Page 74 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“We should talk,” we both say at the same time.
Brady squints, his jaw shifting. “Ladies first.”
“Hold on.” I check the bar and see Hudson handing over drinks to Hawk and Grant. Molly joins them, leaning in close. So many people around. Too many people. “Not here.” I grab Brady’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Something glimmers behind his eyes, and he allows me to drag him away. I lead him past the entrance to the pub, down the hallway toward the other side of The Beachfront. At the end of the hall is a door to the main lobby. If we go through there, we run the risk of being spotted by the concierge at the front desk, or by guests staying at the inn, or anyone entering the pub from the lobby side. But standing in the hallway right next to the pub’s bathrooms isn’t much better.
I glance at the unmarked door across from the bathrooms. It might as well be screaming my name. I have no idea what’s on the other side, but it’s worth a shot, so I reach for the knob.
“Unlocked,” I whisper. When I glance over my shoulder, Brady gives me one quick nod. So I push the door open—just a crack—and the sliver of space is dark. We slip inside, and he shuts the door behind us.
“It’s a storage room,” I say, taking in the cold, dusty space. Three small windows near the ceiling look more like portholes. As my eyes adjust to the dim light, I see spare furniture takes up half the room. The rest is mostly folding chairs and tables. Along the walls are racks of hotel accessories. Lamps. Pictures. Artificial plants. When I turn to feel for a light switch on the wall, my palm finds Brady’s chest instead.
“Oh. Sorry.” His body is large and solid and warm.
“Don’t be.” He lays his hand over mine, and a feeling of safety washes over me. “I’ve been doing some thinking since this morning.” His voice is deep and gravelly, like he’s just swallowed a handful of rocks.
“I have too,” I say. “And this is still a bad idea, right?We’rea bad idea.”
A low rumble sounds in the back of his throat. Half grunt. Half growl. “Define bad.”
“Bad is wanting to get to know someone better when you live three thousand miles apart,” I say. “Bad is thinking about a long-distance relationship when you don’t have a relationship in the first place. Bad is nursing shifts on nights, weekends, and holidays. Bad is no time to travel across the country.” My shoulders deflate. “Not even if we wanted to.”
Brady takes a beat. “You mean even if you weren’t scared?”
“Yes. I am scared.” My heart rattles like loose change in a jar. “And I really, really hate flying. But Iwouldget on a plane if it meant being able to see you. Still, how often could we manage that? I’m just trying to be realistic here.”
He reaches for my hands. “Kasey and Beau did it.”
“Kasey and Beau were already in love.” My voice catches. “We aren’t in love, Brady.” My insides ache with the realization that Icouldlove this manifwe had more time. If I hadn’t committed to Sloane and Wyatt or found a job at St. Joe’s. If it weren’t for my brother and Kasey expecting me to move. My breath hitches. “You know how much it means to me to finally live near Beau again.”
“Yeah.” Brady sucks in air, holds it for a moment, then exhales. “I know.”
My pulse starts to race with what I’m about to admit, but leaving thoughts unspoken—the doubts and regret afterward—would be worse than rejection. “Things would be different if… if you’d come to California.”
Brady drops my hands.
Okay. I take it back. Rejection is way worse than doubt.Why didn’t you keep your mouth shut, Natalie?
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up again.” My heart is clamping down, and I scramble over my words. “Everybody knows you don’t want to leave this town.” I blink back tears, grateful the room is dark.
“I can’t leave,” Brady grumbles. “There’s a difference.”
We’re both quiet for a moment, and I hear his breaths coming fast. I’ve not only embarrassed myself, I’ve upset him. I’m creating a worst-case scenario as I stand here. And I’ve got to make up for it. Now.
“This isn’t your fault,” I say. “And I shouldn’t have kissed you way back when.”
“It wasn’tway back when. It was only six months ago. And Iwantedyou to kiss me.”
“But I was being stupid. And short-sighted. I’m moving, and you’re staying here. You’ll find someone incredible. Molly is—”
“No.” He cuts me off. “I don’t want Molly.”
“Okay. Someone incredible whoisn’tMolly.”
“No other women,” he rasps. “Not for the past two years. I haven’t been with anyone else. I only thought about you. Just you.” He shakes his head. “Always you.”
My chin is trembling, and I bite back a sob. “You never told me that.”
