No.
I was 100 percent sure it was because Chase had just called me peaches.
Chase
Shit.
I hadn’t meant to say her nickname. It had slipped out when I saw her shiver when the breeze blew through the porch. Instincts kicked in and I was worried. Now, instead of being worried that she was cold, I was worried she was about to run for the hills.
Her eyes were wide and it was like she had seen a ghost with how white she had turned. As much as I wanted to rush to her to make sure she was okay, I wasn’t sure I was welcomed by her side right now.
“What did you say?” She asked the question with wonder in her voice, like she wasn’t fully sure if she’d heard correctly. I decided not to back down now. It had happened and I was quite sure Erica had heard me loud and clear.
“Peaches,” I said the nickname again, but this time louder and with a purpose.
“Wait.” Erica held her hand up, like she was signaling me not to come any closer as I tried to take a step toward her. I sat the pizza I was holding down on the bar just inside the doorway. I stood there, ready to answer anything she threw at me. “You remember?”
I moved my head to the side and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“Remember what?” I asked, not sure where she was heading with this question.
“Remember who I am. Remember us. Do you remember me from when we were younger, Chase?”
Her words came out like rapid fire and I saw the wheels turning in her head and they were going as fast as mine were.
She remembers, too.
“I do,” I said with intention, so she knew this wasn’t a joke. This was real. This was happening.
“How long have you known?” She was looking at me with wide eyes still, but a smile was planted on her face now. I watched as her chest heaven with each breath she took in anticipation of my answer. I chuckled because I knew once I said it, it was going to be the game changer. It was going to be the words that sent her running or the ones that put the ring I had in my room on her finger.
“I’ve never forgotten you.” I paused, taking in a deep breath, my eyes never leaving hers. My body was moving in sync with hers even though we were still feet apart. The word I was going to say next was going to be the nail in the coffin. “Peaches.”
She gasped and clasped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes became watery, but I stood my ground until she said I could come toward her. And I prayed she did. I hated seeing her like this, confused and unsure of what was happening.
I watched as thoughts formed in her head, but still there was only silence, so I asked the burning question that was in the back of my mind.
“How long haveyouknown?”
She looked me straight in the eyes and sat up on the couch.
“Why haven’t you ever said anything about knowing me?” Her question indirectly answered mine, but I wasn’t letting her off the hook that easy.
I stuck my hands in the pockets of my pants and gave her a knowing grin.
“Why haven’t you said anything about knowingme?” I raised an eyebrow at her in a playful challenge and a small smile crept on her face.
“Clearly we’ve both been keeping secrets.” She scoffed but then fell into a fit of laughter.
“Clearly.” I joined in and took a step toward her, stopping after a few, just to give caution that she still didn’t want me near her. Her shoulders relaxed and the laughter stopped. I thought to how she evaded the questions I asked.
“Erica.”
Her eyes met mine again and a softness filled them this time.
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“I didn’t think you would remember someone like me.”
