Page 5 of Final Goodbye
Me: Hey, sorry for the short notice, but I won’t be able to work for a while. I had to make an emergency trip back home to Colorado. My dad passed away. Thought you should know. I’ll be in touch.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and tried not to think about how I’d probably lose my job. As a bartender, I was replaceable. My boss probably wouldn’t care if I had an emergency. She’d need to fill my spot and get my shifts covered. Money was all that mattered to them, after all.
I’d figure it out later.
“Paige, latte to go!” Waking up from my thoughts, I grabbed my warm coffee cup and wished Hannah a good rest of the day.?
I had no idea what I was going to get at the grocery store. With no list in hand, I supposed I’d just wing it and get the groceries I normally would. After all, I was going to be the one cooking, most likely.?
The important part was to have options in the fridge, because right now, we were grasping at crumbs, and there were only so many bagels to go around before we’d run out of that, too.
Heading toward the grocery store down the main stretch of road, I passedPeaks, the town’s local bar. Based on how busy it was on a weekday afternoon, it had to be a popular spot togather. And I couldn’t help but notice the “help wanted” sign plastered in the window. After texting my boss that I wouldn’t be at work for a while, I took a mental note in case I needed to be here longer than expected.
The idea of staying here for a bit longer and needing a job continued to lurk with no intentions of going away.
Shaking my head, hoping that wouldn’t be the case, I continued past the bar and spotted a familiar face I hadn’t seen in averylong time. A face that had changed, in a grown-up sort of way.
I had no idea what came over me when I slipped out, “Declan?” The name rolled off my tongue at rapid speed before I could think twice.
I didn’t even want to have small talk with Hannah at the coffee shop, so why was I calling after a guy I hadn’t seen in forever? I felt like such a fucking idiot. He probably didn’t even remember who I was.
It’d been at least twelve years since I’d seen him. We were just kids back then. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”?He looked down at me with a furrowed brow.
Yup. Confirmed. I was, in fact, an idiot. It made sense that he would forget, since he was what… thirteen, when he last saw me??
“You haven’t changed at all…” I blurted out, immediately getting lost in my own thoughts.What were you thinking, Paige?!Of course, he’s changed. It’s been twelve years! He scratched the back of his head in confusion, looking a tad uncomfortable. That was my cue to say something—anything.
“Declan, umm, hi...” Tripping over my words, I did my best to think of something to say that wouldn’t make this any more awkward than it already was.
“Paige, Paige Wilson.” I pointed at my chest, rambling off my name to him as I looked him in the eye and waited for the light bulb to go off in his head. I could tell he was starting to loosenup when his face softened. His mouth formed a smirk I shouldn’t find attractive, but here I was anyway, stumbling over my words and acting like I’d never talked to someone of the opposite sex before.?
“Well, shit, Paige, how long has it been now? You’re all grown up.” His smirk turned into a full-blown smile when he perused my body, starting at my eyes and trailing all the way to my feet.
Noted, he did remember me. This would save me from a lot of embarrassment.
“Umm, it’s probably been just over ten years or so… I can’t believe I used to babysit you and your brother, and now you’re like a man…” My words trailed off as I continued to ramble about how great he looked, without actually saying it. “You have tattoos and facial hair, and wow, you’re so tall.” I bit my bottom lip as I took in his tall frame. He had an amused grin on his face, like he was waiting to see what would come out of my mouth next. “Yeah, what I said about you not changing? That’s clearly a lie. Obviously, I can tell it’s you… but you’re definitely not the same…” I cut myself off and refused to look him in the eyes at this point.
My cheeks felt warm—most likely tinted in the brightest red you could imagine—as I fumbled my words in embarrassment. The rough timber of his laugh escaped his mouth after I got done rambling. I’d never been attracted to someone’s laugh before… until now. He definitely wasn’t a boy anymore.
I was stammering over my words because, clearly, it had been a long time since I’d been around a guy this attractive, and let’s face it, it’d been way too long since I had gotten laid.?
It felt so wrong to find amanthat was once akidI babysat attractive. I was eighteen when he was thirteen, but we were both all grown up now.
“I would hardly say you babysat me…” he said with a wink.?
Did he just wink at me? Was he openly flirting with me?
He smiled softly and continued, “You’re only five years older than me, and back then, my mom just didn’t trust us boys to be home alone. Myles may have needed babysitting, being the wild child that he was, but not me.” He gave me a look with that sexy smirk again. Suddenly, I realized that smirk of his… That may just be his signature thing.
If I had to guess, this panty melting smirk of his had gotten him far in life. After all, who could say no to a guy with a face like that?
He was a smooth talker, and he definitely had game. I’d easily fall for every move, every smirk, every wink. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had a girlfriend. If he was taken. Not that I should care or was even in the right frame of mind to be wondering that sort of thing.
All I knew was, Declan… He was hot. And he may just be the kind of distraction I needed. I didn’t plan to be here for long, anyway, so what was wrong with having a little bit of fun?
When I gotoff work and decided to pop intoPeaksfor a beer, the last person I expected to stumble upon was Paige Wilson. I could never forget my hot childhood babysitter, but it had been so long since I’d seen her or thought about her, I hardly recognized her.
Last I heard, she’d moved to Phoenix. Her family and mine were close friends back in the day, and her dad worked closely with my family’s business,Cooper Construction. It made sense why she was back in town, with the news about her father.
