Chapter 7 #4
There was thirteen years’ difference in their ages, something that didn’t bother her, but she didn’t think the same held true for Boone.
Add to that, her last name was Storm, and he’d just uprooted his life and Sadie’s to move here for a new job.
She could get why he wouldn’t want to risk his livelihood by taking a chance with her.
“I’ve done a bit of dating, but it’s sort of challenging in Gracemont. It’s a small town and it’s not like the pool of available men is big.” She stopped there, hoping he’d accept that answer and move on.
She should have known better.
“Keep going,” he demanded.
“It actually gets smaller with each passing year. A lot of the guys I went to school with have settled down with someone, or they’re the men who are still single for very good reasons.” She added the last with a grin, hoping once again to escape the conversation…this time with humor.
“I’m hearing a lot of words, yet none of them have answered my question.”
Mila scowled, then crossed her own arms, loving the way his eyes drifted lower—for just a second—before landing on her face again.
It was those brief stolen glances that told her she wasn’t alone in this attraction and made her want to continue fueling the flames.
Because his eyes were saying very different things than his words.
“I had a boyfriend in high school. Senior year. Todd and I dated for all of four months. Which I don’t have to tell you is a long time by high school standards,” she joked.
Boone didn’t grin. In fact, his expression grew darker. “Your last boyfriend was high school?”
“No,” she added quickly, even though it was a pretty stupid thing to say, because in truth, Todd was her first and last boyfriend. “I’m just saying he was the first.”
“Mila, are you a virgin?”
Mila didn’t think her face could grow any hotter.
At this rate, she was bound to give herself a sunburn from the inside out.
“No. I lost my virginity to Todd in the backseat of his piece of shit Dodge. We broke up a few days later because I found out he’d started texting another girl in our class right after that.
She was a good friend, so she told me he was coming on to her. I dumped him.”
Boone scowled. “Sounds like a dick.”
“He kinda was. Moved to Houston after graduation, so at least I don’t have to see him anymore.”
“Who else?”
“I’ve gone out on quite a few first dates, but none of those translated to a second.”
“Define ‘quite a few.’”
She licked her lips nervously. “I don’t know. Six or seven?”
“And that’s it?” Boone asked in disbelief.
“A couple years back, I met a guy from Henley Falls. Dylan. We started meeting at Whiskey Abbey every Wednesday to dance. One night, he invited me home with him. I went. It was…just okay. For both of us, I guess. He didn’t show the next two Wednesdays, and when he came the third week, we were back to polite acquaintances.
No dancing, no talk of a repeat. Not that I was interested in doing it with him again. That was the last guy, I guess.”
“And the pastor?” he asked.
“He hasn’t done anything more than kiss me good night.”
Boone nodded, clearly waiting for more, but there wasn’t anything else to divulge.
“My grandparents got sick right after I graduated, Boone. I spent the next three years taking care of them. There wasn’t time for dating or relationships. By the time I hopped back into the pool, a lot of the guys around my age were in serious relationships or even married.”
Boone was silent for a few moments—and it wasn’t a good silence. When he spoke, it was clear just how much she’d hurt her chances with him.
“You’ve had sex with two guys,” he repeated, though it almost sounded like he was reiterating that for his own sake, not hers. “One time each?”
She didn’t want to answer that, but before she could figure out some way to mitigate the damage, he sighed.
“You’ve had sex twice.”
“Boone,” she started.
He shook his head, stepping even farther away, her chest growing tight as she watched him shut down.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his apology confusing her. Until he added, “For those kisses. They were a mistake.”
“No. They weren’t.”
“They were. Mila, I know what you want from me, but I’m trying to do the right thing here.”
“Boone,” she tried to hop in again, but he was finished listening.
“Let’s forget the fact you’re much younger, and a Storm, you have to trust me when I say, I’m not the man for you. My…” He paused, swallowing deeply, and she could almost see the debate he was waging with himself over whether he should keep explaining.
“Say it,” she demanded. He wasn’t the only one who could give commands.
“My needs—sexually—run too dark for someone like you.”
“No, that’s not—” she began, shaking her head.
Once again, he talked over her. “Mila, this thing between us, it ends here. All of it.”
She blinked a few times, wishing her eyes weren’t clouding with tears. “I don’t understand.”
“No more cooking lessons.”
“But Sadie—”
“You and Sadie can continue hanging out just like you have been, but you and I…I think it’s for the best if we keep a polite distance. Just until these feelings…” He waved his hand between them. “Die down.”
Her feelings for him were never going to die down. But Mila could see Boone had made up his mind, and he wouldn’t be swayed.
If she was a stronger woman, she’d fight him on it, insist she wanted exactly what he offered in the bedroom. But she was too close to falling apart, and she refused to cry in front of him. Tears would only serve to convince him even more that he was right.
“I need to leave.”
She nodded but didn’t speak.
“Good night, Mila.” He walked to the front door, opening it.
For a split second, she hoped he might have changed his mind when he turned back around to look at her. That hope was dashed when he said, “Lock this door behind me. And don’t put that key back under the mat.”
He didn’t even wait for her to agree. Instead, he walked out, closed the door, and then she listened as his footsteps thudded down the porch stairs.
Unable to hold back, Mila dashed upstairs, not bothering with the lock. Nora and Remi wouldn’t have a key, and she wanted to be safely ensconced in her bedroom before they returned. Because there would be no hiding…
She stumbled up the last few steps, her vision blurred with tears. Entering her room, she locked the door, fell into bed, and sobbed her heart out until she fell into a restless sleep.
By the time morning arrived, Mila did what she always did.
She became the person who made everyone else’s life easier. She’d spent years perfecting her talents, managing to blend in with the wallpaper. Never annoying. Never talking too much.
If Boone didn’t want to see her, he wouldn’t.
And hopefully, somewhere down the road, years from now, maybe being invisible wouldn’t hurt as much as it did at the moment.