Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Here we go again.
Michael’s jaw dropped. “No freaking way. What am I missing? How did that happen?”
As Neil recounted the story yet again, I got lost in my head. I was glad I’d come to this brunch, because talking it out and seeing their reactions helped me realize what an asinine decision sleeping in Carly’s bed last night had been.
Now I needed to undo the damage.
***
When I entered the house that afternoon, Carly was dancing with Scottie in the living room. He had classical music—Canon in D Major—blasting from his iPad, and the two of them were rocking back and forth in each other’s arms.
Neither one noticed me walk in, so I set my new air bed down carefully and took a moment to watch. It was beautiful. It was unusual for Scottie to interact with either of us that way.
Carly finally noticed me and stepped back. “Oh, hey.” Her hand moved to her chest. “Didn’t see you come in.”
“I didn’t mean to intrude…”
“We were just dancing.”
“I could see that.” I smiled.
“It was Scottie’s idea. He grabbed me by the hand and led the way. It was the weirdest thing. I don’t really understand, but I’m not sure I care why he did it. It was awesome.”
I ruffled Scottie’s hair. “You’re so freaking spontaneous and complicated.”
The moment was definitely over, as Scottie walked away from me to go sit on the couch.
“I feel bad now for interrupting.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “How was brunch with Neil?”
“It was good. My other brother Michael and my dad showed up, too. Always nice to catch up with them.”
“So…” Carly bounced on her toes. “Did you talk to Neil about me?”
“You might have come up one or two times, yeah.”
Or a thousand fucking times.
She cringed. “Does he think I’m a total bitch?”
“Not at all, Carly.”
“Good. I was worried about that.” She looked toward the door, where I’d dropped the box I brought home. “I see you bought a new air mattress?”
“Yeah. I figured that was better than hogging your bed.”
“I really didn’t mind.”
Attempting to get the picture across without being blunt, I met her eyes. “I think this is a better long-term solution.”
She nodded and looked down. “Whatever you want.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was disappointed. I didn’t want her to think I didn’t like sleeping next to her, so I tried to make a joke. “It’s just that the inflatable mattress is so damn enticing. The way the entire thing flattens to the ground every time I so much as move? The rubbery feeling against my skin? You can’t beat that.”
“You do you, Josh.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
I worried I’d offended her. “I appreciate you sharing with me last night, though.”
She nodded and turned away.
***
Things might have seemed like business as usual that evening through dinner and Scottie’s bedtime routine, but I knew better. Carly was quieter than normal, an odd tension still lingering in the air. But I told myself that her being offended over the bed situation was better than me losing control, fucking up, and doing something I could never take back.
After Carly took her shower, she headed for her room without saying goodnight. That was completely unlike her.
I stopped her just before she closed the door behind her. “Hey, Carly…”
She froze and turned to face me. “Yeah?”
“You sure you’re okay? You’ve been quiet most of today. And you usually say goodnight before you go to bed.”
Carly played dumb. “If I’m quiet, it’s not intentional.”
Bullshit. “This doesn’t have to do with me choosing not to sleep in there again, does it?”
Her face turned pink. “No, of course not. Why would you think that?”
“Swear on Bubba-Hank.”
“What?”
“Swear on our former dog.”
Her eyes widened, and she gave me a horrified look. “I’ll do no such thing.”
She then turned around and escaped into her room, slamming the door shut.
I didn’t know which was worse: the fact that I’d used Bubba-Hank’s life as a pawn to get Carly to tell the truth, or the fact that she was indeed mad at me.
CHAPTER 17
* * *
CARLY
AS I WAS preparing my coffee the next morning, I noticed a note on the counter.
A Thank You from The Trappist Monks of St. Francis:
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I dreamed I was choking on a lemon.
And thought of you…
I looked over at Josh. He smiled from behind his coffee mug.
“Did you really dream that?” I asked.
“Strangely, I did.”
I pressed start on the coffeemaker. “Maybe it was symbolism.”
“Symbolism?”
“You were feeling guilty after you used Bubba-Hank to trick me last night. You knew I would never swear on his life.”
“I guess I know how to get anything out of you, huh? That’s a pretty powerful tool.”
Of course, my behavior yesterday had everything to do with Josh choosing not to share the bed with me again. My staring had freaked him out—I knew it. I’d analyzed that to the gills yesterday but vowed to move on today. Quite simply, I was over it. I had to be.