Page 32 of Slow Burn
He rubbed at his chest. "Ouch." That big smile was back. "Maybe next time?"
My head bobbed up and down. "Mhm, maybe."
Jack flashed his teeth once more before he wandered away. Arms folded in front of me, I angled my head Frankie's way. "You called him over, didn't you?"
She stuck her tongue out and tried to pull her straw closer, giving up when she kept missing. "I don't know what you're talking about." Something over my shoulder caught her attention. She straightened her back and her eyes grew wide. "Wow! Isn't that your neighbor?"
I spun around on the little stool so fast, I almost fell on my ass. My gaze zeroed in on the door, but none of the laughing crowd loitering at the entrance resembled Adam.
It took my brain a minute to catch up.
There was no way my vague descriptions of the man could have painted an accurate picture of him. No way my sneaky friend could've known what he looked like.
"I knew it!" Frankie exclaimed smugly when I faced her again. "First the rolls and now this…What exactly is going on between you two?"
A heavy sigh blew over my lips. "His name is Adam, and there's nothing going on."
With her elbow perched on the countertop, she rested her chin against her palm. Big, curious eyes roamed over my face. "But you want there to be?"
Yes. No. I pulled my shoulders to my ears and let them fall again. "I don't know, Frankie. I'm curious about him and I definitely find him attractive." Even though she was the person I trusted most in this world, I didn't tell herabout the inexplicable pull I felt to Adam. If I couldn't make sense of it, I could only imagine what it would sound like to her ears.
"There's nothing wrong with being curious." She nibbled her lip. "Whatever you do, just be sure to keep both eyes open."
I reached forward and wrapped my fingers around the hand resting on her legs. Her caution was understandable, especially since her ex had done such a number on her. "I promise." I squeezed her fingers and tilted my head toward our half-empty glasses on the bar. "Are we having drinks or what?"
16
MADDIE
I took a fortifying breath before releasing my white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and stepping out of my car. When I'd arrived home after drinks with Frankie last night, there'd been a message from my mom asking me to join them for Sunday lunch. It didn't take a genius to know what it was about.
I'd worked my last shift at the hardware store on Friday, and I would put money on the fact that my parents were planning on getting me to change my mind. Honest to goodness, I didn't understand their strong aversions to dance or why they couldn't accept how much it meant to me.
Knots twisted and folded in my stomach as I walked up the steps that led to my childhood home. I had so many happy memories there, and the ones that weren't so happy were directly tied to one thing.
It saddened me to my core and not for the first time, I found myself wishing I was more like Jennah. The only time my parents ever went off on her was when they learned about her pregnancy. And even that hadn't lasted long before the excitement of having a baby in the house took over.
I smoothed my hands over my hair, checking that every strand of my ponytail was in place. My palms swept over the flower print of my summer dress before I quickly tapped my knuckles against the door.
A tiny bit of relief washed over me when it flew open to reveal my sister. Maybe if she was there, this was just a family lunch and not the intervention I thought. A sweet smile touched Jennah's lips when she said, "I was wondering when you'd get here."
Flicking my wrist, I checked the time and frowned. "I'm not late. Mom said to be here by one." My eyes met hers. "It's not even twelve-thirty yet."
My sister grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me inside. The delicious smell of rosemary and lemon permeated the air. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "Mmm, Mom's roast chicken."
"Hey." At the sound of my sister's snapping fingers, I opened my eyes. Jennah looked a bit odd when she checked over her shoulder a few times. Leaning closer, she whisper-shouted, "I need all the details on this neighbor of yours my son can't seem to shut up about."
A groan rumbled its way through my chest. "There's nothing to tell." Didn't I just have this conversation with Frankie less than twenty-four-hours ago? I dropped my chin to my chest and pinched the bridge of my nose. "What's Tommy on about?"
"Well," my sister drawled. When I looked at her, she was grinning. "Oh, just that he hassuper cool scarsand that Auntie Maddie had a big smile on her face after she spoke with him."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're making that last part up."
"You're not denying it," Jennah accurately pointed out. "So, spill. I didn't even know someone had bought the old Nichols house."
Jennah and I might've been related by blood, but Frankie knew more about the goings on in my life than my sister did. And it was solely my fault. When my parents had started saying things like'Why can't you be more like your sister?',I had distanced myself from her.
Of course, it wasn't fair to Jennah; she'd never said or done anything to make me feel like I was less than her. Unfortunately for us both, my bruised ego had needed someone to act out on.
