Wes was making the bed. When he turned, he froze, and his eyes raked up and down my body. After a long, heated stare, he looked away. “You should get dressed. You already broke my no-touching rule by sleeping on top of me.”
My eyes narrowed. “I didn’t sleep on top of you. I rested my head gently.”
He met my gaze. “And that turned into wrapping your arms and legs around me about ten seconds after you fell asleep.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah—oh.”He shook his head. “I’m trying to be good, Juliette. And you’re not making it easy. I can’t be on my game to protect you if I’m distracted.”
“Maybe…we would be less distracted if we took care of our pent-up frustrations.”
“Absolutely not.”
I sighed, and in a moment of utter insanity, I untied the knot of my towel. It fell to the floor, pooling around my feet. “I’ll be here if you change your mind.”
***
The car was quiet on the drive over to Wes’s grandmother’s house. In fact, he’d barely said two words to me since storming out of the bedroom. I thought about apologizing, but really, why should I? I wasn’t sorry. I liked Wes, maybe too much. My physical attraction to him was off the charts. And I knew in my bones that he felt the same way.
But yet again, my father was in the way of my life.
We pulled up to his grandmother’s house, and, as always, Wes told me to stay in the car until he determined it was safe. I watched as he scoped out the block before opening my door. As I climbed out, our arms brushed, and a bolt of electricity shot through me. Wes’s eyes jumped to meet mine, and I had no doubt he’d felt it, too. He looked away quickly, but I decided right then and there that he and I were going to have a talk later.
Inside, the house was quiet. His grandmother’s hospice nurse was just coming out of the bedroom. Her face fell when she saw us, and I knew what was coming before she even spoke.
“I’m so sorry,” she said softly. “Your grandmother just passed.”
CHAPTER 13
Wes
Engulfed in sadness, I lay on my bed, staring into space. I’d told Juliette I wanted to be alone after we got back from my grandmother’s.
I found myself more grateful than ever that we’d gotten to New Jersey when we had. Just one more day, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to say goodbye. I could thank Juliette for that opportunity. I also wondered if Grandma had waited to see me before letting go.
Despite finding some comfort in the fact that I’d gotten to see her before she died, I was in shock. I’d been thinking I’d talk to her again today, yet instead of spending time with her, I’d sat with her lifeless body as we waited for the medical examiner to arrive. Still, it was an honor to be by her side.
Mom had met us there as soon as I called to tell her about Grandma’s passing. My mother seemed to be handling that better than I was, maybe because she’d been here day in and day out and had seen how mygrandmother had declined, how little she could enjoy her life. At least Grandma wasn’t suffering anymore.
The strange thing was, despite feeling distraught, I hadn’t cried yet. I felt like Ishould’vebeen crying. I was in immense pain, after losing one of the most important people in my life, but for some reason, the tears wouldn’t fall.
After about ninety minutes in my room alone, I heard a knock at the door.
“Wes, can I come in?” Juliette asked.
“Yes,” I answered, straightening against the headboard.
She smiled sadly as she entered the room.
“What have you been doing all this time?” I asked.
“Well, your mom just got home from meeting with the funeral director. But I thought I’d make sure she returned to a clean and tidy house. So, before she got here, I put all the dishes away, scrubbed the sink and countertop, and neatened up the living room.”
I forced a smile. “That was really nice of you. Thank you for doing that.”
Juliette lay next to me on the bed. “I waited as long as I could before coming to bug you.”
“You never bug me.” I briefly placed my hand on her leg. “But thank you for giving me a little space. I thought I was going to break down, and didn’t want you to see that, but strangely, I haven’t been able to cry.”
