“Sienna, what are you doing here?”Micah steps onto his cement porch, dressed in black jeans and a red flannel that I wish I could soak in and study how good it looks on him, but I can’t.
I can’t because I haven’t spoken to him in over a week, and he’s not responding to my text messages or calls.
He’s completely ghosted me, except he can’t fully because we live in a small town, and it can’t go on like this forever.
“You can’t be here.”
Those words are like a sucker-punch because I’ve felt the shift. The pull away from me, and it shouldn’thurtthis much, but it does because I’ve allowed myself hope.
I’ve permitted myself to think into the future, and that should’ve been my first stop.
“What’s going on?” I press because I have a right to know, to some extent. “You’re flirting with me at the Maple & Main Diner one minute, telling me you miss me, and the next you’re gone.”
I can see him release a held sigh because his chest expands and constricts. “Sienna, I?—”
“If you need space, I can give that to you. I just need you to communicate with me.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I?—”
“Are you okay? Did something happen with Heath and his mom? Are you?—”
“Sienna—”
“I’ve been worried about you, and I’ve been trying not to push, but I’m going crazy over here. I shouldn’t be here, I know, but I couldn’t?—”
“You need to get home,” he says calmly. “Someone might see you, and I don’t want that.”
I don’t care about having to answer questions later if that happens.
I mean, I do, because that would be a pain. However, I’ve been going crazy over Micah’s lack of communication, and I’m worried.
“Is this for my own good? Is this because of?—”
“Yes.” He crosses his inked arms along his chest to keep the always-on-going attraction that sizzles between us at bay.
But there’s nothing he can do to stop that.
He was okay with sitting in the background and staying within secret moments until Heath’s next year of school.
So I’m going to fight with and for him on this.
Whatever that is.
“Micah, I’m sorry for what happened, but I wanted?—”
“What are you sorry for? You didn’t do anything.”
“I know, but I haven’t been able to help you with—” He shakes his head, and the tautness on his body stops me from continuing further. “Micah, I want to help. I know you don’t want me in the way, and there are certain things I can’t do or get involved with?—”
“You can’t.”
“Then let me be there for you.”
“You can’t do that, either.”
I frown. “I don’t understand. I know I said we had to wait, and you’re dealing with Heath’s mom?—”
“I have everything handled,” he reveals. “And I don’t need you in my way, Sienna.”
