Page 76 of Make it Real
His mouth twisted. “That’s different.”
“It is not.”
“You don’t have to do dangerous things just because they ask you. You should have told them no.”
“There’s noshouldabout it. They didn’t make me, and I can climb that ladder if I want to.” I blew out a breath as we stared each other down. What a stupid thing to fight over, but I hated that undercurrent of doubt, like I didn’t know how to choose for myself. I counted to ten in my head, willing my racing heart to settle. “You’re not in charge of me, Jed. I’m not one of your soldiers to order around.”
He shook his head, his brow furrowed like that didn’t make sense. “That’s not what this— I’m not trying to give you orders.”
“It sure sounded like it.”
His mouth fell open, and he paused a whole five seconds just staring at me like he needed to line his thoughts back up. Then, his shoulders dropped, and the air rushed out of him.
“I’m really an ass, aren’t I?”
His voice had lost that hard edge to it, and he sounded more like himself. A little more contrite version of himself, but still.
“I mean, yeah. You were a whole ass just then.”
He laughed, raking his fingers through his hair. He exhaled another hard breath, his mouth twisting. “I’m sorry, Callie. I was way out of line. I just didn’t want you to get hurt, is all.”
“I like the sentiment, but not the way you went about it.”
“I was trying to look out for you.”
“Yeah, but you made me feel like I can’t be trusted to speak up for myself. Like I need you to do the thinking for me.”
The epitome of what Gran wanted for me—and I for suredidn’twant—and he’d gone and done it.
His face crumpled, the hard lines erased. “I know, I’m sorry. It doesn’t excuse it, but I saw you up there, twenty feet in the air—”
“Sixteen.”
His small smile said that clarification didn’t make anything better. “Sixteen. And all I could think about was you falling onto that cement floor. I guess I kind of panicked.”
I appreciated his regret, but I wasn’t ready to just totally let him off the hook yet.
“And you expressed your concerns like a cave man,” I said, coaching him along.
“I did. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. I just…if anything happened to you…”
He looked like he had all sorts of gruesome scenarios playing out behind his eyes. Reaching out, he took my fingers in the same uncertain gesture he’d made once before. “I don’t think I could take it. I’m sorry. Truly.”
My heart melted so fast, it had probably turned into a puddle at my feet. The man knew how to make an apology. “I forgive you.”
“Thank you. Can I hug you?”
His voice came out just as hesitant as his finger-touch, like I might rather turn my back on him. I spared him a long wait by stepping closer and wrapping my arms around him. He released a jagged sigh as his arms came around me, pulling me close. He kissed the top of my head and laid his cheek against my crown, sending a warm, fizzy sensation through my heart.
Affection for this man—who, admittedly, didn’t always put his best foot forward, but who ever did?—surged through me like an ocean wave. It rose up and up, higher than I’d originally thought likely or possible. Pretty soon, it’d fill me all the way up, and where would I be then?
In love.
Nope. I would pretend I hadn’t just thought that. No way would I fall in love all by myself. Especially not when a goodbye already waited for us just a few days away.
I tilted my chin to look up at him and pinched his side. “Just so you know, I’m climbing back up that ladder and finishing the lights.”
He sighed again, but this one had some humor to it.
