Page 36 of The Problem with Falling
“Oh, he is a grump,” Yara commented. “I know that huff. I fell in love with that huff in Alex.”
“Hey, asshole! Over here!” Avery said, waving her hands in the air.
Theo stepped closer, his body directly beside mine, and he kneeled to get in front of the laptop’s camera. “Yeah?”
“Come closer,” she urged.
He inched a little closer.
“You see that, Yara?” Avery asked.
“Oh, I see it. The blue eyes,” Yara agreed. “He’s giving extreme Bradley Cooper vibes circaThe Hangover.”
“Hey, asshole, did you know that Bradley Cooper was Willow’s celebrity crush? It’s almost like she’s living with her celebrity crush. If she hasn’t told you, Willow thinks you’re super ho—”
“And that’s enough,” I said, rushing to shut my laptop.Note to self: Kill my sisters.
Theo arched an eyebrow. “Did you tell them my name was Asshole?”
“No,” I disagreed. “My dad did.”
“Your father thinks I’m an asshole?”
“My father thinks anyone near his daughters is an asshole.”
“Fair.” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you give him the idea that we were…something?”
“What?! No. Of course not.” The embarrassment that crept up my body was almost unbearable.
“Even though I’m your celebrity crush?”
“You arenotmy celebrity crush.”
He scrunched his nose in disbelief. “I don’t know. It sounds like you have a crush on me.”
“I do not have a crush on you!” I rolled my eyes dramatically as my heart began to pound at the wildest speed ever. “Don’t get a big head. You look nothing like Bradley Cooper.”
He looked everything like Bradley Cooper. In fact, I found myself drooling over him last weekend as he chopped wood in the backyard. He was shirtless.Shirtless!
Theo almost smiled as he stood beside me.
Almost.
I saw the twitch at the corners of his mouth, but instead of melting into the smile, he shook it into a frown. “We should get going.”
I grabbed my laptop, stood, and followed him to his truck. He opened the passenger side door for me, and I said, “Thank you.”
“Anything for my number one fan,” he responded instantly, with a bit of sparkle in his eyes and a little wink.
Was I in the twilight zone? Was he being…playful?
I paused and stood taller. “What is this?”
“What is what?”
I waved my hand in his direction. “This. Are you…happy today?”
He grimaced but shrugged his left shoulder. “I’m happy today.”
