Page 2 of The Problem with Perfect

Connor.

My eyes scan to the right until I spot him a few feet away, walking toward me, and I can’t help the way a smile explodes on my face. God, I wish I could be more subtle, but that’s just not how I was made.

“Hey, Connor!” I say, cringing only slightly at the overly enthusiastic way my voice has hit such a high note.

“Hey, Bells,” he says, the sound of my nickname rolling off his tongue sending something warm through my chest. “You taking off?”

I shake my head, my plans changing on a dime now that Connor is here.

“No, I was just…”

But my voice trails off when I spot the body that emerges from behind him as he comes to a stop a few feet away.

Astheycome to a stop.

And I know instantly that they are athey.

She’s beautiful. Short, thick, brunette hair that flips in a little bob around her jawline and wide beautiful eyes.

“Hey, Rusty,” Connor says, and I glance briefly to the side, spotting Rusty’s approaching form.

“Pruitt.” Rusty’s response is just as gruff as always.

I can’t do anything except stare wide-eyed at Connor and the girl next to him…the one holding his hand.

“Hi, I’m Stace,” she says, smiling at all of us. “Like Stacy, but without theesound. Except my name ends with aneso…” She shrugs. “It can bereallyconfusing.”

I blink a few times then look at Connor.

“Stace, this is Rusty and Bellamy. Bellamy and I knew each other in high school.”

Knew each other in high school.I almost want to laugh. That’s how he wants to describe us? As people who knew each other in high school?

As if we don’t know each other anymore?

As if we mean nothing to each other now?

“And Rusty owns Cedar Cider,” he continues, “which is the best beer in town.”

Rusty steps forward, and when I glance up at him, I see the tight smile on his face, his hands on his hips.

“Thanks for the compliment, Pruitt, and nice to meet you, Stace, but I need to take off.”

“No worries, no worries,” Connor says. “We can’t stay long anyway. Just wanted to bring my fiancée by and introduce her to anyone who’s back in town, though it looks like not too many people are out tonight.”

I think that’s what he says, but I can’t be sure, because the ringing in my ears began when I heard him refer to Stace as his fiancée. I must stand there staring with my mouth agape for too long, because it isn’t until I receive a physical nudge from behind me that I snap out of it.

“Huh?”

I glance at Rusty, who is looking at me with a quirked eyebrow.

“You alright?”

I look back at Connor, who is still watching me with an easy smile on his face like he hasn’t just obliterated the very foundation of my heart.

“Yeah, sorry.” I shake my head and try not to look like I’m dying inside. “What did you just say?”

“I said,” Connor says slowly, “are you gonna be here a while? I was gonna walk Stace around…”

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