Page 117 of Sweet Shots

“Because I saw a strange car in the driveway.” I jerk my hand behind me, unsure of why he’s so confused right now. Isn’t it obvious? Wouldn’t he do the same?

“Do you just drive by to check up on me?” He crosses his arms over his chest, frowning.

“Drive by? What the fuck are you talking about? I live next door.” I jerk my arm in the direction of my house. Did he hit his head on the way here or something?

He shakes his head. “No, the sign is down, and someone else’s car is in the driveway.”

I slow blink, then I laugh.

“Did you think… You thought I moved?” I manage to say.

“What else would I think?” he barks out, taking a step closer to me. “I come back and there’s a fucking shiny ass BMW in the driveway and theFor Salesign that’s been up for a month is suddenly gone.”

I grin, closing the distance between us. “Did you drive by to check up on me?” I ask, reflecting his words back at him. How else did he know I had a sign up?

He scoffs, opening his mouth to say something, but I cut him off by grabbing the back of his neck and smashing my lips to his.

I’m not sure what comes over me, other than an enormous wave of relief at knowing he’s here alone, he’s back, and he isn’t with anyone.

Mikah is stunned, doesn’t kiss me back, but I’m pulling away before I give him a chance to. I don’t need him to kiss me back, don’t need him to profess his love for me. Just knowing he’s back is all I need—for now. I grin, stepping backwards, and then turning on my heel.

“Where you going?” he calls after me, taking a few steps out of his room. I stop in the middle of the stairs and look up at him.

“Back home, obviously.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“Because I live there.” I shrug.

“Can you stop being a smartass for just a second?” he shouts.

I hold his gaze, my grin growing. “You wouldn’t love me if I did.”

It’s possible Mikah is still standing outside his room, gaping at the place I was standing on his stairs. That’s how he was when I walked out his front door. It’s been nearly an hour since I left the house, and he hasn’t come over here, hasn’t called or texted. I’m not sure what else he could possibly be doing.

But I feel better knowing he’s here. Even better that I know he cares that I’m here, too. The look on his face said it all: he was upset that I left—well, that hethoughtI left. That’s anice reassurance after everything, or maybe I’ll be putting my foot in my mouth in another day or two, when he still doesn’t acknowledge me.

I never questioned Mikah’s feelings for me; I know they are there. This was never about that. It’s the order in which I’m important to him that matters. Am I the last thing he worries about, when there is a long line of things to worry about? Am I at the top of his list? I understand this hypothetical list is ever-changing depending on what’s going on in your life, but I can’t settle for always being at the bottom. In fact, I don’t think I should ever be past slot number three. Because seriously, what in life is more important than a partner? Children are important and should always come first, but I firmly believe that children and partners are sometimes interchangeable. Sometimes one needs more attention than the other, and that’s okay, because at the end of the day, they’re still top priority.

That’s all I want. I just want to be a priority to him, the way he is to me. I need to know that I matter enough for him to work on his crap. Maybe this is a start.

He’s back. He’s next door. He’s here. I’ve never been patient, and not that I am right now, but I will control my impulsiveness when it comes to Mikah. It’s the only way I’ll get anywhere with him, and today, I’m choosing his silence to be a good thing. He hasn’t told me he doesn’t want to be with me. No, he hasn’t said he does either, but that means there’s a chance. I’m choosing to look on the bright side of things because honestly, I don’t really know how to do the opposite. I’m aware of all the badthings that happen in life; I had a few really bad things happen to me. But life is good and there are so many amazing things to experience, and why the hell would you want to be miserable all the time when you can enjoy everything this world has to offer?

Maybe it’s pathetic how my mood has skyrocketed knowing Mikah is home—it may come back to bite me in the ass. But I’ll deal with that when, and if, it happens.

Tugging the fridge door open, I pull out a bottle of beer, pop the cap, and take a long pull. I shut the door and open the freezer, looking through the options for dinner. Not sure there’s enough time for any of this to thaw out, so it looks like I’m ordering in again. Shutting the door, I head to the couch but stop when the bell rings.

With my stomach in knots, I go to it, hoping it’s Mikah but bracing myself for it to be someone else. I pull the door open and there he is, looking more handsome than ever, but also sad, almost defeated. Definitely tired. But so fucking beautiful.

He shrugs, holding up the suitcases in his hand. “You still have thatFor Salesign?” he asks. My brow furrows and he steps over the threshold. “I’m moving in. I guess.”

My eyes widen and I step back, allowing him more room to come in. He really looks like he’s about to move in, right this second. But there is one major thing missing—the cat.

“Can you say something, please? Because this isn’t easy for me and—”

For the second time today, I cut him off by kissing him. Thankfully this time he smiles against my lips, drops everythingin his hands and cups my face, deepening the kiss. Blindly, I put my beer down on the table beside the door, not wanting to break contact, and slam the door shut, then grip on to Mikah.

His tongue slips into my mouth, and he nibbles on my bottom lip, his hands holding my face tightly. This feels right. All of this feels so goddamn right.

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