Page 12 of Love Me Boldly

“Doesn’t make much sense to pay to live closer when it’s twenty minutes away.” Tuition wasn’t the largest cost of going to college, and my loans were going to be more manageable now that I wasn’t. But man, the day I’dhadto move back to Deer Creek had been depressing. Felt like such a step backward.

As long as I didn’t stay stuck backward, then I was okay with it being temporary.

My phone rang, buzzing against my hip where it was next to me on the booth. I ignored it, but Graham glanced in that direction. “Do you need to get that?”

“The only calls I get are spam callers.”

“And me.” He smirked.

I rolled my eyes as my phone stopped. “And you, and see? Silent now.”

It immediately started vibrating again, though, and this time, knowledge of who it could be sent a rush of ice picks to my head, giving me an instant headache. “Crap,” I muttered and rubbed my forehead.

“So people do call you.”

“No one I want to talk to.” I picked up my phone, checked the caller, and sighed. Of course it was him. My dad, calling from prison. Probably demanding more money as if I had piles of it lying around to spare.

Graham’s brows rose. I was beginning to think the man had a sixth sense because it seemed like he knew I wouldn’t talk about this. Like he could see my pulse racing, thumping in my ears and my inner wrists. “So then it’s not just me you avoid.”

A burst of laughter came through me, breaking my anger and fear and worry like a snap. “No.” I shook my head. “I suppose it’s not just you I avoid.”

I was saved from further talking about it when the waitress came. I tucked my phone into my coat pocket so I wouldn’t hear it vibrate again. Graham pulled out a credit card from his wallet, handing it to her without bothering to look at the check.

When she was gone, I asked, “Are your parents going to be okay with this? The meal, I mean?”

“Yeah. Of course. That’s why my dad gave it to me.”

“He gave you a credit card so you could take girls out to eat? Sounds like an interesting Dad.”

“No.” He laughed. “My dad gave it to me for emergencies.”

“And I’m an emergency?”

“Getting to know you is, yeah.”

Wow. He had all the right words, all the right jokes, and his flirtatious banter was top-notch. It was almost too easy to trust him and equally easy to believe he used all these lines on every other girl who threw herself in front of him. With his looks and personality, I assumed they were lined up.

“I’m not sure if I should trust you or run in the opposite direction,” I admitted.

Graham leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “I don’t ask for trust from a lot of people. I’m used to people abusing it, but if you gave me yours, I can promise you I wouldn’t betray that or take it for granted.”

His stern expression had me melting. Maybe he wasn’t the player I thought he was. There was something so endearing about him, something that made me want to take the risk.

“Why me?” I asked.

An edge of his lips quirked up. “Why not you?”

FOUR

HOLLY

“No kisses? Not even one on the cheek? I’m so disappointed in you.”

Tracey flung herself back on my worn, green sofa. I’d texted her as soon as I got back home, and she showed up ten minutes later. She was either waiting in town for my text or sped like a demon to get to me. I didn’t bother asking. Both were equally plausible.

“We said goodbye outside, and he ordered an Uber to get him back home. No kisses.”

Just laughter. His questionwhy not youthat I couldn’t get out of my head. I’d even offered to take him home, which wasnotlike me. He declined, saying he didn’t want me to go out of my way.

---