Page 47
Juliet
I have my answer at the ready.
No, I do not want to see Archer again.
But when I look over at him and find his eyes on mine, Teenage Juliet returns, taking the reins of my heart and veering it toward him.
Indelible marks have been left in his skin over the years, splaying out from his eyes like bursts of sunrays. His scruff trails partially down the ridges of his throat, and his hair is worn a little longer than when he first moved to Autumn Ridge.
They’re signs of his getting older, which reminds me that I’m older now, too. Older, wiser, and ready to move on.
His gaze narrows as if he can see my innermost thoughts, so I sit taller and ignore the pulsing in my arm and ankle. “Like you said, it’s for the best if we don’t.”
He doesn’t look like he believes my words. “Juliet...”
He falters when he glances beyond my shoulder, and his jaw tightens. I follow his gaze to a nearby hallway. Dad stands in the middle of it, speaking with Sharon Price. She’s worked as a nurse for as long as I can remember and is the mother of Maven—Ben’s ex—and Carson, the new dentist in town.
Sharon’s also single.
Dad says something to her quietly, and she laughs, using a hand to tamper it as she leans back against the wall in her black scrubs. He looks pleased for having made her laugh, delivering that confident expression of his as he tucks a casual hand in the back pocket of his slacks.
“Looks like you can save yourself a phone call,” Archer murmurs.
But I hardly hear. I’m too distracted by watching Dad flirt. My suspicions are right, then. He is dating again.
“That’s Sharon Price, right?” Archer asks.
I nod in silence.
“She’s booked to come horseback riding with her granddaughter soon.” He pauses. “I didn’t know your dad was dating anyone.”
“Neither did I.”
Archer’s gaze sears into the back of my head, but I can’t look away.
Lisa looked awfully chummy with him at the party on Friday. Will she be disappointed when she finds out Dad’s got someone else? Or does he like both the nurse and the secretary?
And why didn’t he tell me about either of them when I asked?
My thoughts bounce back and forth like a pinball machine, but I lose them all when Dad’s eyes casually drift down the hallway and settle directly on me.
Watching his expression change is like viewing an entire dramatization in two seconds. He shifts from a blank stare to surprise, then his whole face turns a dark red, and he takes an abrupt step away from Sharon.
She’s staring at me now, too, and while she looks mildly surprised, she doesn’t have the same look of being caught out like Dad does.
Well, Dad did.
The next act in this mini-play of his is apparently intolerance as he turns icy eyes on Archer and sweeps toward us, muttering a quick goodbye to Sharon, who walks away in the opposite direction.
“Here we go,” Archer says next to me.
His brow is set, and he stands in time for Dad to reach us.
“Juliet, why...” Dad’s words trail off as he sees the bandage on my arm. “What happened?”
Time to soothe Papa Bear again.
I forget about my twisted ankle and try to stand, but it swiftly gives way beneath me. I grunt, landing hard in the waiting chair. Dad gives me a look of concern, then deepens his accusatory stare at Archer.
