Page 52 of Autumn Kissed

Unknown Number

Is this Juliet?

Juliet

Yep! Rosie?

Unknown Number

Nope. Sorry to disappoint.

I tip my head to the side.

Juliet

Who is this, then?

Unknown Number

I’ll give you twenty guesses.

My heart stamps a harsh beat against my chest.

Archer.

Juliet

How did Archer get my number?

I don’t know how to respond. I made my decision at Horseshoe Holler—I’m not going to allow my crush to run willy nilly from my past to my present.

I don’t want to be rude, but a girl’s gotta put her foot down sometime.

I pocket my phone and walk down Main Street toward Town Hall. Dad told me I could camp out there if I needed a homebase. Maybe I’ll take him up on his offer. I felt bad throwing him under the bus when I was talking to Rosie, but it had worked, hadn’t it?

But then, what if Rosie finds out I’m at Town Hall when I just told her I was trying to escape Dad? And what would Dad say if he found out Archer got my number?

I grumble out a heavy sigh and whip out my phone in frustration. I just need one answer. That’s all.

Juliet

How did you get my number?

I sound harsh. As a good person, I should care. But I need to be standoffish so he gets the hint.

Archer

I have my ways.

He’s responding too fast. Like he wants to text me.

I can picture his restrained half-grin as if he’s standing right in front of me, so I look in the windows of the shops I walk by instead.

Juliet

What do you need?

His response takes a little longer this time.