- 28 -
July 2045
Hallee
Dean and I have been playing house since he found out about my nightmares, but he won’t admit it’s less about sleeping over and more about not wanting to leave me alone. It’s almost like he knows my mind has convinced me he’s dead if I’m not touching him, but he couldn’t know that—right? That would be wrong. That would mean his presence is out of pity, and pity is great at masquerading as love, but can it be both at the same time? Am I a bad person for not caring which it is?
Loving him is like driving through an underground tunnel with no headlights. Can’t see much except a small beam at the end surrounding him, and I’d always drive to it.
I will next year too.
The work days feel longer now that I have something to be excited about in the evenings. I’ve been hinting to the guys that having a few visitors at work would be nice, so my stomach jumps as three tall figures appear in the store’s frosted window. Miles’s head snaps to me as I skip-hop over to Dean and jump into his embrace. Wrapping my arms around him, I accidentally whack the back of his head with the book I’m holding.
“Sorry,” I chuckle onto his lips, refusing to break our kiss.
Only the sound of Miles’s tapping foot and clearing throat could pull me from Dean’s gravity.
“What can I say, sir? Look at her. I can’t help myself,” Dean says sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders, all nervous that I’ll be in trouble.
It feels respectful rather than rude that Miles doesn’t actually look at me as he extends his hand to Dean.
“You must be the man Hallee rattles on about,” he jokes, pausing in a weird man-to-man handshake moment.
“Yes, sir. I’m Dean.”
Knowing that I talk about him turns him on. As his eyes steal a glimpse at me, they shift from bashful to tempted, and he lets out a skittish giggle before clearing his throat.
“These are my friends, Hudson and Matt.”
“It’s good to finally meet the men who saved Hallee’s apartment from utter peril. I’m Miles.”
As they laugh, I slide Miles a silent thank you for cutting the tension. His approval matters more than I’d like to admit, but I guess it’s easy to find family in strangers when strangers are all that we have.
“What brings you in, boys?”
“Just here to browse, sir. I’m not much of a reader, but Hallee’s putting up a noteworthy effort to change that. Thought it might be time to let her show me a reason.”
Confusion fills the pause as everyone waits for the punch line to our inside joke.
The book in my hands, The Human Brain and Psychological Trauma: A Comprehensive Study , grows heavier under Dean’s attention. Hudson would ask too many questions if he noticed the title, so as nonchalantly as possible, I spin around.
“Miles, I was restocking the shelves when the guys came in. Do you mind taking over for me while I show them around?”
“You were . . . restocking?” Miles’s glare beams into me as his eyes squint.
“Yes,” I reply, widening my gaze and leaning into Dean’s touch.
After a suspiciously long pause, he agrees, but his eyes pass me a note that says, we’ll talk about this later.
“Alright boys, you’re going to read! Where would you like to start?”
Matt fakes a cough, punching Dean’s arm. “Maybe with the ones in his room.”
“With romance.” Dean laughs, knocking Matt into the romance section, and he jumps away as if it’s on fire.
“Not a romance fan, Matty?” I ask, doing my best to hide my growing chuckle.
“Books don’t have cooties, bro.” Hudson rolls his eyes. “Your commitment issues are screaming.”
“Yeah, Matty, you could probably pick up some tips. You know, to use on a certain someo—”
“I don’t need any tips, and I don’t have a certain someone.”
After a few seconds of eye-contact Hot Potato, Hudson starts the laughing train.
“Whatever you say,” Dean teases, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the aisle.
Hudson follows close behind, actually picking up a book. There’s a happy couple on the cover, standing and holding hands on the beach. “I’m sold. Check me out, Hallee. And I do mean me. ”
Dean’s hand squeezes mine harder as I fulfill the request.
What? It’s my job . . .
“Hal, don—”
“Oh, come on. Aren’t you the one that said it’s important to look at beautiful things?” I taunt.
Matt plays into the bit, slowly dragging his gaze up and down my body as he mutters, “So important.”
Letting it get to my head, I strut down the aisle runway. Hudson and Matt drop to their knees, and within three seconds, Dean pulls them off the floor by the back of their shirts.
“Okay, ha, ha . Joke’s over.”
“Oh, but—” I fake a pouty face, “you’re so fun to tease.”
Hudson breaks our stubborn impasse. “But really, I’ll buy the book.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Might as well.”
Smirking, I put my nose where it doesn’t belong. “Looking to spice it up with Avery?”
“Sis, you know I never kiss and tell. My bedroom, my secrets.” He winks, and I’ve never been happier that he is the guy who holds my friend’s heart. Well, I think he does. Whatever they are is a little confusing.
“Dean, you want to add to your collection?” I ask, discreetly hopeful.
“I’ll read at least one of the books on my shelf eventually,” he swears.
It’d be life-changing if he did. Can almost guarantee he’d love it as much as he loves me.
“As long as you promise.”
“Anything for you, Sunshine.” Pulling me close, he kisses my forehead.
“Alright, I’ve got to get back to work, but I’ll see you later. Thanks for actually coming in.”
“Anything for you, sis,” Hudson teases, patting my head like you’d pet a loyal dog.
Blowing them a farewell kiss, I turn back to work and smash directly into Miles. His tapping foot is angry, as if it’s disciplining me for having an afternoon that wouldn’t win me a star employee award.
“Girl, you’re in so much trouble.”
“Miles, I’m sorry! I thought you’d be cool with it. I won’t let it happen again, I promise.”
“Oh, trouble with me? Absolutely not.”
“Okay, then wha—”
“I’d never get in the way of young love, but you, honey, are on a one-way plane to paradise, and there’s no runway to land on. That boy is head over heels for you.”
“I know. Good thing I feel the same, or this would be awkward,” I admit, shrugging away the fear climbing up my back.
“Enjoy it,” he replies with the most genuine smile. “Enjoy every second. You make a great couple.”
“Wait, do you—?”
“Do I what?”
“Nothing.” He stares at me as I shake off the thought. “Good talk, Miles.”
“Hang on. Tell me—why were you reading up on psychology and trauma?”
My shoulders tense, and I grind my teeth together to keep from wincing. It crossed my mind that he might catch me with the book, so it’s not hard to skirt around the question. I carefully crafted this answer.
“I just miss learning sometimes.”
Our staring contest lasts far too long before he yields. “In-ter-est-ing.”
Every drawn-out syllable is filled with the unsaid words.
He knows I’m up to something.