Page 38 of A Magnolia Move-In
I knew I should turn around and leave. I knew I shouldn’t allow myself to have feelings for him…but I couldn’t fight the desire to mean something to someone. After my divorce, I kept my heart locked up and my emotions at bay.
And it worked—for the most part.
But now that I was here in Magnolia, I wanted to have a fresh start, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it might feel like to be held again. To be kissed. To be…loved.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Spencer could be the man to do all of those things.
My cheeks flushed at the thought, so I turned to hide my reaction. The last thing I needed was for him to see me blushing.
He shut the fridge door, and I faked a yawn. “I’m going to head to bed,” I said, keeping my side facing him.
“Yeah, I should head to bed as well.”
I peeked over at him, trying to ignore how his smile and hazy gaze made my heart gallop in my chest. Could he hear my reaction to him?
I hoped not.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” I said as I started walking down the hallway.
“Yeah.”
I slowed. It sounded as if he wanted to say something more.
“Hey, Penny?”
My heart picked up speed once more as I stopped and turned. “Yeah?”
He was studying me now, and there was an intensity to his gaze that made me wonder if he could be feeling something too.
It couldn’t just be me.
“I do need that application.”
I blinked.
“For renting the room,” he added as if my confusion was written all over my face.
Suddenly, what he was asking registered, and I parted my lips. “Oh, yeah. Right,” I said with a quick nod. “The application. I’ll get that to you tomorrow.”
He nodded. “Perfect. Well, good night.”
“Night.”
I felt rooted to the floor as I watched Spencer nod and then head toward his room. Now alone, I stared at the spot he’d occupied moments ago. Back when I thought he could feel something for me like I felt for him. Before he brought me back down to reality with his request for the application.
Here I was, stupidly thinking that there might be an attraction between us and wondering what that might mean for our future. While he was worried that he just might have a serial killer living in his house.
I blew out my breath, my lips reverberating from the air pushing through them, as I turned and headed to my room.
Sure, I felt completely deflated. But in a way, I was grateful.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror as I blotted my freshly washed face. I needed to get a grip. History had taught me that there was no way I could have what I wanted in the professional world and in my love life at the same time.
There was no reason for me to think that my futurecould be any different.
Here in Magnolia, I could have love or my job, and that was it.
As much as I wanted to say that love was on the table, after Spencer’s reaction to me, I knew better than to hope.
