Page 9 of Bookworm
“Look, I didn’t mean to bring up the past. Just forget I said anything, okay?”
“Absolutely not. I want to know what you mean? What should I feel guilty about?” I pressed.
I knew what he was about to say. We’d never hadthefight. The final blowup about him leaving months early for summer classes at Dartmouth.
We never had any fight, actually. We just sort of vanished like steam into the air.
“You’re joking, right?” he snorted. “Harper, we lost our virginity to each other and then you never returned my calls. Not once.”
“Ididreturn your call. I returned the call when you finally left me a message telling me the truth about your summer school here at Dartmouth! Until you admitted to me that you were leaving, I didn’t want to hear from you.”
Adam drew back a little, the corners of his eyes tightening. “You knew about that?”
“Yeah. I knew about that,” I whispered. I wasn’t about to go into what all I knew or that horrible conversation I’d overheard with his dad.
“Why didn’t you justtellme you knew? Why didn’t youtalkto me like an adult, Harper?”
“Because Iwasn’tan adult, Adam! Neither of us were. I was eighteen and hurt. And it wasn’t just about you leaving for Dartmouth early.”
“Okay then what elsewasit about?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was not the conversation I’d planned on having today. Especially not after a twelve hour flight and very little sleep. “Does it really matter?” I asked quietly. “It was years ago. We’re different people now. Just know… Idon’tfeel guilty.”
His jaw twitched. Yet another muscle that hadn’t been nearly as defined seven years ago.
There was a knock on the driver’s side window that caused us both to jump. Airport security stood there, twirling his finger. “Keep moving,” he said, voice gruff. “You can’t idle here.”
Adam gave him a wave through the window. “You got it, we’re leaving now,” he said as he turned the ignition and started the engine up.
“Just one more question, Harper,” he said, pulling out into the slow crawl of traffic.
“Okay,” I said, as I slid my gaze toward him with raised eyebrows.
“What the hell is thatawfulsmell?”
Chapter Three
“It’s so good to have you home, Turkey.” Dad hugged me hard, not letting go as Coen and Cole ran circles around us.
We’d just finished dinner out at my favorite little diner.
Man, I missed diners.
England had great pubs, but diner culture was a New England staple that just didn’t exist across the pond.
“I missed you, too, Dad.”
Addy leaned in, wrapping her one free arm around us while her other arm steadied Lacey, balanced on her hip. “I need to get in on this action,” she said smiling. “Your dad’s not the only member of this family who missed you!”
Coen stopped mid-run and pointed at our family hug. “Hug attack!”
“Hug attack!” Cole repeated as both boys launched themselves into the pile, hugging each of my legs.
“Oh no!” I shrieked. “Not a hug attack! Ahhh! I’m being suffocated by hugs!”
From within Addy’s arms, Lacey shrieked a joyful baby giggle and flailed her arms, blowing bubbles.
“Do you know what this means?” I asked the boys, as I scooped Lacey out of Addy’s hold and smothered her chubby cheeks in kisses. “We retaliate… with girlie kisses!”
