Then, a well-timed reminder from whatever gods are laughing at us strikes as Willow begins crying with all the force of her little lungs, and Luke emerges from his room at the same time.At least they’re in sync.
Warren and I break eye contact to look at our hands—which, at some point, had begun reaching for each other.I slowly put mine into my pockets and turn in quick succession to find Willow down the hall.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
My jaw drops as I look at Calvin, who sits on the edge of my bed.Wow.“There is no way!”
He laughs and rests both hands on his knees. “Not on purpose!”
“How is that possible?” My voice pitches higher as my amusement slips through.
“I grew up super religious. My parents weren’t cool with it, and then I just… I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it this much!”
“Well, it’s settled then. We’re watching it.” I reach for the keyboard on the desk at the end of my bed and pull up Harry Potter. I’m smiling as I turn back towards him. He glances nervously around my room, and I watch him, concerned.
“Something wrong?” He looks up at me as he speaks.
“Nothing… I’m not pushing this movie on you, right?”
“What? Chloe, no. I’m cool to watch whatever. I’m a little sad to lose my never-have-I-ever prompt, but I’m glad to see what all the fuss is about.” He gestures to the screen as he relaxes back on the bed, holding himself up with one elbow. “How many movies are there? Eight?”
I nod.
“Well then… another bonus, seven more dates already lined up.” Calvin smiles warmly as he speaks.
I pause, making note of the twinkle in his eye. “Want to get drinks before we start?”
“Sure, yeah.” He lifts off the bed and does a quick peek into Willow’s bassinet as we pass by the entrance to the stairs. I moved her away from my bed for tonight. Not because I think anything will be happening in my bed, despite what Warren and his friend may have thought, but so the noise of our movie doesn’t wake her.
Calvin reaches the kitchen first.
“Hey, man,” he says.
I turn the last step to see Warren at the stove, watching a boiling kettle. He doesn’t turn towards us or speak as he slips a hand out of his sweatpant’s pocket and raises it over his shoulder as a form of greeting.So this is happening.I offer an apologetic smile to Calvin as I walk to the corner cabinet to get two glasses.
“I’m going to use the washroom. Be right back.” Calvin turns down the hall as I open the freezer for ice.
I shut the freezer door. Warren has left his position at the kettle to stand nearer, facing me at the sink.
“What?” I ask.
“Did you notice he has a wedding ring on?”
I snap my head towards him. “That’s not funny.”
“I’m serious! I think he saw me notice. Probably why he went to the bathroom.” He smirks, breaking character despite his best efforts.
“Screw you.” I roll my eyes and begin pouring the soda Calvin brought for us.
“Please do.” Warren’s voice dips down to a lower register. He raises his hand to rest on the edge of the sink, inches away from my right hip.
My eyes fixate on his hand. The same hand that last night picked me up and lifted me to the spot it rests now. I lower the bottle without looking away from his thumb, which now rubs against the front of the sink. I remember the feel of it on my tongue and swallow.When did my breaths become shallow?
Warren’s hand tightens around the sink, the tendons and muscles of his hand shifting. He knows what he’s doing, I’m sure of it. I think of how it felt to cover his hand with mine, like tiny fireworks in my blood vessels. My eyes trace the vein protruding from his wrist up to the elbow where his T-shirt sleeve rests.
I follow the line of stitching to the base of his neck, where it falls into a slight V-shape. His Adam’s apple bobs. I look at his face and feel a haze fall around the room, putting us into a bubble where only we exist. He looks down at me with slightly parted lips and bedroom eyes. I suck in a breath as I prepare for whatever Warren is about to say.
“Chloe…” Warren says my name like a prayer.
