I clear my throat.
“So a wedding, huh?”
Nothing.
“Wanna stop for coffee?”
Silence.
“We could hit Maple an?—”
“I’m good,” she says, tilting her sunglasses down, shooting me a piercing glare.
Fuck me, right?
I tighten my grip on the wheel, jaw ticking. The silence feels like punishment, and fuck if I don’t deserve it after barging in on her like that.
Still, the quiet eats me alive.
I downshift and pull to the curb, the rumble of the engine softening as my Bronco eases to a stop in front of the bookstore.
Catalina’s pride and joy, warm wood tones catching the late afternoon light, fairy lights twinkling against the glass.
I throw my SUV into park, the shift clicking louder than it should, and for a second, I sit there with my hands on the wheel, staring at her profile.
Christ, she could kill me with silence alone.
“Alright,” I mutter under my breath, pushing the door open. I round the hood slowly and pull open her door.
“C’mon, doll face,” I say, softer than I feel. “We’re here.”
She rolls her eyes underneath her glasses, pushes past me, and walks on to Catalina’s store.
“AAAAAAMEELIAAAAA!”
Catalina screams as she pushes the front door open with such force that I’m surprised the glass didn’t shatter.
She’s in a cropped tee that says ‘MILF in training’, high-waisted jeans, and those damn sparkly cowboy boots. Her long, dark hair is up in a messy half-up, half-down hairstyle, with her lavender bow holding on for dear life.
Amelia finally cracks the faintest smile, and I swear to God, my lungs come back online.
The girls collide in the parking lot.
“You bitch!” Catalina squeals, jumping up and down as she holds Amelia’s hands in hers. “I missed you!”
“I missed you more,” Amelia laughs, bouncing along with her.
Why can’t she act like this with me?
Amelia pulls back, her green eyes shining. She smacks Catalina lightly on the arm. “This is for giving him my number.”
Catalina throws her head back and laughs, that wild, dramatic sound echoing down the street. “Worth it,” she teases.
I can’t help the grin tugging at my mouth.
Watching the two of them is like watching puzzle pieces snap together.
I stand there like a damn idiot, heart thumping low in my chest, realizing all over again how far gone I am for her. Throwing on my hat and turning it backward, I trail behind them as they head inside, Catalina tugging Amelia along.
