“Focus, Collie,” Berkley redirects me.
Freddie claps with eagerness. “Then he’s fair game, baby girl. Lay down your independence for a day and make a move. Test the waters. Ask hard questions to see where his head is at. It doesn’t make you weak to do that. I thought you said these are all the things this man taught you?”
“He did. But that’s the thing—Easton has a job. I’m working on securing a space for my business. Those two things are pretty freaking permanent.”
“Who says they have to be?” Berkley counters.
“Let Easton decide for himself what’s permanent. Just like you can for you. I’ve never seen you like this, Collie. You’ve been bitten by the love bug, and wasting that feeling would be a goddamn shame.”
As much as I hate to admit it, Freddie isn’t wrong.
I think I’m just scared of rejection. What if I put myself out there even more and he turns me down?
I’m the person I thought would never have any issues separating a good time together and moving on when it’s over.
Until Easton.
The goodbye we had at the airport was brutal.
“Why don’t you just put some feelers out? Be a little more forward with him,” Berkley suggests, sliding my phone in front of me.
“How do I even do that?” I groan, not used to feeling this way ever.
She smiles, and I find myself smiling back. Not because I’m no longer nervous—I am. But because underneath that nervousness is a sliver of hope.
“Start by calling him. Tell him something that reminded you of him. See where it goes.” Berkley’s beautiful smile lights up her face, and I burrow my face in my hands.
“Ughhhhhh,” I squeal and yell at the same time, my friends finding humor in my evident confliction. A soft tap on my shoulder alerts me to someone behind me, and I spin to face Justin Bates.
Anddddd he’s back.
“I’m about to head home. Didn’t know if you wanted to join me?” He does this weird wink gesture, and it’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.
Two months ago, I wouldn’t have even questioned it. But the smell of maple and something else coming from Justin makes me want to vomit. Because it’s not right. It’s not coffee and leather with a hint of spearmint.
He’s all wrong.
I pivot on a swivel to face Berkley, knowing I’ll have Freddie cheering for me as the distance between us grows farther. “Berks, gonna need you to handle this.”
She nods with a grin. “Fuck off, Bates. My girl’s taken.”
And I rush to the quiet side of the bar, with a one-track mind to call my guy.
“Fuck. Collie. It’s so good to hear from you.”
If I were a girl whose insides melted, mine would be a liquid puddle on the floor.
“Hi,” I practically squeal. “Did I wake you?”
“Four hours behind, remember?” Easton chuckles.
“Oh my god. That’s right. I always forget.” I hearcommotion going on in the background. He must be at dinner or something since it’s close to seven in Salt Hollow.
“Hey, one second. Let me step outside,” he tells me, and I let out a long exhale, head falling back against the hallway of the bar. Just hearing his voice again feels right.
“Okay. I’m back.”
“Cool.” I smile. “How was your day?”
