Page 70 of Just One Kiss

Because right now, it seemed everything else in her life had a mind of its own.

17

Alittle after noon, Quinn pulled up in front of the cabin. Josh knew if he wanted to have any chance with Carly, he needed to prove himself not just to her, but to her family.

He’d start with Quinn—Gus was far too much of a challenge at this point.

Jaden got out of the passenger side carrying three grocery bags.

“Got the stuff you asked for,” he said as he approached the porch.

“Where’s Carly?” Quinn asked, one hand shielding her eyes from the sun.

“She’s scouring the kitchen like a madwoman,” Josh said.

“She cleans when she’s anxious,” Quinn murmured.

Jaden peeked inside the open door. “Not bad for a morning’s work.”

“Yeah, it’s not a bad little place,” Josh said.

Jaden went inside, leaving him standing on the porch with his almost-sister-in-law, though he and Carly had never married. She seemed to have something to say.

“Go ahead,” he said.

Her brow clenched. “Go ahead with what?”

“I know you’ve just been waiting for the right time to give me a piece of your mind.”

She shrugged. “No, I haven’t.”

He only stared.

“Fine, I have,” she said.

“So, bring it on. I can take it.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I see the way you look at her, Josh.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, if you’ve got it in your head you guys might be able to try again, but she can’t take it—you have no idea what it did to her when you left.”

Maybe he couldn’t take it. “I know,” he murmured.

“But you don’t. She loved you more than anything,” Quinn said. “And you just walked away. You don’t just get over that.”

His heart squeezed.I’m not over it either.But he had no right. It was his choice—his actions that had done them in.

“I’m telling you, she seems strong, but she’s actually pretty fragile, and with everything going on with Jaden—she’s not thinking straight. The last thing she needs is for you to walk in here and make everything even more confusing with your—” she motioned toward his chest—“muscles and your blue eyes and all that nonsense.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he quickly put it back in its place. “I never meant to hurt her, Quinn.”

“You hurt all of us, Josh,” she said.

He thought of all the times Quinn tagged along with him and Carly, the little sister he never had. He’d served as her protector back in those days, and she idolized him—he knew she did. But he’d thrown that away.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” he said.

“I’m fine,” Quinn said. “It’s Carly I’m worried about. I know you’re a good guy, Josh—just notherguy. Stay away from her heart, okay?”

He sighed. He didn’t want to make a promise he couldn’t keep.

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