I closed the truck door and then sidled past him to unlock the front door.Mildred was there to greet us instantly.Archer carried Lenni up to her room as I exchanged my shawl for my coat and headed to the back door with Mildred.
While Mildred was taking forever to do her business, I pulled my phone out of my small black purse.With a deep breath, I shot off a text to Poet.
Me
I’m in trouble.Emotional trouble.
It took only a few seconds before Poet replied.
Poet
It was fun, wasn’t it?
Me
More than fun.It was perfect.Felt date-ish.Even with Lenni there.
Poet
You know what I love about laminated cards?
Me
What?
Poet
You can easily destroy them with a pair of scissors.Good night.See you tomorrow at the Ridge.
I shoved my phone back into my purse and then peered up at the night sky.Even in town with the light pollution of the vintage streetlamps, I could see the stars.
The back door opened and Archer’s weighted steps clod across the porch.He came to my side, his hands shoved into his pockets.
“Kind of incredible,” I murmured, not taking my gaze off the starry blanket.“Isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” he said, his tone low.“Kind of incredible.”
His gravelly voice had me turning my gaze to his.
“Wyn ...”
The way he said my name.With such longing, such yearning ...
I wanted him.
I wanted to keep him.
But my relationship record was one long trail of broken hearts.
Mine.Not theirs.
The problem had never been me giving my heart away.It had been that I’d given it so freely and those that took it never cared for it.They were callous and greedy.But I’d survived all of them.
I wouldn’t survive Archer.
So, I did the only thing I could.
“Kissing you would be selfish.And Lenni comes first.”
