Page 79 of Take This Heart
I laugh. “Are you serious right now?”
“Yeah. I mean, there is nonstop entertainment with your family. Your brothers are hilarious. You have a dog named Kevin...” He lifts his hand likewhat more is there?
I smile. “I never expected the great Milo Lombardi to say something like that. Your life is so exciting. You’ve won awards, you’ve worked all over the world…you speak and people listen.”
He clears his throat. “I didn’t know how much I needed a break. I might be working in Windy Harbor, but it doesn’t feel like it. When I’m there…I feel different. Life is simpler and I like it. More than I thought I would. It’s like a different world. One I’m still taking in. I mean, Bosco could be a character study all on his own, and that’s just one person.”
That cracks me up. “Who else entertains you in Windy Harbor?”
“Besides your family? Juju and Erin are high up there.” He laughs. “Miss Idella at The Rusty Trunk is also an interesting one. Did you know she has Earl Grey and a blueberry muffin every morning at exactly 6:10 on the dot? Fascinating.”
I snort. “You are even weirder than I thought.”
“I’m surprised you’re just now realizing that.” His eyes are still smiling when he looks over and he seems shy as he clears his throat. “I…thought maybe we could meet up with my friends Evan and Sara tomorrow. We don’t have to if you’re anxious to get back, but they’re great and want to meet you.”
“You’ve told your friends about me?”
“Yeah?” he says it like it’s a given.
“I’d really like to meet them.”
He nods and we’re quiet for a few minutes before launching into a discussion about the garden Camden wants to plant for the restaurant.
We’re about an hour from Lake Minnetonka when he glances over at me, his expression serious.
“Goldie?”
He clears his throat and my heart thumps faster. I look at him in question.
“You know Ican’tshut it on and off, right?” He swallows and looks straight ahead, his fingers gripping the steering wheel. “It’s not just a sometime chemistry for me.”
I gulp and stare at his profile. “It’s not?”
He snorts and looks at me for a brief second before his eyes shift back to the road. “No.”
“What is it?”
“It’s an all-consuming, reallyinconvenientattraction that never lets up for a second, whether you’re around or not. And it’s more than chemistry or attraction…I like you, Goldie.”
My face heats and I blink fast. I swallow hard again, nervous but unable to look away from him.
“I hate what your shitty ex did to you. I want to run into him just so I can punch him in the face.”
My eyes widen and I bite my lip, fighting back a nervous laugh.
“And then I want to dip you back and kiss you until you’re breathless right in front of him so he sees what he’s missing, because trust me, he might be with someone else, but he misses kissing you.”
I put my hands on my hot cheeks and take a deep breath. “Wow.”
“I don’t say anything to pressure you into anything you don’t want or feel. I just thought you should know.”
He turns up the song—“DYWTYLM” by Sleep Token. As the words,Do you wish that you loved me?play through the speakers, I think,It’s too late for wishing.
I nearly say something, but I feel so overwhelmed by what he’s said and what I’m feeling that I don’t. I bask in the feelings, in having him by my side, that we have a whole weekend together, and I just enjoy the ride.
When we pull up to his parents’ house, I’m almost relaxed.
Almost.
