Page 83 of Rebel Secrets
She’d needed something from me, something more than I’d been willing to give.Hell, I still didn’t know what I wanted.
The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted her.We had off-the-chart chemistry.I’d never wanted another woman the way I craved her.But I hadn’t seen her or heard from her since last week.I’d met her at the bakery to go over the menus, like she’d asked, but it’d been all business.We’d talked food since we’d had an audience.The two women who worked in the bakery for Erin were in and out of the kitchen, along with a few customers who straggled in throughout the entire hour I was there.There’d been absolutely no time to discuss our situation.
And I’m not sure she would’ve wanted to.I’d pissed her off or upset her, and I didn’t know what to do to make it better.I didn’t know what she wanted.
“Hey, Reb, you finished?”
My attention snapped back, and I gave the server a nod.“Yeah, sorry.”
“Everything okay?”Ian asked, giving me a questioning look.
“Just zoned out for a second.”
“Are you stoked to get back to your team?”
Bay’s wide-eyed look of excitement made me cover a wince.I really had to make up my mind.
“I’m stoked to get back to playing hockey.”
Ian took the ball and ran with it, telling Bay about training camp and meeting new teammates and being excited to see the old ones.Bay asked a few questions, but mainly Ian rambled.
But there was something in Ian’s voice that clued me in to the fact that he had some reservations going on, too.Something we were gonna need to talk about.I was fast coming to the realization that I didn’t want to resign with the Redtails.
Instead of letting Ian twist himself into a pretzel trying to convince himself he was excited to go back, I asked Bay about camp.Bay had a lot to say about that, all of it and an hour and a half later we stopped only because Bay’s mom hurried through the door, apologized profusely for not being able to pick him up on time and thanking me several times before hustling him out the door, with the promise that her husband would drop Bay off tomorrow morning and take a look at Ian’s truck.
After I paid the bill, telling Ian I was going to write it off as a business expense, I had an idea.Kind of a sneaky one, but still.
“Hey, you mind taking my truck home.I need to talk to Erin about…something.”
Ian’s lips curved before he caught back a true smile.But I could still see it shining in his eyes.
“Sure, but I could just hang around if you want.”
“No.That’s okay.Not sure how long I’ll be.”
Ian’s smile grew, but surprisingly, he didn’t say anything snarky.
“I won’t wait up for you.”
Okay, he didn’t say anything too snarky.Shaking my head, we walked out of the restaurant.He headed for my truck while I headed for the bookstore.It was only a couple of blocks away, and the night was beautiful.Yeah, it was hot, but there was a breeze, and the sun had fallen behind the hills so it wasn’t oppressive.
Several shops remained open late on Thursdays, main street windows glittering from the inside lights and the remaining sunlight.I stopped in front of the bookstore, looking inside.There seemed to be a lot of people for a weekday night at six-thirty, but then I realized it was teen book-club night, which explained all the teenagers in the store.
Several groups of girls sat in clusters around the store, sipping from thermal cups.Eight boys, a few I recognized from camp, sat at a table, playing a game with cards.
Finally, I saw Erin on her knees in front of a little boy who couldn’t be more than five, who looked ready to cry.She held his hands and looked into his eyes.I didn’t recognize the kid.But I knew that look on Erin’s face.She listened with her whole body to what he was saying, nodding as he said spoke.She didn’t say anything until it was clear the little boy was finished, then she said something and, whatever it was, it had a calming effect.
And when she was done, and the boy hitched one last big breath, she smiled and so did he.
God damn, she took my breath away.I mean, literally, I felt like all the air got sucked out of my lungs.Of course, as she got to her feet, she glanced out the window and saw me, staring at her like her own personal stalker.
Neither of us moved, our gazes locked, until she looked down, her attention snagged by the little boy, who tugged on her hand, wanting her to follow him.With a quick smile for me, she turned away and followed the kid to the back of the store.
Since I couldn’t just stand there looking through the window without people staring at me funny, I opened the door and walked in.
The first thing that hit me was the noise.Usually the bookstore was an oasis of calm, kind of like a library.Tonight, the music was a little louder and definitely for the younger crowd.The boys at the table talked over each other as they slapped cards on the table.High-pitched teen girls chattered in about twenty different conversations.It all seemed a little chaotic.And perfectly Erin.
Walking farther into the store, I caught sight of her near the back, the little boy she’d been talking to holding her hand while munching a cookie.I followed, knowing I should leave.She was working.And yet I couldn’t make myself go.I wondered if I was good, would I get a cookie?
