My soul just about leaves my body when there’s tapping on my driver’s side window. My phone flies out of my hands, landing somewhere in the car.
Gripping a freshly sharpened pencil in my hand, I turn to my left. My stomach sinks when I see a very unhappy man glaring at me like I’m the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen.
Walker’s distaste for my presence shouldn’t hurt. It reminds me of the same hurt I felt when he rejected me as a teenager all those years ago, but I gathered my pride just like any othereighteen-year-old and moved on. I'll have to manage and do the same thing now.
In reality, I know I never completely moved on from his dismissal of me.
Maybe no one ever truly moves on from their first crush. If that’s true, then I need to figure out a way to lock my heart behind reinforced steel. If I don’t, then I may not survive my time in Evergreen Falls.
“Roll down the window, Blake.” Walker’s voice is dulled by the glass separating us, but his impatience comes through loud and clear.
Doing as he says, I don my armor and bat my lashes. “What seems to be the problem, Officer?”
“Don’t do that.” His brows lower.
I shrug a shoulder, and my voice comes out a bit higher than I intend. “Do what?”
“Play dumb.” Walker sighs. His frustration is evident, but that only encourages me more.
Giving him a fake frown, I retort, “I don’t play games. It’s not fun when I win all the time.”
“Blake,” he responds curtly as he places his hands on the window.
“Glad to see you haven’t forgotten my name,” I emphasize my sarcasm by patting one of his hands.
His shoulders drop a fraction as sincerity enters his tone. “I could never forget you.”
I’m speechless. His candor is throwing me off balance. Once upon a time, I would’ve killed to have him look at me like this—like I’m important to him.
Walker’s tone goes hard again. “Why have you been following me?”
Shit. I thought I was being discreet. I can’t believe he’s known this whole time.
But…why not say anything until now?
Frowning again, I answer, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then what’s that?” Walker nods, pointing over my shoulder and leaning down to rest his forearms on my car.
I turn my head and find my sketchbook wide open on the passenger seat. The drawing of him and the town drunk is on full display. Scrambling to close it, I respond, “Nothing.”
Walker quirks a brow and smirks. “That’s not me?”
“No. You think I have nothing better to do than follow you around?” Facing him, the rest of my argument dies in my throat. His face is inches from mine. I can feel the heat from his breath. It smells of a mix of cigarette smoke and peppermint.
“Tell me why,” he commands, and his breathing picks up.
Is he just as affected as I am?
My eyes drop to his lips, and he notices. I should be embarrassed, but with the possibility of a kiss so close, I can’t force myself to give a damn.
“Maybe I just miss you,” I admit.
It’s a half-truth, but he doesn’t need to know that.
And evidently that was the wrong thing to say. Walker’s mouth hardens, and he stands to his full height.
“Stop it,” he barks, and his knuckles turn white as he grips my windowsill. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I promise you, I will find out.”
