Page 44 of Told You So
Nick casts me a sidelong glance, a sparkle of something mischievous or knowing in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, his gaze shifts to my lips, lingering. Thesomethingthat lives in the air between us at all times is sometimes impossible to ignore, and letting it hang in the silence is more than I can handle right now. Being this close to him, seeing him here in his element with the easygoing air I’ve always admired about him, is too much, too, and it makes it easy to forget why I’m here in the first place.
“I’m sorry about yesterday,” I blurt. “I know we didn’t get much work done. I left kind of abruptly, but I’ll make it up to you. You’ve already done so much—” I peer around, imagining the barn before. “I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says, kicking at a stray piece of hay. “I hope everything worked out okay. You seemed pretty upset.”
I stare out through one of the old, single-paned windows, like there’s something more noteworthy outside than the concern on Nick’s face. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Are you sure about that?” I notice him reaching for my face from the corner of my eye, and my eyes dart to him. I’m not sure if it’s possible to pale while your cheeks burn, but my eyes widen, and his mouth quirks up in the corner.
“You have something in your hair,” he says quietly and gently plucks a flake of sawdust or straw from it, but I don’t notice which. It’s not important, not when his eyes are locked on mine and the silence grows.
“There he is,” Reilly calls, causing me to jump. I spin around as he steps into the barn. His smile is wide, and he lifts his chin at Nick before his eyes shift to me. “Hey, Bethany.” Reilly’s easy expression never falters.
With a tightlipped smile, I nod a hello and offer him a quick wave of uncertainty, knowing the last time I saw him I was laying the flirting on pretty strong.
“I figured I’d find you riding out in the pasture,” he says with a face-engulfing grin.
“Yeah right,” Nick mutters.
Reilly glances at me. “Nick’s petrified of riding,” he explains with a smile. “But you didn’t hear it from me.”
Nick glowers but Reilly ignores him. “So,” he says, “did you get the breakfast I left for you yesterday?”
“What?” Nick’s eyes widen. “No. Sam said you ate it all.”
Reilly winks. “I did. I was just screwing with you.”
“Not cool, Rye.”
With a chuckle, Reilly rests his palm against a support post, leaning his weight against it. Then, he looks at me again. “You here to keep this guy on track?”
“No, not at all,” I say easily, impressed with all they’ve done already. “I’m in awe, actually. I saw the before photos, and it looks amazing in here. You guys have done a really great job so far.”
“Thanks. It’s mostly Nick. I’m in charge of the Honey Do List.” Reilly chuckles and looks up at the new skylights. “They look legit.”
While the guys chat back and forth, I can only think of how strange all of this is. Maybe it’s the high schooler in me, but I’m standing in a room with two guys I’ve always known about but never reallyknown, and it’s surreal to be a temporary fixture in their circle.
So, this is what is feels like...
Twenty-Two
Nick
I pull up to the curb outside my apartment and glance into the rearview mirror as Bethany pulls her Rover up behind me. She gets out of her car, hauling her book bag over her shoulder. I try and fail not to notice how good she looks in a simple yellow dress and sandals. I didn’t tell her at the ranch that she’ll likely regret that next time she’s up there working. I was too distracted, staring at her legs the whole time, but I make a mental note to tell her, eventually.
With a smirk, I open the door and get out of the Explorer. “Fancy seeing you here,” I say and collect my thermos and flannel jacket from the backseat.
She runs her pale-pink, painted fingernails through her hair. “Yeah. Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your Sunday working on this? You already spent your morning at Sam’s and—”
“Bethany,” I say, climbing up the stairs to the second floor. Her footsteps are quiet compared to mine. “You don’t have to feel bad. It’s my project too.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve already done so much.”
“For another project that Ihaveto do. I’m not making you do Murray’s final on your own.” Plus, I want to spend time with her. Pushing away all the reasons that’s a foolhardy idea, I find my house key, deciding to let the cards fall where they may.
When we reach the landing, Casey’s standing outside her door, two apartments down from mine. Her brown hair is braided on both sides, and her favorite doll is clutched under her arm. When she sees me, her eyes light up. “Nick!”
“Hey, squirt.” I flash her a big, toothy grin.
