missed you the last couple of days.”
“I’ve been around.”
“But busy.”
I refused to explain anything, so I just stood there watching him. Maybe, just maybe, if he fessed up about the red-haired chick from the other day, I’d explain who Jon was.
Nate already knew about Kevin.
He angled his head downward, and I knew he was going to kiss me. I couldn’t wait for him to kiss me. Closer his lips came. Closer. Tilting my face upward more, I closed my eyes, breathed to the beat of my heart, and waited.
His lips rested on the tip of my nose, moved to my forehead, and then he unhooked his arm. “I’m going to get some more sleep. You’re all set now, right?” Whipping open my eyes, my gaze on my feet, I swallowed frustration.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks again for your help.” And then, my stupid phone rang again. He stepped backward. Coldness at his absence surrounded me. I answered the phone.
“I thought you were going to call me back?”
“Sorry, it’s been a crazy evening.” I glanced at Nate. “Hey, Jon? Can you give me a second?”
“Sure,” Jon replied.
I hooked the receiver over the top of the phone base. “I need to take this.”
“Alrighty then. Get some rest.”
I lifted my chin and met his eyes with mine. “You too.”
After he left, I willed my racing heart to slow down and tried to convince myself I wasn’t really disappointed. That I didn’t really care Nate’s kiss reminded me of a kiss you’d give a child. Of course, that didn’t wash. I recognized myself for the liar I was. Not only did I care, I cared far more than I should.
Picking up the phone once again, I said, “I’m back. What’s up?”
“I’m nervous about the Henderson gig. I wanted to go over a few things with you.”
Sighing, I plopped into a chair. Knowing Jon, I figured he mostly wanted company to take his thoughts off his domestic issues. “What’s worrying you? Let’s start with that.” I settled myself into friend mode, all the while trying to expunge Nate from my mind.
This? Not an easy task, I assure you.
“She’s gonna drive you crazy. You know that, don’t you?” Scot asked, as we assessed my bedroom. “Are you sure you want her here?”
“Yes and yes.” At his doubtful grin, I chuckled. “Fine. I’m not sure. But she’s coming.” After the scare with Vinny, Grandma Verda, for some reason, had finally decided to move in with me. Temporarily, she claimed. But seeing as it was her idea, I wasn’t so sure.Regardless, for the time being anyway, she would be my roommate. She and her cat. While we could certainly share my bed, I preferred not to. I move when I sleep—a lot. I figured we’d both be more comfortable if we had our own bed to sleep in.
Luckily, even though my apartment was only a one-bedroom, that bedroom was huge, so it was easy to fit in two beds. Even more fortuitous, Scot had an extra bed he’d hauled over for me. Gotta love big brothers. Sometimes they come in handy.
“Let’s move the smaller boxes into the closet and the larger ones can be stacked over here, by the bed,” I said. Mainly, I was trying to clear the far corner of the room so there’d be a spot for the bed Scot had brought over on his truck.
“Why don’t you unpack everything and throw the boxes away?” my brother asked with a smirk. “Rather than just find another spot to stack them?”
“I don’t have time to do that; she’ll be here in the morning. So, help me or leave, but quit being a butthead.”
He put his hand over his heart. “Ouch. You wound me, baby sister. I shall cry a thousand tears at your hurtful remark.”
“Not likely. How did you get an extra bed, anyway?”
“It’s my old one. It was still sitting in storage. You may as well use it for now.”
“I appreciate it. You know, your place is bigger than mine. Grandma could stay with you easier than with me.”
“No.”
My brother, the one-word wonder. I actually didn’t mind Grandma moving in, but teasing Scot was just so much fun. “Aw, come on. Think about it at least.”
“I’ll think about it.” He picked up the box closest to him and stuck it in the closet. “Thought about it. No.”
“She stayed with you before. When her condo was painted.”
“Uh-huh, which is why I’m saying no. You’ll find out why soon enough. If you really don’t want her here, call