this before. For me. With anyone.” I wasn’t just saying that. I meant it. It wasn’t a declaration of love, by any means, but it still felt like I’d revealed something private.
“Really?” I could see a glimmer of hope spark in her eyes.
“Yes. Really.”
She smiled and my heart felt like it expanded to capacity in my chest.
“I don’t know if you’re just saying that, but thank you, either way.”
It broke my heart that her first thought would be that I wasn’t being sincere. I understood why she would feel that way. I didn’t take it personally. Why should she trust me? She barely knew me. We’d spent two nights together and we both knew that this arrangement was temporary, even if we hadn’t come right out and said that.
But none of those things changed what I was feeling for her. It didn’t change that I’d missed her the few moments that we’d been apart before she’d come into the bathroom. It didn’t change the fact that every minute I spent with her made me fall deeper under her spell. And it didn’t change the fact that I didn’t have any idea what to do about it.
Not able to express what I was feeling for her, I did the only thing I knew to do. I rolled over on my back and pulled her close to me. Her body molded against my side and she rested her head on my chest. I stroked her hair as her breathing slowed and her body relaxed into me.
My heart was beating against her cheek and I wanted to tell her that it was beating for her. I wanted to tell her that I had thought I might be falling in love with her. I wanted to tell her how special she was, how special what we had was.
But what was the point? Nothing would come of it. She deserved the world, and I wanted to promise it to her, but all I had to offer was a few more nights. Maybe I should tell her that. Maybe I should tell her exactly what I was thinking. At least then she’d know how I felt. That had to count for something, right?
“Josie,” I rasped, my throat clogged with unspoken emotion.
When she didn’t answer I looked down and saw that her eyes were closed, her lips were parted, and she was sleeping soundly.
I had to admit, I was a little relieved.
We were headed to California tomorrow, then back to Wishing Well the day after that. I had forty-eight hours to figure out what to do, what to say. I just hoped that was enough time. I’d talk to her tomorrow. I’d tell her how I felt and then, at least, whatever happened, I’d know that I tried.
Tomorrow. I’d talk to her tomorrow.
I’d just closed my eyes when Josie’s phone vibrated on the nightstand beside us. She didn’t budge. I glanced over and saw that it was her grandmother calling.
“Josie,” I said quietly, but her eyes remained closed.
“Josie.” This time I gently nudged her.
Nothing. She was out cold.
I wasn’t surprised, she’d been going non-stop for days. And last night I knew for a fact that she’d only gotten a few hours of sleep. I figured that I’d let it go to voicemail. If it was really important, I was sure she’d call back.
As soon as her phone stopped buzzing, I heard my phone ringing. Thanks to my brothers being smartasses, my ringtone had been changed to “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.
“Shit,” I whispered under my breath.
As stealthily as I could, I slid out from under her, grabbed my sweats and walked back to the bathroom. On the way I pulled out my phone from the pocket and saw that it was a number I didn’t recognize. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve ignored the call and checked to see if they’d left me a voicemail.
But since we had so many moving parts to this production, I figured it best to answer it in case it was someone who needed something.
I hit accept and held the phone to my ear. “Hey.”
“Hay is for horses, dear.”
It sounded like Josie’s grandmother. But how did she get my number?
“Ms. Clarke?”
“Yes, my strapping young stallion, it is Josephine Grace Clarke. Are you by any chance with my Josie?”
“Um,” I glanced over to the bed where Josie was now softly snoring. “She’s asleep. Did you want me to wake her up?”
“No, darling, no need. It would be best if she dealt with