I squeeze her hips, my frustration leaking out. “You also haven’t exactly been here either.”
Lola wriggles in my grip and I set her down. The sunlight dapples through the branches of the apple tree, dancing on her face as thoughts flicker across her eyes. I wait, wondering whether she’ll admit what I’ve always suspected, that part of her left because she was running away. From her reputation, from her family, hell maybe even from me.
Instead, she settles on, “I’ve been back enough.”
I work my jaw. She’s not wrong and each time she’s returned I’ve fought the pull to claim her as mine. “Maybe,” I concede. “But you lied. I had no idea you remembered that night. You were young and drunk and even if what you felt for me was more than just a teenage crush it was never an option anyways, because you were still my best friend’s little sister.” My words hit the air like an axe splitting a tree. I step back.
Lola stares up at me, her kiss-stained lips parted, both of us waiting in silence for the tree to fall. Because even though it feels like everything has changed in the last five minutes,thathasn’t. And it never will. Lola is Mase’s little sister.
A car rumbles down the drive, it’s engine the only sound between us. I look over my shoulder and curse. As if my guilty conscience summoned him, Mase climbs out of the car.
“Come on.” I pull Lola away from the tree and guide her back to the patio with my palm on her lower back. It feels all kind of wrong to break contact and drop my hand. Her cotton dress whispers against my fingers like she’s already a memory fading away. Except I don’t think I can forget kissing her so easily, don’t think I can go back to just fantasizing about her behind closed eyes when I can still feel the heat of her lips on mine.
Mase draws closer. His brow furrows at Lola and I shove my hands in my short pockets to stop from reaching out and tugging her into my side.
“What are you doing here?” he asks her.
Lola crosses her arms and tilts her chin up. “Nice to see you too, Mase.” Her tone is defensive, but I see the way her fingers dig into her upper arm.
Mase looks between the two of us, his eyes narrowed. I’m not sure I have any desire to put his mind at ease. I don’t want to pretend like nothing just happened when it feels like my entire life has changed course.
In the end, it’s Lola who speaks. “I remembered Roman was pretty good at shop in school so I hired him to make my sign.” She waves her hand at the driftwood.
I hold myself still, not liking the way her words rankle inside my chest. I don’t want to be just someone she’s hired. I want to be someone she needs. Someone she wants. Someone she doesn’t have to hide.
“It’s perfect,” Lola says, turning to face me. “I’ll walk back and send Henry over to pick it up later.”
“I can take you back,” I say.
Lola glances at Mase. He’s shifting on his feet, his hands buried in his pockets. He’s clearly not okay.
Her smile is soft, her worry for him creases in the crinkles of her eyes. “I’ll be fine walking.”
“I’ll see you later?” I ask, not liking how she’s pulling back from me.
“Sure.” Lola flashes a weak smile, and I watch her walk away, my gaze lingering on the hem of her dress as it brushes her thighs.
I force my attention to Mase because fantasizing about his sister, the soft skin of her thighs and the taste of her lips, while he stands three feet away is a new low.
He rubs a hand along the back of his neck. It shakes a little as he brings it back down. “You said to come here.”
He doesn’t finish the sentence, but I hear it anyway. He needs a drink and I told him to come here instead.
I give him a firm nod. “Come on.” I head to the stables. “I’ll make you another grilled cheese and then you can help me take the sign over to Lola’s.”
He falls into step with me but not before I notice the slight tremor in his hand. “I thought she was sending Henry.” He cuts me a look. “Any idea who that is by the way?”
I grunt. “Henry couldn’t lift a fucking twig.” I’m being a dick. Henry’s probably a perfectly nice guy but Lola was right, I’m jealous of the kid.
Even if there isn’t anything going on between them, which their better fucking not be after today, he still gets to spend his time with her, day in, day out. So yeah, I’m jealous and if she thinks we’re going back to whatever we were before I held her in my arms today, she’s got another thing coming. There’s no way I’m letting her go now.
Chapter Nineteen
Lola
Roman.
No. I’m sorry. That was a mistake. You and I will never be Lola. It can’t happen. Ever.
