Page 31 of Breakaway Hearts

A sudden memory flashes behind my eyes of my ex, Austin, bringing me to see some awful action movie for Valentine’s Day because he thought it was my favorite genre. Needless to say, it isn’t, but it was his.

Looking at the way Reese treats me, someone who’s not even his real girlfriend, shows me how lucky Sienna must’ve been. How the hell did she throw this all away? How could she not picture herself with Reese long-term?

It makes no sense to me. But once he gets her back, and I’m back to living the single life, I make a mental note to remember thatthisis what relationships can be.

This is the standard I should set and hold any guy I date to.

“I’m gonna make some tea,” I tell Reese, instead of everything else I want to say. “Do you want some?”

“Nah, I’ll make some coffee,” he says as he stashes the perishable stuff in the fridge. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what I like, Firefly.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I give an unladylike snort as I pull out the new electric kettle and set it up. “I know plenty about what you like.”

“Yeah. You probably do.”

He flashes me a lopsided smile and grabs a coffee pod from a cabinet before popping it into the machine. We continue to banter easily as I make my tea, along with some avocado toast for breakfast.

“You’re leaving soon?” I ask when he finishes the last of his coffee.

He nods, sticking his mug in the dishwasher. “Shortened practice today, so I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”

“Okay.” I gather my plate with my half-eaten toast and follow him up the stairs. “I’ll probably just be hanging around here all day, unless I get word that I can go back to my apartment for the rest of my stuff. What do you want for dinner tonight?”

“You’re planning on cooking?” He stands outside his door, one hand on the nob, and grins at me. “Wow. There might be some perks to having a live-in girlfriend.”

“Instant ramen it is.”

He throws his head back and laughs, and the sound is so contagious that I laugh too.

“Hey, you know I’d eat anything you cooked,” he tells me. “But seriously, you just moved in, and you’ve had a lot on your plate recently. Don’t even worry about it. We can order something when I get home. You should take a bit of time to just unpack and relax.”

“Okay. Thanks.” I glance down at my plate, feeling a little spoiled but grateful for his words. It would be easy to feel like I’m a bit of a burden, his suddenly homeless best friend. But Reese clearly wants to make sure I feel welcome here.

Reese gives a satisfied nod before heading into his room to get changed, and I retreat into the room that’s become temporarily mine to try to sort through everything I packed in such a rush.

I dig out all of the clothes I brought and put them in the closet, determined to keep my room as neat and tidy as possible while I’m staying here with Reese. I leave the books I brought in my suitcase and zip it back up, feeling a little shy about Reese walking in and seeing a stack of romance novels. Then I grab the two small canvases I was able to take with me when I left. I had the good sense to put my paints in a plastic bag, and luckily I screwed the caps on tightly enough that there are only a few drops from the tubes on the inside.

“Hmm.” Trying to find the best place to work, I sit at the desk and prop one of the canvases up against the wall. The light hits it awkwardly, and I shift it a little to one side. Somehow, that’s worse, and when I open the blinds, it casts a glaring light on only part of the white canvas.

“Knock knock.”

I glance over at my open door to see Reese leaning against the frame.

“Oh, hey,” I say, frowning as I reposition the canvas again. It still doesn’t give me great light for painting, and I wonder if it might be worth going downstairs to try out the lighting there. “You heading out?”

“Yup.” He grips the top of the doorframe, his head tilting to one side as he watches me reposition the canvas yet again to no avail. “You’ll be okay on your own? I won’t have my phone with me while I’m on the ice.”

“Thanks, Sutton, but I think I’ll be okay. I’ll call my mom or Margo if anything happens.”

“Try not to burn down the house while I’m away.”

“Ha ha.”

“I’m only half kidding.” He winks at me and drops his arms, letting go of the doorframe. “Tacos for dinner?”

“Stop speaking my love language, I might actually fall for you.”

Reese chuckles and waves goodbye. I hear the door close and lock downstairs, and I begin fiddling with the canvas again until I find a mildly acceptable position where I’ll be able to work. Plus, I’ll be in the bedroom, so I can spread out as much as I want without invading Reese’s space.

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