Page 57 of Seven Year Itch
“Everly?” I ask with a frown but get cut off when Trista gasps.
“Cozy was just telling me about some award you won!”
“Oh,” I feel my face heat with anxiety. “Yeah, it’s just the Best of Boulder business thing. It’s no big deal.”
“She said they only pick one business a year to receive that award.”
“Yeah...”
“That’s a really big deal!”
“Thanks,” I murmur running my hand through my hair.
I’ve been feeling kind of weird about the award since I foundout. Cozy was so excited for me, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that it was depressing not having a partner to share the news with. Not that I wanted to tell Randal. But it would have been nice to have someone special to tell me they were proud of me. And someone to go with me to the ceremony. I refuse to let Cozy be my plus-one. My pride couldn’t take it. I would rather go on my own.
I inhale a cleansing breath. “I have to go to an award ceremony thing, so I guess I’m just nervous.”
“Don’t be. You’re amazing. And you so deserve this. I have really appreciated all the logo work you’re doing for my rescue center. You’re the shit.”
“Well, it’s my pleasure.”
A loud whistle sounds off behind us, causing both Trista and me to turn and look. I spot Calder standing up by his cabin. He sticks his hands out like he’s wondering what I’m doing down here with Trista.
“What’s his problem?” Trista asks with a frown.
“I guess he wants to get our meeting over with.” I roll my eyes and sigh. Some things never change. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Bye, baby Stevie.” I wave and hop back in my car to continue my journey up the mountain to park directly in front of Calder’s place.
The view of Calder standing in front of his cabin in a Carhartt coat and jeans elicits butterflies in my stomach, even if he looks irritable and impatient. I internally scold myself to chill out because this is just a business meeting. You’ve worked with Calder before. Yes, you were engaged at the time, so completely unavailable, but still. You’ve been around this man loads of times before and not thought about sex.
Much.
“I have plans tonight so we need to hurry up,” Calder says gruffly as I walk around my car to join him. “You can gab with Trista later.”
“Jeez, sorry,” I murmur, falling into stride with him as he walks past the side of his house toward a well-worn path deeper into the woods.
We pass by some weird metal hot tub–looking thing located right behind his house, and I wonder how many women he’s had sex with in it. Then I wonder what his plans are tonight and then shake that thought away. It doesn’t matter what his plans are. You probably know what he’s doing, Dakota, and you don’t need to think about it.
“How much farther is this workshop? I feel like you’re leading me to my death.”
He huffs out a laugh. “I thought Satan was already dead.”
I stop midstride, feeling the cut of that remark deeper than before. I didn’t think sex would change anything, but apparently it has.
He notices my absence and stops to turn on his heel, his face falling at the sight of me. “That was a shitty joke. I’m sorry.”
“If you don’t want to do this, just say so,” I snap, crossing my arms protectively over my chest. What was I thinking having Calder do work for my shop? Our time together on my house nearly killed me. I start to turn to leave, chastising myself for this dumb idea when he rushes over to stop me.
“I want to do this,” Calder says, walking over to stand in front of me.
“Are you sure?” I hook my thumb back the way we came. “Because I have no issues driving my ass right back down that mountain.”
“Don’t, please. I really am sorry.” He gets a pensive look on his face as he glances down the mountain toward Wyatt’s cabin. “None of this is about you. I got into it with my brothers at work today, and I’m in a bad mood. I didn’t mean what I said.”
I lick my lips and stare into his eyes, noticing how much greener they look next to the pine trees all around us. “What happened with your brothers?” I can’t help but ask. Calder has never really been this vulnerable, so I find myself curious.
