FOUR
JAX
I sit in my truck, parked in my driveway, scrolling through romance novels for nearly forty-five minutes.
At some point, all the names start blurring together.
Abby Jimenez. Christina Lauren. Meghan Quinn.
B.K. Borison—that one stops me cold.
I’ve loved romance books since I was a teenager. My favorite authors right now are Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.
Lily’s words echo through my head.
There’s no reason I should remember that, but I do. If she’s one of her favorites, it seems like a safe bet. The first book I click is called First-Time Caller. Something about it being inspired by Sleepless in Seattle. Even I know that’s a classic.
Before I can second-guess myself or overthink my choice, I type out a text that just says, “First-Time Caller – B.K. Borison”, and hit send. Immediately, I wish I would’ve added something else. Then I realize I have no idea what that something else would’ve been.
My eyes stay glued to the open text thread, willing those three little dots to appear. Other than notifications for bills I have set to autopay and appointment reminders from my dentist, my phone is completely dry.
I stare at the screen for another minute before shoving the phone into my pocket. She’s probably still at the library. Besides, normal people don’t answer texts that fast. She’ll get to it when she gets to it.
I head inside, and the house is dark. Quiet. Empty. Nobody’s here waiting for me to get home. It’s been that way for a long time.
As I’m microwaving another chicken pot pie, my phone vibrates on the counter in the kitchen. I fumble for it immediately. My next dentist appointment isn’t for another four months, which means it can only be one person.
LILY:
That’s it, just a smiley face. Taking it as a sign that I chose a good one, I smile all through dinner. That night, I stare at my bedroom ceiling for far longer than usual. Eventually, I roll over, grab my phone from the nightstand, and order the damn thing online.
Two days later, it’s sitting on my porch, and I’m leaving work during my lunch break to go pick it up. I want to take my time with this one, see what she sees in it.
Which is how I end up perched on a rolling stool beside my toolbox during a slow afternoon, flipping through a romance novel while waiting for a parts delivery.
The garage is unusually quiet for this time of day. No engines running. No impact wrenches screaming. Just me and a pale pink book with a cartoon couple on the cover.
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
I glance up to see Sean, one of my younger mechanics, standing across the bay with a rag slung over his shoulder.
“What?”
He points at the paperback in my hands.
“Didn’t know you could read, boss man.” He teases, and I flip him off without looking away from the page. A bark of laughter comes from somewhere behind him.
“Is that a romance novel?” Noah asks, coming into view.
“Mind your business.”
“Oh my God.” Sean presses a hand to his chest. “It is.”
Within seconds, both guys are leaning over my shoulder like curious vultures.
“Who’s the girl?” Noah asks.
“There isn’t a girl.”
“Then why are you reading a book called…” He squints at the cover. “First-Time Caller?”
I shut the book, smudging the cover with grease.
“No reason.”
Their matching grins tell me I’ve made a mistake.
“A girl gave it to him,” Sean announces, a shit-eating grin spread across his face. Noah sidles up next to him.
“A hundred percent.”
“No girl gave me anything.”
The words leave my mouth too fast, Sean snaps and points at me accusingly. “See? That’s exactly what a guy says when a girl gave him something he wants to keep a secret.”
I roll my eyes, hating that they’re almost right. Even though I definitely bought this book myself, I’m only reading it because of Lily.
“Maybe he’s finally dating again,” Noah says.
The teasing dies almost instantly.
The air shifts—I feel it, and they feel it, too.
Everyone in town knows what happened with Samantha. And how I went off the deep end after she left. Nobody will even say her name in front of me at this point.
“Get back to work,” I grumble, clearing my throat and opening the book again.
Noah nods once, turns, and drops back down into the pit below an old station wagon to finish its oil change.
Conversation over.
Undeterred, Sean moves in closer and leans over my shoulder again. “So did they at least kiss yet?”
“Fuck! Get. Back. To. WORK!”
Sean saunters back across the bay, swinging the rag in one hand. “She must be real pretty if she’s got you reading something like that. Tell her I said hi.” He winks, disappearing around the lift.
My phone buzzes in my pocket right when I start reading.
LILY:
TRUST ME
“Chapter twenty?” I mumble out loud.
I start flipping through pages to find that chapter. Noah pokes his head out of the pit, a teasing smirk on his face. “Don’t skip ahead. That’s cheating!”
Slowly, I lower the book.
Noah points at me. “Oh, my God. You actually did it.”
“Did what?”
“She texted you, didn’t she?” He laughs.
Sean appears from somewhere behind me.
“She told you to jump and your ass asked how high.”
I push to my feet so quickly the rolling stool shoots backward across the concrete, snap the book shut, and toss it on top of my toolbox. Annoyed that these two idiots won’t let me read, I head toward the door.
“Both of you can shut the hell up.”