Page 50 of Made for You
“We all have coffee, and I saw him glance back through the window twice before he and his sister walked away, so I need to know before I explode.”
Dove’s anxious excitement had me grinning.
“Well, I’d hate to be responsible for that after only knowing you for a few days. It’s really just...” My insides followed the hill and valley trail of a cosine, and I shook my head. “Actually, honestly, it’s notjustanything. We’re going out tonight, but it feels… significant.”
Was that an odd thing to say?
Maybe. But it was true.
I couldn’t deny that every interaction I’d had with the man felt more significant than the last.
Dove squealed and clapped as Catherine beamed. Their genuine excitement for me, a person they barely knew, had one of those hopeful rays of light shining all through my heart. Was this what it felt like to dig in? To let people in and have them do the same? Why had I hidden from it for so long?
“Oh my gosh, I love it. Iloveit. Plus Nikki Camden has a nice ring to it.”
I burst out laughing, more of a cackle than anything more dignified, and both of them joined me. “I think that might be getting a little ahead of things. We’ve both got a lot going on, and technically, he’s my boss.”
Dove waved that away while Catherine shook her head. “I realize it’s different, but Wilder and Sarah Saint got togetherwhileshe was working for Saint Security. So, you know, there’s a precedent if anything.”
“I’m not actually worried about that, thank goodness. He’s my boss, technically, but so far, he doesn’t seem to be the person I report to or interact with most. And I’m not planning to be there for long.” Though even saying that felt a little wrong somehow.
But that had to be the work I’d done over the years tostick. Like Gram said. I’d wanted to be someone who could be trusted and relied upon. I’d wanted real relationships and a community. Or so I’d said.
So I’dstuckin my job, in my relationship, in my apartment, for years and years and years until it all imploded. Had I really stayed and engaged? No. The last few months had painted that in red all over the pages of my life, and there was no escaping it. Which was why it made me both antsy and hopeful to think of staying here but not stayingstatichere.
Ultimately, I’d confusedstickingandchanging.Or at least, that’s how I’d been explaining it to myself.
All of this in Silverton—the friends, having family here, getting close to Kiley and especially Bruce… all of it felt so much different, so much better, than it ever had when I’d conflated sticking with just being stuck.
“Well, I’m excited. And I hope you’ll decide you like us enough to tell us what kissing Bruce Camden is like because….” Dove loosed a dreamy sigh.
Catherine’s eyes narrowed on me, or maybe the rosy tinge overtaking my face. “Wait, have you kissed him?”
I stared back.
A gasp from Dove and another grin from Catherine, and though I wasn’t particularly shy, I covered my face with my hands. Dove pulled my hands away, eyes wide.
“You have.You have.And it was good. It was…so goodif I’m reading your beet-red blush right.” She bit her lip, and I could’ve sworn her eyes went all sparkly like a cartoon full of hope.
I laughed, a weirdly relieved and elated sound, but finally confirmed. “Ten out of ten, would kiss again.”
More shrieking, the other patrons all turning to look, and me ducking low to avoid the spectacle even though I sort of reveled in it. When was the last time I’d had someone so excitedforme? Had I ever?
Truth was, I didn’t think so. I’d only just met these two, and yet, they were proving to be more engaged friends than I’d had in California for a decade. They were making me even more excited to be here, to stretch down deep with my roots andstick.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Bruce
Istared at Kiley’s cellphone screen and the message bubble there, racking my brain for what response would be best.
The internal conflict waffled between rage, fear, and a small voice of reason in what felt very much like a void shoutingthis is not necessarily a bad thing.
“Boo? What do you think?”
Her worried eyes pleaded with me to tell her what to do.
And this was the part of parenting that was so relentlessly hard. Because how could I tell her what to do here? What guidance could I give her that wasn’t potentially wrong?
