Still The One - Carrie Elks Page 0,10

smiling. God, he wanted to smile. Wanted to grab her hand and pull her out of there. Run around town with her the way they used to.

“Because I don’t want things to be awkward between us if we bump into each other in the street.”

The smile on her lips slowly faded. “Why would it be awkward?”

Because I broke you. Us. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down at her. “No reason. I just wanted to check if we’re okay.”

Her eyes caught his. “We’re okay.”

His smile took him by surprise. “That’s good,” he said, his voice gruff. “I’m glad.”

She stood, grabbing her purse in one hand, the plastic box in the other. “I guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah, you will.” He caught her eye again. “You’re looking good, Butler.”

She blinked. For just a moment, her poise seemed to disappear. She was Van again, the kid who used to run around town with him, driving people crazy.

“Thanks,” she told him, her lips curling up. “You’re not looking so bad yourself.” With that, she turned and walked out the door, her hips swaying from side to side. And if he appreciated the way her jeans clung tightly to the curve of her ass? Well, at least that proved Aunt Gina right.

The devil really did make work for idle hands.

Chapter Five

It had been a long night, full of tossing and turning. Her head had been too full of thoughts to sleep. Van sighed and sat up in bed, checking her phone to see it was only six-thirty a.m. It was pointless to try and sleep anymore. She felt more restless than ever.

She’d done her best to keep her poise in front of him yesterday. Something she’d learned from an early age. Put on a mask, don’t let people know they’re affecting you. That way they couldn’t hurt you.

For a long time, he’d been the only one who’d seen beneath the armor she wore. And now he was a stranger.

A really hot, built, handsome stranger who made her heart race like crazy, damn him. With his slow grin and muscled arms he knew exactly how he affected people. And it worked. She was affected. Ugh.

Rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands, she padded barefoot to the kitchen and switched on the coffee pot. It hissed and spat as she grabbed a pen and paper, determined to focus on the present, and all the things she had to do.

Go through her mom’s bills, make sure she had enough money, and somehow persuade her to get out of bed today. Who knew, maybe Kim would even leave the house. Van had saved enough to see her through the next few months, but that money would be gone soon enough, and then she’d either have to go back to Richmond to work, or find something locally. It would help a lot if her mom was bringing in some income, too.

By the time Zoe got up, Van was dressed in a pair of tight running shorts and a sturdy sports bra, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, waiting for her sister to go to school before she took a run.

“Hey.” Zoe grinned at her, pulling a bowl from the cupboard and filling it with cereal. She grabbed the milk, shaking it. “We’re nearly out.”

“I know.” Van looked up from her list. “I need to go to the grocery store. You wanna come? I can wait until you’re home from school.”

“Can I buy some treats?” Zoe asked, shoveling the cereal into her mouth. She sure was a fast eater.

For a moment, Van watched her load up one spoonful after another, impressed by her speed. “Sure,” she said. “You got everything you need for school?”

Zoe spooned the last mouthful in, and swallowed it down. “Yup. I’ll see you later.” She kissed Van on the cheek and put her bowl into the dishwasher, then grabbed her sparkly pink backpack from it’s new home in the hall closet.

“Have a good day,” Van called out as her sister pulled the door closed behind her.

A moment later, her mom walked out of the bedroom. “What time is it?” she asked, her pink satin robe knotted around her slim waist.

“Seven-thirty. Zoe just left.” Van stood and stretched her arms. Still so early, yet she felt like she’d done a day’s planning already.

“That’s what woke me up.” Her mom pulled a mug from the cupboard and poured herself some coffee. “She always slams that damn door.” She turned to look at