Page 33 of Blindsided

Oddly enough, I know Tilly means what she said. It’s not a ploy to get a pity invitation. If I went out, she’d be fine to stay home. “I don’t have plans, but if I did, I’d want you to come with me, regardless.”

“Then did you have anything in mind?” Tilly smiles at me.

“I’ve got some ideas. I just wanted to see if you had something you wanted to do before I booked anything.”

“Nope, plan away. You ready for movie night? I found a great one to watch tonight.”

I groan. “Nooo, that means it’s some dumb Hallmark movie.”

“Hey, don’t knock my movies.” She points a finger at me. “And it wasn’t going to be, but after that comment, I feel like it should.”

“I take it back!” I hold my hands up in surrender. “Your movies are great, no matter what.”

“Mm-hmm.” Tilly narrows her eyes at me. She turns to go down to the basement without another word.

“Wait, what movie are we watching?” I follow her downstairs. The desperation in my voice is fake. I truly don’t care if we watch her romance movies. They aren’t what I would choose, but I like that she enjoys watching them. She always gets this adorable little smile on her face when the characters get extra mushy.

“You’ll find out,” Tilly sasses. Her annoyance makes me grin. I want to kiss that look off her face entirely too much right now. Instead, I grab a couple of cans of sparkling water and start some popcorn in the machine. I found one of those authentic movie theatre popcorn makers, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought.

Tilly navigates through my streaming apps to find the one she needs and then types into the search bar. I’ve never heard of this movie, which isn’t a bad thing. Makes it easier to ignore how adorable Tilly is sitting on my couch if I’m engrossed in the movie.

This entire week has been me trying to find ways to ignore how I feel about her. After texting her for weeks, it’s as if she’s no longer the same person I thought I knew. Each conversation gives me the chance to find out who she is outside of beingDesmond’s little sister.And the worst part is, every time I learn something new about her, it only makes me like her more.

I box up our popcorn when it’s done and take it to the couch. She’s sitting in the middle this time, and I decide to sit next to her. I’ll likely regret it later, but right now, it feels right.

“Have you seen this one?” she asks, taking her popcorn from me.

“Nope. Never heard of it.”

“I haven’t seen it either. The plot sounded great, and I love the actors.”

“Perfect.” She plays the movie, and about twenty minutes in, I know this movie is going to suck. It started out intriguingly, but I’ve already figured out who the bad guy is.

I’m not sure Tilly is enjoying it much either. She’s had this little crease between her eyebrows as if she’s trying to find something redeeming about the movie. Her body begins to lean into mine, her eyes growing heavier by the minute. Instead of letting her fall asleep sitting up, I grab one of the pillows in the corner of the couch and lay it on my lap. Then I grab her shoulder and pull her down so her head is resting on the pillow.

She doesn’t resist, and the little smile she gives me makes my chest tighten. In all my life, I’ve never had these feelings for anyone. The women I’ve dated were never anything special. None of them stood out among the rest. They were all just ways to pass the time. But since the minute Tilly showed up on my front porch, I haven’t been able to get her out of my head.

When I’d normally be going out every weekend and bringing home any girl who was interested, all I could think about was what Tilly was up to that night. My Friday nights were spent video chatting with this quirky girl who could make me laugh harder than any other.

And I genuinely missed her on the days we weren’t able to talk much. That’s the weirdest part of all this. Tilly was only here for a few days, and suddenly, my life completely revolved around her. I can’t even be upset by that thought. She never asked me for anything. I did it on my own and willingly.

Now, looking down at her dark hair spilled across my lap, her eyes closed in sleep, I can’t imagine spending my nights any other way.

Is it crazy to feel this way about someone I barely know? To be this obsessed with a girl I really shouldn’t have feelings for? Desmond would kick my ass if he saw us right now. He especially would kill me for the thoughts I’ve had about her.

I run my fingers through her soft hair. Can I let go of my loyalty to Desmond to explore whatever this spark is between us?

I’m not sure. Twenty-four years of friendship is not an easy thing to throw away if things don’t work out. But maybe it doesn’t have to be that black-and-white.

“Come on, Tills. Let’s get you to bed.” I shift Tilly a little, making her wake up. Her sleepy eyes meet mine, and I smile at her. She sits up, looking around the room as if she’s trying to figure out where she is. I scoop her into my arms without a thought. When she snuggles her head against my chest, I squeeze her tighter against me.

I carry her up to her room and lay her down in bed.

She snuggles down under the sheet. “Thank you for taking care of me, Matty.”

“Of course, pretty girl.” I kiss her on her forehead and force myself to leave her room. I want nothing more than to lie down beside her. I’ve been dreaming about waking up with her in my arms again. Tonight is not the night. I need her to want that, too, and her being half-asleep is not a good time to ask.

CHAPTER15

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