Page 7 of Known By You
Oh, boy. I didn’t want a talk aboutthatright now, but I felt it coming and couldn’t scramble out of my seat fast enough.
“You going to work on that for yourself?”
It was as gentle a probe as could be, but I still did my best Beast impression and grunted. “Not worrying about it right now.”
Did I want a partner of my own? Sure. In theory.
Did I also know the perils of taking a risk on someone? Yep. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt sporting “I fell in love and all I got for it was a broken heart and this T-shirt” to prove it.
So like… yes. I struggled to enjoy my single status as each of my dear friends found not just someone, buttheone. I loved it for them, truly. I celebrated them and the future dynasty of Saint children who would provide Silverton and the world beyond with a second generation of badass, emotionally intelligent humans.
But I also ached. I had a tender heart and it felt more than a little battered lately, though I hated to admit it. And the thought of someone who knew me in that soul-deep way…
Eh. Whatever. Some people got a soulmate. Some people had someone they thought was a soulmate take a giant crap on their soul. We all had a story.
“Fine. Take the job this weekend and get out of here early. Go for a run or something to burn off theangst, and I’ll see you tonight? I’ll gather all the info on the trip and can give it to you then.”
I slid out of my chair and gave an obnoxiously doofy salute. “Roger, Jaws.”
Having taken Bruce’s advice and pushed myself into a punishing workout that started with a five-mile run and ended with a round at Grit with Warrick Saint doing his best impression of an executioner without actually offing me, I half-limped, half-walked into Craic a few minutes after five.
The place bustled with groups already enjoying the weekend, especially since the town was packed with tourists to take advantage of the crazy good snow Utah boasted. I’d heard people talking about how Silverton and the Silver Ridge ski area had grown so much in the last few years, but it was still far less crowded than the more established luxury resorts, so people felt like they’d found a hidden gem even still.
“There he is,” Cookie said as I leaned on the table with both elbows. His handsome face flashed with confusion. “Why are you acting like you can barely stand up?”
“Warrick was working out some of his feelings on me at Grit this afternoon.” I tilted my head one way, then the other, attempting to stretch my neck. I’d happily roll out a yoga mat and do another full twenty-minute stretch right now if it wouldn’t make Kieran and Gemma kick me out.
“Well, you made your choice, didn’t you? Don’t go toGrit if you don’t want to feel that way.” Adam shrugged a shoulder.
“Aren’t you supposed to be compassionate? Do no harm?” I whined.
He chuckled. “I’m a medic, not a saint. And I’ve done workouts with Warrick and I have fond memories of them… lesson learned.”
I laughed, but when his eyes flicked to something over my shoulder, I didn’t have to follow his line of sight to know he was looking at Jo. They’d gotten engaged, and we’d be lining up for another summer wedding come June.
I probably had steep competition for the role of ring bearer or flower girl because there were some cute kids around, but odds were good I’d get to play groomsman again. I’d stand up next to Doc and watch him covertly wipe the tears away when he saw Jo coming down the aisle any day. I might’ve longed for my own person while feeling the futility of such a desire, but I would not cease to celebrate when my friends found what they were looking for.
“Elizabeth, so glad you came.”
Bruce’s words had my gaze snapping up to see Liz walk in?—
I could swear “Dream Weaver” was playing as I took her in. She wore jeans and a puffy black jacket she was unzipping, swiping the hat off her head to reveal a shiny curtain of long chestnut hair.
She had long hair.
In my mind, red alerts sounded. Sirens blared.
She has long hair.
It was a stupid thing about me, but I loved long hair. Not that I saw it from afar and got all creepy or anything, but I just… loved it. In another life, I would be Kenneth Carmichael, long-haired man with a waist-length mane to rival Cher’s, just so I could braid my own hair.
Okay, that got weird.
This came from events in my past. It just did. As much as I didn’t love thinking about it—about my ex and how much I’d loved her long hair and how she’d cut it while I’d been at basic training and I probably should’ve seen that as a sign—sometimes who I was because of it made it impossible to ignore. This love of long hair was definitely one of those things I hadn’t shaken in terms of what I responded to on a gut level, shallow though it was.
Also… she was wearing jeans. And something casual on top but I tried to bounce my eyes away so I wasn’t straight out staring at her.
“Welcome, Elizabeth,” Adam said, and he managed to keep the ring of fear out of his voice.
