Page 42 of Kissing for Keeps
Another car honks at me, and I take the only route I can: pulling forward, turning the wheel right in the hopes of putting some distance between the column and the van.
Soft scraping makes me cringe, and I stop as soon as the cars can pass behind me. My entire body shakes like a jackhammer.
I’m stuck.
15
JACK
The soundof tires on the gravel brings my head up from my laptop. I’ve been emailing back and forth with my team at home about an unexpected issue with the app, but I think we’ve almost got it sorted out. They’re all heading to sleep now anyway, so not much will happen until tomorrow.
I lean to get a better view through the window, but it’s not Siena. Rolling my shoulders, I glance at the time on my laptop screen. She said she’d be home in an hour, and it’s been an hour and a half. Not like I’ve checked the window a dozen times for her return or anything. She can stay as long as she wants at the craft store.
But maybe I should shoot her a text to be sure she didn’t get snatched up by Philippe or some other smooth French dude who wants to whisk her away to his chateau.
I wander around the house looking for my phone. I’m always putting it in weird, thoughtless places. That’s half the reason I don’t use it often—I just can’t find it. After a few minutes, I locate it in the bag with the walnuts. Gosh, that’s a lot of walnuts. I don’t even really like them. I’m more of a pistachio guy.
I’ve got a text, but it’s not from Siena.
Madi
Hey, bro! Just checking in to make sure you’re behaving yourself :)
Jack
Always.
Madi
I think you and I have different definitions of that phrase. Are you helping Siena or making her life harder?
Jack
I think it’s well within my skill-set to accomplish those things simultaneously *wink emoji*
Madi
You’re probably right.
Thanks for helping out, Jack. It means a lot to me. Go easy on Siena, though. She’s had it tough lately.
I don’t respond right away because I don’t know what to say. I can’t decide whether her thanks is genuine or if it’s meant to be a passive guilt trip, coaxing me to do something worth her gratitude. As for the part about Siena?
Maybe Ishouldlay off the teasing. Would she open up to me about what’s been tough? I highly doubt it. Maybe Madi’s talking about the breakup and the election loss.
The text disappears, replaced by an incoming phone call and the name Cheese Snips.
My heart kicks into gear. I forgot I evenhadSiena’s number in my phone. But, just as importantly, this means she kept mine in hers. For seven years. Forget my idea of letting up on the teasing. I’mdefinitelygoing to tease her over keeping my number and guess what name she has it under. Probably something likeI’m Bringing Sexy Jack.
Mouth stretched in a smile, I swipe to answer and put it on speaker, sitting at the table and leaning back. “Well, look who finally called me back seven years later. What’s up, Cheese Snips? I told you you’d regret not bringing me wi—”
“Jack?”
My smile wavers as there’s a distinct sniffle. I turn off speaker and bring the phone to my ear, worst-case scenarios zinging around in my brain. “Siena, are you okay?”
“Um, yeah. I’m fine.” Sniffle. “I just… I didn’t know what else to do.”
I sit forward in my chair, my heart racing. “You did the right thing. What’s wrong?”
