Page 110 of Just for Fun
“I like it,” I whisper to him. Not sure if he can even hear me with all the noise around us. “But I liked your longer hair so much better.”
“I’ll grow it back,” he promises.
We continue staring at each other, oblivious to everyone and everything.
“Should we go inside?” Kyle suggests, an unsure tone to his voice. “I just want to make sure we can hear each other, and we’re both on the same page at the end of the conversation.”
I chew on my bottom lip, unable to look away from him. If there was a way for us to get inside without moving, life would be perfect.
My brother decides this would be the right time to butt in.
“Get a room,” he yells, making everyone around the pool laugh and join in the chant.
Kyle grabs me by the hand and pulls me with him inside the house. As soon as the door closes behind us, we find ourselves in the empty living area of the house. No one seems to be around, which is a blessing.
We end up standing right in the middle of the room, holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.
“Owen told me that he had me on speaker when I called him the other night,” Kyle starts.
“He did,” I nod. “We both decided that you’d make a good stalker, what with getting both of our cell numbers and all.”
Kyle clears his throat self-consciously. “You’re both way too easy to find.”
The silence becomes a bit too much when he doesn’t expand on that, and I don’t know what else to ask.
“I’m glad you came,” I tell him. Then, I decide to take the bull by the horns. “I was very upset at Ray and Hayden’s wedding.” I swallow hard. “I cried a lot when I got home. It upset Owen.” Another deep breath in. “He wanted to find you and kill you.”
Kyle brings our hands together to his chest. “I never felt worse than on that night. I can’t ever apologize enough for what happened, baby.”
I lick my lips nervously. “Alex called me to apologize.”
Kyle looks shocked. “He really did?”
“Yes,” I chuckle.
“What did you say?”
“I told him to never call me again, then I hung up on him.”
I laugh as I say it, expecting Kyle to laugh with me, but his face is a mask of seriousness.
“I appreciated him calling, though,” I add as an afterthought.
Kyle still has our hands together against his chest. The glasses he’s wearing make his eyes look wider and bluer, and I remember the first time I noticed him wearing them. So much has happened since then, it feels like a lifetime ago.
“I came here today totally prepared to have to deal with the aftermath of what happened that night,” he starts. “I know I already said how sorry I was, but I will never get over that.” His voice cracks a little. “We started this is something casual… For fun… But then, things shifted, and it became serious, at least on my end.”
“It was serious for me, too, Kyle,” I assure him.
He takes a deep breath in and nods at me in gratitude for saying that.
“I know that we didn’t date for long, and that it’s hard to make any plans for the future at this point…”
All sorts of emotions instantly flood my system. The way he’s talking to me is not giving me any warm and fuzzy feelings. Before, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be with him. Now, I’m scared he’s going to tell me that he doesn’t want to be with me.
“Kyle, I…”
“No, let me finish this.” He gives me a shy little smile. “I’ve been practicing for days, and again on my way here. I was so worried that I’d forget everything that I wanted to tell you. And now… I forgot.”
