Page 21 of His North Star
I clenched my teeth before looking up. Did he know how rude it was to keep people waiting that long?
I spun around to face him. “I was just leaving.”
“Please don’t. Really, thank you for waiting.” His shoulders sagged. “I got called in earlier today for an emergency surgery that went longer than expected. I meant to call you on the way here, but I got a new phone recently and haven’t paired the hands-free calling. And now I sound like I’m coming up with a million excuses.” He rubbed his hands across his face.
“James, I’m tired. I’m going home.”
“Go for a walk with me,” he begged.
Why? What was the point? Nothing would come from our spending time together. Just like Blake, James would learn I was auseless, small-town nobodythat wasn’t wanted.
But his rumpled shirt, bloodshot eyes, and mussed hair had me caving, because no matter how hard I tried, I always failed at staying away from situations I knew would end badly.
“A short walk, and then I’m leaving,” I warned.
“Okay.”
I put my phone away and worked on settling my annoyance at his tardiness. If he wanted
a walk, I’d do my best to be pleasant, but nothing more. We strolled past a few storefronts, commenting here and there on the displays. We walked close to one another so we could hear each other, yet far enough apart that we didn’t brush up against each other.
When we came to the crepe restaurant, I pointed at the window. “Have you eaten here?”
“No. I haven’t spent much time in Whitefish. I’m still figuring Kalispell out.”
“I usually order a savory and sweet one each time I come because they’re so good. I also
end up wasting a lot because Ty won’t share with me. He prefers the sweet ones and always orders his own.”
“You could take the leftovers home,” he stated, as if this were brand new information.
Been there. Done that. Never again. I shook my head. “I’ve tried multiple ways to reheat
them. They’re never the same.”
“Well, then I’ll gladly come to your rescue. Name the day and time, and I’ll be there.”
Were we scheduling another get-together? No. No, we weren’t.
“Listen—“
James cut me off. “How about lunch in two Saturdays?”
Was he even going to let me speak? “I told you I’m not interested in dating.”
He looked at me like I’d grown antlers. “I never said it was a date.”
He sucker-punched my heart. Yes, I was the one who didn’t want to start anything with
him because I knew I didn’t deserve him, but the way he said that, and the rejection, still hurt. Further proof my heart and my mind were too messed up to deal with the opposite sex. I needed Ty. He was the only one I was normal around.
“Right. I’ll think about it.” Or not. “IfI say yes, we could invite Ty as well.”
“Sure.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Uh, Ty said you like astronomy?”
I laughed once. “That’s an understatement.”
His lips turned up, his hazel eyes glistening as he watched me. “You love it then?”
