“Jesus, help me.” North groans, rolling his eyes.
Then, the pull takes hold.
“That’s so freaking romantic,”Tally muses while leaning on the counter in the restaurant, her chin in her hands and her elbows resting on the counter.
“It’s not,” I argue while folding some more napkins, even though she’s right.
Hunter rescuing me was kinda romantic.
The drive to the yard this morning was silent, besides Nash chattering about how the cold temperatures were bringing the lobsters nearer to the coast. I worked silently the whole day on the boat’s electronics, but I still couldn’t find the problem, which irked me.
The only good thing is North hasn’t given me any timeline for this one yet. Thankfully, after we left the BMW, I didn’t see him for the rest of the day.
The whole day today was just uncomfortable. Saylor was gone after breakfast too, so it was a silent day, giving me too much time to overthink. I missed him, but that is something I can’t dwell on too much.
I need to go.
The longer I stay, the more complicated it gets. I felt it yesterday with Hunter and all the time with Saylor. When I’m completely honest, it’s Nash and even North too. They are slithering their way through my walls.
And I can’t let that happen.
I can’t let anybody in.
I’m way too carefree with Saylor because he’shim.
But it’s not just the guys. It’s Tally, Tim, and Mac too. If I stay here and allow myself to make friends, it will hurt so much more when I have to leave than just continuing to stay alone.
If it isn’t too late already.
And how can I speed up being able to hit the road again when everything seems to work against me.
Tally giggles and stands straight, bringing my thoughts back to the present. “He drove through a snowstorm to get to you. It sounds like a movie. But just so you know, Tim was over at the van yesterday too, but you were nowhere to be found. We both couldn’t sleep thinking about you staying there in that storm. And we didn’t even know about the damn heater. Really, girl, give me your phone number already. I need to be able to contact you.”
“Tim came over?” I ask, completely perplexed that he would go into the storm for me.
“If you haven’t already gathered, we like you, dummy,” she grumbles, reaching out to take my phone out of my hand as soon as I unlock it to put in her number and let hers ring once. “Talking about numbers, do you want Hunter’s? Or did he already give it to you?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.
“I already told you—” I start, but she interrupts me.
“I know, I know, Jones boys are off-limits. That’s just stupid, though,” she mutters, grabbing some napkins to fold.
“It’s not. Tally, I… he made me feel things yesterday. And Nash already did too. That shit’s complicated. I’m going to be gone soon, and they are brothers, and…”
Tally reaches out to pat my hand. “I get it, okay? I really do. I just wished one of them would sweep you off your feet so you decide to stay, and I can keep my new bestie.”
Bestie?
She thinks of me like that?
My heart makes a whoop. This is precisely why I need to go. It feels good. It feels like home until the rug gets pulled out from under me when I act strangely or they somehow find out.
“Just try all of them once and keep the one that’s best in bed,” Mac offers from the kitchen, making Tally and me laugh.
“You’re unbelievable.” I chuckle, feeling my heart get lighter.
“Why? There are no strings attached. You haven’t promised anything to anyone. They know and are well aware of what’s happening, so it’s their own fault if they play along.”
“Oh, so tell me, almighty Mac, what is happening? Because I don’t know it myself,” I ask, my eyebrows going to my hairline.
