Page 64 of The Love We Deny
“You have fun with the kids, Addie’s really excited for you to watch—”
“Cancel.”
“I’m not canceling.”
I think that’s it. But when I start toward the garage door, I feel his hand go to my back pocket, coming back out with my phone. “You cancel,” he says, turning it right on, and I’m really wishing I had a password right now. “Or I will.”
“Give me my phone. You’re not canceling my plans.”
He taps the screen, looking at something I can’t see. “Dear Karen, sorry I can’t make it, my sexy brother-in-law, who I have a massive crush on—”
“Give me my phone.”
He holds it out of reach, our very little difference in height giving him the advantage. “Are you gonna stay?”
“Will, I can’t. We’ve had these plans—”
“Wouldn’t you rather be here?” He tilts his head, giving me that look he knows bypasses any sort of good judgment I might have. “With me?”
“That’s— I can’t—”
“Think about it.” He steps closer, and I step back into the counter, fully aware that my kids are right in the other room. “You stay here, and I might give you something you want even more…”
“That’s not fair,” I complain, squirming when he presses his body against mine.
“Seems pretty fair to me.”
I look at my phone in his hand. At his face. His smirk. Back to his hands.
It’s been three days since the restaurant, and I’m already desperate for him again, and the lack of distance between us right now isn’t making that need go away. So, as anyone would in my situation, I take the phone.
I know I’ve made the right decision when he smiles, handing me the phone to watch me type a text to Karen.
Nolan: I’m so sorry for the late notice, but something came up with the kids. Can we reschedule?
“Good choice.”
“I hate you.”
“We’ll see about that,” Will says, grabbing a slice of pizza and heading to the living room, leaving me no choice but to follow him since,apparently, I’m staying home tonight.
We devour the pizza in record time, before we’ve even turned on the show. Karen texted me a few minutes ago, saying it was all good and asking if the kids are okay. I feel terrible. I’m genuinely a horrible human being who lied to the woman I’m dating so I could spend time with a man who hates me.
Who I—
“Hey,” Will says, standing up and grabbing his keys out of his jacket pocket, thrown across a chair. “Who wants ice cream?”
“I do,” Ollie says, bouncing up and down like he didn’t eat three pieces of pizza the size of his head.
Will tosses his keys to Addie, who barely catches them in time. “Why don’t you kids go pick some up. Here, take my car.”
Addie’s face does many things at once. Astonishment, confusion, excitement. “Are you serious?”
“Don’t wreck it.”
“I won’t!”
“On second thought, maybe let Emmett drive,” Will says. “He seems more responsible.”
