“I’m not upset.” False.
She switches subjects. “I hear filming is going well. The sex scene is this week.”
I take a deep breath and blow it out my nose, letting my defensiveness of Warner seep out of me. “Yep.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Nervous about having to passionately kiss and pretend to have sex with my childhood friend? All in a day’s work.”
Mom barks a laugh. “You’re only sarcastic when you’re nervous.”
“I’m not nervous, exactly, but I’ll admit that it’s weird.”
“That’s what I figured.” She sounds pleased with herself.
“Mom, I’m pulling into a parking spot. Can we talk later?” We say I love you and hang up.
Ten minutes later, on my way out of the store holding a raspberry banana smoothie, I see a woman a few cars from mine, struggling to load something heavy into the back of her vehicle.
“Can I help you with that?” I call as I approach. When she looks up, I recognize her from my birthday dinner. “Jo, right?” I put down my drink and place my hands on the opposite side of a large, heavy box. Together we slide it into her trunk.
“Thank you so much.” She grins at me. “I won’t even pretend to only halfway remember your name. Hi, Tenley.”
We finish loading the next two boxes, and she tells me they’re full of wine. “The delivery truck broke down on the way up the I-17, so I had to run into town and buy out the local selection.”
“Maybe I’ll come in for a glass sometime soon.” Sitting at a table at The Orchard with a glass of wine sounds like a good way to spend an evening.
“Please come in. Your first glass is on me.” Jo closes the trunk and starts toward the front of the car.
I wave goodbye and head back to Pearl. Warner texts just before I back out of the parking spot. He’d been at his parents’ house all morning, first for breakfast and then because Wes needed help fixing a tractor.
Warner:I’ve already seen the photo, and I don’t give a shit. There’s a beautiful woman who lives a stone’s throw from me, but I stopped by her house and she wasn’t home. Do you know where she’s gone?
I grin at his words, my thumb running over the screen.
I don’t know where she went, but would you like me to pass her a message?
Warner:Tell her to get her gorgeous ass back here because I need to kiss her.
Anticipation curls through my stomach, delicious and exhilarating. I press down a little harder on the accelerator.
***
Warner is waitingfor me on my front porch when I arrive. With one foot out of the car door, he grabs me and spins me around. He sets me down, pressing me up against Pearl, and he’s hard against my stomach. He kisses me like he’s been without food for days, and I’m dinner.
He tastes divine, but he smells like sweat and grease. And while that may be some women’s fantasy, it isn’t mine.
“Ew,” I complain playfully against his lips. “You stink.”
“I was waiting for you. Thought we could shower together.” I feel his smile. “Save water.”
“Didn’t get enough last night?” I murmur, remembering the cool feel of his kitchen counter against my body.
His face is buried in my hair, and he says, “I’ll never get enough.”
I stiffen, but he doesn’t notice. I have to remind myself that deep down, Warner is a poet. He might mean what he says, but it won’t make him change his mind.
I throw myself into the moment. I’d rather give in to the experience than hold back and regret it forever. Last night when Warner asked me about Tate, I’d told him I should’ve listened to my heart. Well, here I am listening to my heart, and I’m still going to end up hurt. At least this way, I’m in control. I’m choosing my ending.
