Retracing my path to her house, I look at the area with fresh eyes. Last night, it was dark, and it was hard to see much of the neighborhood. I have to admit I wasn’t super impressed with the lack of street lamps and how dim the few in the area are. But in the fresh light of morning, it’s not so bad. A little run-down, but generally well kept up. At least she’s not living in a slum somewhere.
When I park in front of her house, I’m not sure if I should get out and knock—that’s what my dad would insist was only proper—or just text that I’m here.
But I’m saved from making a decision by her appearance on the front porch. She’s dressed almost the same as yesterday—cutoff shorts but her top is a berry pink tank top with a low scoop neck that shows off just a hint of cleavage.
Her long legs are bronze and smooth in the morning sun, and if she weren’t my childhood best friend’s little sister, I’d be thinking of all the ways I’d like those legs?—
Nope. Not going there. Cutting that thought off before it can go any further.
Jesus. I don’t need to be lusting after Hailey. That’s the last thing she needs right now.
A helping hand? Sure.
Some extra cash until she can get back on her feet? Absolutely.
Her deceased brother’s best friend panting after her?
Not fucking likely.
And what would Hunter say if he were still around anyway?
God, I don’t even want to think about that. He’d smack me if I even hinted that I think she’s attractive.
Nope nope nope. Not going there.
She’s pulling the passenger side door open before I’ve finished berating myself, and I’m dragged out of my head and back to the present moment. “Morning!” I almost shout.
Squinting, she pauses to look at me for a second, her expression telling me that I was way too loud with that greeting. “Uh, morning,” she responds after a beat, settling in the seat and shutting the door before buckling her seatbelt. “You are waaaay too upbeat for this early in the morning. Is this how you are all the time?”
Backing out of the driveway, I let out a soft chuckle. “Nah. Only on Tuesdays.”
When I glance at her, she’s squinting at me again. “It’s Thursday.”
“So it is,” I murmur, realizing I’m due to fly back to Seattle in two days. Will that be enough time for them to get her car fixed? In all my tossing and turning and contingency planning last night, that’s one angle I didn’t consider.
“So, I know I said I’d give you a ride anywhere you need while your car’s being worked on,” I start, glancing her way to see how she reacts. Her lips curve in a sardonic smile, and I plow forward. “But I’m flying back to Seattle in a couple days. Do you have a way to get around if your car’s in the shop for longer than that?”
A soft, humorless chuckle comes from the passenger seat. “Well, unless I can find a cheap bike, I guess I’ll be walking.”
“Seems like it’d be hard to do food delivery on foot,” I say carefully.
Another humorless laugh. “Yeah, well, I think that career path is closed to me for the moment. Unless I can find a job that offers a company car or something that I can do from home, Ithink I’m fucked.” She glances at me from the corner of her eye at a stoplight. “And not in a good way.”
I grunt because I don’t know what to say to that. Hearing Hailey cuss is weird enough as it is—not that it’s weird for a grown woman to use that language, it’s just that it’s hard for me to square the goofy tomboy I used to know with the adult sitting next to me—but adding in the sexual innuendo on top of that? Dear god, she might be the death of me without even trying.
Her laughter draws my attention, and I glance over at her. She shakes her head. “The look on your face is hilarious.” Leaning closer to me, she presses her lips together like she’s trying—and failing—not to smile. “I’m twenty-five, you know,” she says. “I’m not the little kid you used to know anymore.” She lowers her voice to a dramatic whisper. “I’ve had sex before. More than once.” Then she gasps, her mouth forming an exaggerated O of fake shock, and she holds one hand in front of it.
I force a chuckle, trying to show that I’m not shocked. “I mean, I know that, Hailey. Well, I mean, I didn’tknowknow. Like, I haven’t been stalking you or spying on you or anything.”
That makes her laugh for real. “No kidding. You’d’ve known more about my life if you had.”
“Well, I mean to make up for that now,” I mutter.
“What?” she yelps, and I jump, jerking the wheel a little in surprise, but I recover quickly. “You’re going to start stalking me? Or is it spying?”
“Ha. No. That’s not what I mean. Just … I feel bad I haven’t kept up with you.”
“Oh, Jason,” she says, laying her hand on my arm briefly, and there’s a zing at the contact, but it’s over as soon as it starts because she takes her hand away. Did she feel it too? Is that why she didn’t leave it there longer? “It’s never been your job to keep track of me. The fact that you’ve kept in touch as much asyou have is more than anyone has any right to expect given …” She makes a gesture with one hand and shakes her head. “Well, everything.”
