I roll my eyes, but my pulse betrays me, vibrating my entire body. I can feel Wren laughing behind me, thoroughly enjoying the interactions I didn’t consent to. Knox tilts his hat to Wren and me before chasing his brother up the stairs.
Instead of closing the door right away, I watch Knox disappear up the stairs, still phased by the two men I just met. I realize my heart is pounding in my chest, but not from irritation. I shake my head, forcing myself to breathe.
Wren nudges me with her elbow, pulling me from my trance. “So, what do we think of the new neighbor?”
I let out a weak breath, stepping back inside. “I don’t know. He seems nice enough and is good at keeping his brother under control.”
But as I close the door, I can still feel the weight of Henry’s brief glance. His neighborly smile was gentle, but there was something about it that pulled at me and didn’t want to let go.
The Rustic Inn is crowded tonight. I wipe away a droplet of sweat threatening to drip down my forehead and try to relax into the low hum of conversation mixing with the pulse of music. But it’s no use. It’s been months since I stepped foot in a place like this, and even though I look the part, the tight jeans hugging my body and the flowy top I put on to cover up the softness of my core don’t help ease the uncomfortable feeling tickling my spine.
I lean against the bar, my 5’4” frame not doing me any favors while I try to signal the bartender. Wren finally flags her down for me, and soon, we have two cocktails sitting in front of us. I eagerly take a drink to calm my nerves.
“So, are we going to talk about it?” Wren asks, leaning close so I can hear her over the music vibrating through our bones.
I lift the cold edge of my glass to my lips and take a small sip of the cocktail before answering her. Ever since our chance meeting with my new neighbor and his brother, she has been eager to dissect the quick yet intense look we shared moments before he retreated to his half of the shared duplex.
“Nope,” I say plainly. “I just hope he’s quiet and keeps to himself.”
Wren throws me a pointed glare, and I return the look with an innocent smile. I know what she’s digging for. Wren has been dancing around the topic for months, but lately, she’s become bolder when asking if I’m ready to get back out there. Now that I have finally moved out of Colt’s place, my excuses are wearing thin.
The truth is, I’m not sure if I’m ready to start dating again. I started dating Colton in high school, and that was more of a friendship that blossomed into something more. I’m terrified of the idea of dating, especially as a young mom. Dating a single mom isn’t at the top of most guys' wish lists.
“Just admit you were attracted to him, and I’ll quit bugging you.”
I’m not about to fall for that trap. “It’s more complicated than that and you know it. I don’t know if I’m ready. Plus, I’m pretty sure you snagged the last decent guy in Honey Grove,” I offer in an attempt to shift the focus from me.
Wren’s entire face lights up when I bring up Blake, and it’s hard not to feel my own mouth morph into a smile when I see her this happy.
The couple had found their way back to each other after a six-year hiatus and their relationship helped me realize what I was missing in mine. Passion.
“Nice try,” she counters. “But something tells me he’s not from around here.”
I sigh and nod my head. She’s right. I didn’t get a good look at him, but he didn’t look like he was from Honey Grove. I let my eyes wander over the crowd of the Rustic Inn. Some faces are instantly familiar, and others blur into the soft haze of the neon signs, casting a blue and orange shadow over the sea of people.
“Yeah, you’re right,” I say, turning back to her. “But that might be a good reason to avoid him. He’s probably from some big city where he’s used to overpriced rent and fancy coffee shops. And he probably thinks we’re a bunch of hicks.”
Wren smirks, her eyes flicking over my shoulder. “Oh, really?”
I take another sip of my drink to fuel my rant. I’m not sure if I believe half of the things coming out of my mouth, but I need to make sure Wren knows I’m not interested. “Oh yeah. I mean, did you see him? He had that broody, tortured-writer look. Probably drinks black coffee every day and reads pretentious books so he can pretend he’s better than everyone else. And I doubt he even needs those glasses he was wearing.”
A deep, amused voice speaks from behind me, and I freeze in place.
“The book line was good, but the glasses thing might’ve been a step too far. I actually do need them, by the way.”
My body is still facing Wren, too scared to turn around and face the music. My best friend presses her lips together and her shoulders start to shake as she tries not to laugh. She fails miserably when obnoxious laughter spills out of her mouth.
I take a deep breath and slowly turn around. Henry stands there with a small, knowing smile creeping onto his lips. One brow is perfectly angled in amusement behind his very real prescription eyewear. His brother, Knox, stands beside him with the same shit-eating grin from our earlier interaction.
“Hi,” I say, too stunned to come up with anything else. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight.”
“I can see that,” Henry responds. “I guess that makes sense. There are one too many hicks in this place for my liking.”
“I’m so—” I begin to say, but he cuts me off.
“No, please continue. This is fascinating.”
Knox’s hand slaps Henry on the shoulder, amusement dripping from his face. “She’s got you pegged pretty well, bro. You do read a lot of books so you can pretend you’re better than everyone else. You guys should see the bookshelf in his apartment. Front and center so he can show off how smart he is.”
