Page 4 of Star-Crossed
She couldn’t callhim.
Couldn’t facehim.
Not after all these years.
She emerged from the basement in a cloud of dread. Through the shop window, she could see the old ash tree looming in the alley, its gnarled branches reaching toward the building like skeletal fingers.
Damn that tree.
Damn her luck.
AnddamnCy Forrester for still living in this stupid tourist trap of a town.
Hadn’t he been going places? What happened to that football scholarship he’d been awarded?
How crazy that they’d just been talking about biting down during orgasms…
She could still taste the elixir of salt and desire on his neck when—
“Oh, I was going to tell you! You’ll never guess what Cady found in her bookshop.” Gemma crested the stairs and rummaged in her bag to pull out a tattered paperback. “That old copy ofThe Crystal Caveyou used to love. I know how you feel about all this woo-woo stuff now, but I couldn’t resist. Remember when you went through your goth phase? What was that, like, fourteen? Fifteen?”
“Thirteen-ish.” Lyra managed a weak smile. Trust Gemma to remember the little details that slipped by everyone else… But ask Lyra’s severely ADHD sister to remember to pay the light bill?
There was only a sixty percent chance of follow-through.
Looking down, Lyra ran a thumb over the secondhand novel. Once upon a time, stories of magic and mystery had captivated her imagination. Now they only reminded her of empty dreams that would never come true.
“Thanks, Gem.” She took the book to avoid hurting Gemma’s feelings, hating that old echoes of teen angst and insecurity lingered among pages she’d probably never be brave enough to crack open again.
“No problem! Hey, I’ll go get us some sushi while you call Cy and tell him what’s up.”
Gemma disappeared before Lyra could beg her to switch jobs, and finally she sagged, giving in to the inevitable.
Cursing every person, building, tree, and decision (past and present) that had brought her to this moment, Lyra dialed before she could change her mind.
The phone rang twice. “Cy the Tree Guy.”
His voice was as deep and rugged as she remembered, conjuring up memories better left in the whispering dark.
She gripped the phone tight, staring at a life-sized statue of Ganesha, his elephant head adorned with a garland of marigolds. “Yeah, hi, I need to schedule an emergency tree removal. The pipes in the basement of my shop are blocked by encroaching roots, causing backup and water damage.”
There was a pause. “Lyra. It’s been a long time.” Though his tone was neutral, she thought she detected a hint of warmth.
Seven years.
No way he recognized her voice after seven years.
Though, to be fair, he talked to Gemma sometimes…
“Yeah.” She explained the situation in a rush, her cheeks burning. “The plumber says the tree has to go. I was hoping you could come take a look, give us an estimate.”
“I’d be happy to help out. I can swing by within the hour, if that works?”
“Sure,” Lyra chirped, closing her eyes, cursing her traitorous heart as it fluttered in anticipation. “I appreciate you coming on such short notice.”
“No problem at all. See you soon, Lyra.”
The line went dead.
