Page 44 of Untethered Heart
I can’t just walk away and forget about her, about the connection between us. But I think I need to be careful.
I need to learn Lex.
I need to figure out why the fuck she has me so flipped upside down and turned inside out.
And then, I’m going to find out what she needs from me.
And that’s exactly what I’m going to be.
Chapter twenty-three
I’m having déjà vu. My head is heavy with fog, voices speak softly outside my bedroom door, and the air surrounding me is clouded with honey and citrus.
Taking a deep breath, I push myself up, throw my blankets back, and shift my legs over the side of the bed. My head whirls for a moment, forcing my hand to clutch the side, rubbing at the temples.
More of that citrus scent overwhelms me.
With a whimper, I trudge out of my bedroom. There’s a conversation of sweet words and affection coming from the kitchen as I blindly make my way through the hallway. With the hours I work, I’ve navigated this house many times with no light.
“I smell coffee,” I groan when I sense I’ve reached the living room.
“Good morning, bestie.” I pull one eye open at the sound of Claire’s voice, stopping in my tracks at the sight of her standing in the kitchen, her arms wrapped around the same guy she’s been hooking up with the past few weeks.
The contractor. The one that she started out hating, but slowly let her walls crumble around.
“I guess you guys need a formal introduction now, huh?” She smirks and pulls Lee or Leif, whatever name he goes by, over to meet me.
“Leif, this is my best friend Lex. Lex, this is, um—”
From one open eye, I can see the uncertainty on Claire’s face over how to introduce him. The fact that she is introducing him with such pride rather than a flippant wave of her hand means he’s important.
“Lee. I’m the boyfriend.”
So he’s Leif to Claire and his family, and Lee to everyone else. Got it. He holds his hand out to shake mine while Claire dissolves into girlish giggles.
Her cheeks flame, and she buries her face against the bare muscles of her boyfriend’s chest.
I’ve never seen my best friend in love, or even hardcore crushing over a guy. But when Lee smiles down at her and presses a kiss against her forehead, making her snort in uncontrolled glee, I think I can get used to it.
But not without coffee first.
“My friend looks thrilled right now, but I’ll be more equipped to deal with this after a coffee.” I make my way around the lovebirds, pulling a carton of oat milk from the fridge, then make my way through the kitchen.
“What time did your friend leave?” Claire asks.
I look over at her while I pull my glass tumbler from the overhead cupboards. “What friend?”
“Caleb Heart,” Lee says. “How did you manage that connection, by the way?”
“We met him at The Wayside,” Claire answers, looking up at him with dreamy eyes.
“And then you got to talking about the salon, and he decided to invest?” Lee asks, just as much wrapped up in her as she is in him. I’d join in on their conversation, but it’s like my brain did a record screech when Lee said Caleb’s name.
“Invest? He’s not an investor.” Claire furrows her brow in question.
“Excuse me,” I interrupt. “Are you saying Caleb was here last night?” I ask.
“Then why did he pay for the damage at the salon?” Lee asks.
