Page 28 of When You're Home
“That’s awesome, V. I’m glad you got to do something fun. I promise you next weekend is going to be epic. You’re gonna be feeling allll the birthday love.”
“Oh, I fully expect to be feeling all the love, Wheeler. We’re staying at the cabin for the whole weekend, right?” she verified, a hefty dose of hopefulness behind her teasing tone. “I’m off Friday and Saturday, then I don’t have to work until the afternoon shift on Sunday.”
“Yes. You and me, beautiful, just the two of us at the cabin.”
“It sounds perfect.” She sighed.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“I really do wish I was there right now, V.”
Tori bit down on her bottom lip. This would usually be the moment when she reminded him that their arrangement didn’t allow for thoughts like that. But for some reason unbeknownst to her, her guard was down tonight. She didn’t want to push him away. Maybe it was the nostalgia and slight dread of ticking off another year of her 20s. Or maybe it was the self-imposed distance she had insisted they maintain over the last several weeks.
The sentiment of what she said next didn’t surprise her, but the fact that she actually said it to him did. “I really wish you were here, too, Rhett. Maybe next year we…”
A cacophony of sound came through the line then, almost like someone had turned up the volume in a small room. A peel of laughter came through the phone. The high-pitched noises definitely belonged to a woman, and Tori didn’t need more than one guess to identify the source. She cringed as she thought about Chandler finding Rhett on the phone with her.
“Shit… hold on a second,” he muttered, all but confirming her suspicions.
The swell of emotions she felt earlier started to crest to the surface again, this time led by the sharp pangs of jealousy. But this time she wasn’t interested in exploring them; she was only interested in shoving them back down.
“No worries. I’ll see you next Friday, Everhett,” she said coolly. She ended the call before he even had a chance to say goodbye. She turned her car off and sat quietly, trying to make sense of her reaction. Another minute passed before her phone vibrated in her lap.
Ev: I miss you,beautiful.So damn much.I can’t wait to see you. I’ll be home soon.
She read his text again, memorizing the way it landed in her mind. She almost let herself feel the depth of his words, to unleash the wave of emotions she was trying so hard to temper. But then she reminded herself that Rhett probably had to delete the text immediately after sending it. That was all she needed to snap back to reality. Longing and jealousy still simmered below the surface, but they were no match for her resolve.
Chapter 17
Tori
Torisatonherfrontstoopandcheckedherphoneforthehundredthtimethatday.Rhettwasn’tlate,andsheknewhecouldn’tcontroltrafficonI-71onaFridayafternoon.Still,herbodywashummingwithanticipation.
They needed to get on the road soon. She wanted to leave before her dad got home and started peppering them with questions. He knew enough about their plans: She’d be with Rhett, and they’d be gone until Sunday. The fridge was stocked, and he was in charge of Penny.
She had spent the day prepping and picking up food for the cabin. She treated herself to a bikini wax and a haircut with the birthday gift certificate Cory and Lia gave her, then she made a baked pasta dish for her dad to eat all weekend. She packed and repacked her bag, obsessing over what she would need.
Much to her annoyance, Tori felt anxious about the next few days. She had spent countless weekends with Rhett. There was no reason to be this keyed up about seeing him. She ran her hands through her freshly cut and styled hair, focusing on how the straightened ends felt like silk between her fingers.
She heard the Prelude coasting down Sunset Drive before she could see it. The excitement running through her body cranked up another ten notches, her nerves on fire as she watched the red two-door car pull into the driveway.
She practically ran over to him before he could even put the car in park.You have no chill today, she scolded herself. She reached for his door handle as he unbuckled his seat belt.
Rhett looked up at her and grinned. He had the best smile. She loved the way his eyes lit up, the way his whole body looked excited to see her. He gracefully lifted himself out of the car, then his arms were around her.
“Happy birthday, beautiful,” he whispered into her hair, pulling her in tight against his hard chest. She felt him nuzzle her neck and inhale. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed in reply, melting into the solidness of the man standing before her.
“Shit, I missed you,” he exhaled, working his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck. Tori stilled, relishing the feeling of being in his arms, but still acutely aware of their surroundings as she realized how easy it would be for Rhett to tilt her head up and kiss her.
“Hey, relax. You’re good,” he responded to the tightness in her body. How did he always know what she was thinking before she even spoke the words to him? “I know better than to try and kiss you out here for all the neighbors to see.” He gave her a final squeeze before letting go. “But you know I would if I could,” he admitted, his voice serious as he locked eyes on her.
“I missed you so much,” she confessed, admitting out loud just how badly she had been aching for this reunion.
“Oh yeah? You can show me how much later,” Rhett responded with a wink, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.What twenty-four-year-old guy actually winks and gets away with it?
“Everything here going with us?” he asked as he eyed the bags on the porch.
