Page 44 of Beating Heart
Why was I fucking nervous? I didn’t get nervous around women. Not usually, at least.
Maybe I was prepared for her to turn me down.
Again.
“What exactly is a fireworks party?” she asked.
“It’s a Fourth of July party. Good food. Good drinks. Good people.”
“Sounds like a good time.” She smiled. “It’s probably always wise to have a doctor present with fireworks.”
“Ah… so you’d be coming as a professional, then?”
“Seems like the neighborly thing to do.” She smirked. “And how can I turn Cutler down?”
Well, you shut down that kiss with me fairly easily, didn’t you?
“I’d be curious to see if our Magnolia Falls parties are as good as your Rosewood River parties.”
“I’ll definitely let you know. What can I bring?”
“A medical kit and a zipper to stop my kid from inviting everyone in town.” I smiled because she was so damn pretty.
“Don’t be mad at him for inviting me. I am your neighbor, after all. I would have seen the festivities going on.”
“Not mad that he invited you, Sunny.” I started walking backward toward my house. “Just mad he didn’t let me do it first.”
“That was a little flirty, neighbor.”
“I try.” I threw my hands in the air before turning to my son. “Come on, buddy. I need to get dinner going.”
“Aww man, Pops. Winnie and I are having fun. Can’t I stay out here a little longer?”
“I’m moving to the flowerpots on my back porch, and I can keep an eye on him if you want. I wouldn’t mind the idea of wearing Winnie out right now. And she’s bored watching me plant flowers. You’d be doing me a favor.”
“Fine. Just until dinner. And stay away from the lake. You know the rules,” I said. I wanted to invite her to eat with us, but she’d made it clear that she didn’t want to complicate things.
She’d agreed to come to the party.
And for whatever ridiculous reason, I was on cloud fucking nine about it.
I doubted I’d be watching the endless fireworks that Kingston had purchased for us, as I had a feeling I’d be staring at my sexy neighbor all night.
Because regardless of whether or not she ever wanted to cross the line with me, if she was around, my eyes were on her.
twelve
. . .
Emerson
I thought I’d be upset to be here on the Fourth of July, seeing as I rarely missed the party my parents threw back home every summer. It was tradition, and I loved it. Collin and I never missed it. Actually, Farah never missed those parties either. She’d call herself the third wheel and make endless jokes about it.
In hindsight, Farah was not the third wheel at all.
Apparently, she was the spare tire that had replaced the one that Collin was bored with.
I shook it off.
