Fire.
Fire.
Fire?
Fire!
My eyes fly open at a bright light coming from the field Parker is lighting the fireworks off from. It takes me a second to register what I’m looking at, my heart still in a haze from the Miles effect.
“Fire,” I choke out, pulling away.
“What?” he grumbles, scrambling to not let me go.
“Miles. Fire!” I step out of his arms, pointing towards the field. He spins around, hair mussed and lips swollen. All I want is to tackle him to the ground. My chest heaves as I try to catch my breath.
“Fuck,” he spits out, straightening out his black t-shirt and running a hand through his hair. He starts down the porch steps, then abruptly turns back to me, grabbing my wrist.
He pulls me in for another hurried kiss before whispering in my ear, “Do not think this is finished.”
I’m only able to nod as he runs over to Claro, swinging a leg up, and riding back to the barn as fast as he can. Leaving me on the porch burning up brighter than the flame in the field.
Chapter 22
Brick By Brick
“Oh, Kate, I’m sosorry,” Hazel says over the phone. I swear she sounds like she’s on the verge of tears for me.
“There’s no reason to be sorry. It’s just how it is. I’m used to this,” I say, matter-of-factly.
“It doesn’t have to be,” she counters.
I sigh, not wanting to argue with my best friend about my love life. Or lack of love life, I should say.
It’s been three days since Miles and I kissed, and I haven’t heard from him at all. No calls, no visits to the cabin to work on the floors, not a single glimpse of him and Claro riding around the ranch.
Radio silence.
Do not think this is finished.
Yeah, right. So much for Miles being different. It turns out that this time, I’m the fool still attached to him after the best kiss of my entire life, and he’s the one acting like nothing ever happened.
I spent the next day at the cabin after the insanity that was the fireworks show pacing the floor, waiting for him to walk in. Wondering what I would say to him. Trying to figure out if I should even talk at all, or just kiss him again.
It’s all I crave now that I’ve reminded myself what it’s like to be wrapped up in Miles. And apparently, it was a huge mistake. Because he never showed up.
“It doesn’t matter, Hazel. He clearly does not want to talk to me. He could call, text, come by, send a carrier pigeon. But he hasn’t. I got way too attached, and now it’s biting me in the ass. This is why I don’t date long-term. It’s just setting myself up to be hurt.” I twist a section of my hair in my fingers.
“I just really thought he was different,” Hazel says, her voice quiet.
“Me too,” I manage to choke out. Nope, I’m not crying over a man. Not even this one. “I’m just upset because I really thought we were getting somewhere. I don’t expect him to drop everything and spend every waking second with me, but I thought we were getting sort of close.”
This is exactly why I don’t do relationships. Every time I get involved with someone, I get hurt. Even my own parents couldn’t stand to be around me. It’s better when I just don’t get attached in the first place.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. Walter and Isabella are expecting me for dinner,” I cut Hazel off before she can say anything else. If I don’t, she’ll say something sweet that’ll make me cry and I don’t have time for that right now.
Autry family dinners have become a rock for me while I’ve been here. After more than two months of weekly dinners, I’ve come to look forward to them. It feels weird missing one. And, if I’m being honest, I’m hoping I’ll see Miles there and he’ll be forced to talk to me.
Him saying anything at this point would be better than the silent treatment I’ve gotten all week. I know it’s counterproductive to want to see him when I’m trying to move on and forget that he ever happened to me. But, I can’t help the tiny spark of hope I feel when I think of seeing him at dinner.
