last night to cheer me up was not overlooked.
My phone chimes on the coffee table. Riley sits closest to it and grabs it, showing me the screen.
“Another text from Zac.” She nudges my elbow with the tip of the phone. “Are you going to respond? That’s like, the tenth message he’s sent you and I’ve only been here for an hour.”
“Ten is a little exaggerated.” My arms are in midair as I glide my paint roller over the hallway walls. “I feel like four is a more ladylike number.”
“Ladylike?” Amelia grunts as she hops down from the stool she’s been balancing on. “I think it would be ladylike for you to hire painters to do this. Doesn’t someone know a teenager we can coerce into painting your house?”
“Not if I want it done right.” Standing back, I inspect our work so far. “Okay, second coat in the hallway is done!”
“Good timing.” Riley waves a few menus in the air. “I’m starving. My treat if I can get you two to come with me to grab some dinner?”
Amelia says yes at the same time I shake my head no. Both women give me a look of despair.
