Chapter 12
Sibyl
The door to the Alemoor Diner jingles. It’s been jingling nonstop for the past fifteen minutes. Apparently, this is a busy place.
Alemoor is the place to come for pie. Tourists actually come here for their pie. It’s good, I guess. I have three different flavors in front of me, and none of them is really shocking me with their fruity fillings and subpar crusts.
I made it the whole twenty miles to Alemoor before realizing my car was, in fact, not fixed. Kellan would kill me if I drove the full nine hours in it. That is, if the car didn’t off me on the way.
I shovel a massive bite of peach pie into my gob at the same time a very deep, very familiar voice says, “This seat taken?”
My jaw drops, the pie evacuating like it’s sentient and knows it’s either the plate or stomach acid.
“What’re you doing here?” My voice squeaks out, eyes growing wide as I watch Eli fold himself into the booth beside me.
“Where you headed?” He looks at the assortment of half-eaten pie slices, then tugs the piece of apple toward him.
“Eating pie.” I shrug, twirling my fork in the carnage of the peach pie.
“Not running away?”
I gasp. “First of all, rude. Second—”
“I stressed you out enough that you need a spa day?”
I glance at him, hating that a smile so easily splits my lips. Damn him. Eli slides my phone over the table, while a serious look takes over his face.
“I’m so sorry.” His hand reaches for mine.
I don’t pull away because I’m desperate to feel him. To be wanted by him.
“I’m so fucking sorry. Please don’t leave. Don’t move because I’m an asshole.”
I shake my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I shouldn’t have—”
“No, Baby.” He scoots closer, pulling me into him as best he can in the tiny diner booth. “I panicked. I’ve never…” He blows out a breath, the force of it moving my hair. “Sibyl, I’ve never brought anyone home before. Never had anyone in our room before.”
“I know.” I tilt my head, needing to see his eyes. “It’s okay. I will never replace her. I’d never try to. And I can’t compete with her either, the love you guys had…” I shift my gaze back to the pie. “She is your perfect someone, and I can respect that. I—I get it. It’s okay if you can’t—”
“We want you,” Eli whispers, gently shifting me to face him. “Lara was my perfect person. I needed her at nineteen. But you…” He shakes his head, incredulous. “You’re perfect for who I am now.”
“I am?”
“Yeah, you are.” Eli tilts my head, bringing his lips down to meet mine. It’s slow and exploratory—the ease of three weeks ago slips back in.
Hope blooms deep in my chest, freezing solid when I replay the way he looked at me with such panic and horror.
“Wait,” I whisper, hands on his chest, pushing him back.
He releases my hair and lets me move back far enough that he can see my face, but doesn’t let me go completely, as if he can’t bring himself to stop touching me, afraid I might disappear.
“We should slow down, get to kno—”
“I know you. I don’t need to slow down. You are what I want.”
“You said that. Everyone says that, but it’s never me they pick in the end. You can’t even bring me home. You need time. You need—”
“You,” he interrupts again. A smile turns the corners of his lips up.
“I have more I need to work through, I know that. But I just want you. I needed—I just needed to know it was okay to want you. I know that sounds stupid, I know I’m an adult, and I can do what I want.
But I talked to your dad, and I texted Lara’s mom. They both told me the same thing.”
“What’s that?”
“That Lara wanted me to be happy, always. And you make me happy.”
“I don’t want to make your life harder. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not, I swear.” He trails his fingers down my face, a soft, dopey smile on his.
“Eli…”
He holds a finger up, fishing out his phone before dialing a number. Victoria’s voice chirping through the speaker.
“Tori, it’s Eli.”
“Obviously.” Hazel’s twin sounds like she’s rolling her eyes. “What do you want, Logan? I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to be mad at you or something.”
Eli rolls his eyes at me, a grin splitting his lips wide. “What do you have on the market that Sibby might like?”
“What?” Tori shrieks on the other line. I stare at him, wide-eyed. He’s talking about buying a house—for me? For us. This man is certifiable.
I panic, jamming my finger onto the end-call button. “Elijah Henry Logan, what are you doing?!”
“Buying us a house,” he says, as if it’s obvious.
“You can’t buy us a house!”
“Will you come stay with me then? Move in, be with me.”
“Move in?” I throw my hands up, eyes wide. “Are you insane?”
“For you? Definitely.”
“How’s it going?” Hazel appears at the edge of the table, her voice sing-song.
“What? How are you here?” I gape, my eyes scanning the diner to find not only my dad, but also my brother as well, both of them demolishing a piece of pie.
“Why is my sister calling you?” Hazel looks at Eli’s phone on the table.
“He’s trying to buy me a house!” I shake my head.
“Ooh, did you tell him you already have one?”
“She doesn’t have a house.” Eli rolls his eyes. “She has a hovel.”
“Hey! It’s small, but it's not a hovel.” I burn with indignation.
Hazel snorts, dropping onto the bench opposite us. “She lives in the carriage house. Sibby’s been trying to renovate the big house by herself for years now.”
I feel my cheeks heat. Eli’s eyes widen when they meet mine. I can see him trying to work it out. Trying to figure out which house Hazel’s talking about.
My street was, and still kind of is, filled with retired folks.
Most of them are selling their houses to move into retirement communities.
There are currently four vacant houses, and three on the market.
The carriage house is tucked between two massive old Victorian homes, but it has its own lot.
It’s why I bought the house. I love the main one, but I also fell in love with the tiny house next door.
I know for a fact Eli’s been too busy to pay attention to the real estate on my side of town. His construction business has been busy the past several years building a new development on the east side—cookie-cutter houses that hold zero charm compared to the older neighborhood I live in.
Not that I don’t think Eli’s crew builds great houses. I’m sure they’re fine.
I groan, my thought spiral ending abruptly when his head tilts to the side. My body is ready to crumble under the weight of his gaze. His eyes have narrowed, bright green irises judging me.
“Please tell me it’s not the purple one. Aside from the color, that place is a fucking disaster.” Eli sighs.
“Give her some credit.” Hazel rolls her eyes.
He smiles. “How much have you renovated?”
“Uh…the guest bath?” I cringe.
Renovations are hard. They tell you to measure twice, cut once, but I’ve had to take multiple trips to the hardware store for the same three pieces—more than one time.
I’m not great with power tools, but my pride would absolutely not allow me to concede to Taylor and Kellan’s assertion that I’d be needing their help.
“I wanna see it.” Eli jumps out of the booth, offering me his hand.
“What? Now?” I stare at him. This is wildly out of hand at this point.
“Yeah, now. I get the feeling the faster we fix that place up, the faster I’ll convince you to move in with us.”
“Move in?” Hazel screeches. The entire restaurant stares at us.
“She won’t move in with me.” Eli pouts.
“We had one night together. You don’t move in with someone after one night!”
I look to Hazel, instantly regretting it. The little shit is going to take his side on this one.
“I mean…it’s not like he’s an actual stranger…”
“Jesus Christ.” I rub my temples. “You people are impossible.”
“I tried to tell her I don’t need to get to know her.” Eli leans on the back of the booth, winking.
“You also kicked me out of the house after we had sex…” I volley back, regretting it the second he cringes.
“Oh my God, Logan. What the fuck?” Hazel’s fists curl on the table top.
“I panicked.” He shoots her a menacing glare, then squats beside the booth, taking my hand in both of his.
His eyes don’t leave mine, and the sincerity in that gaze takes my breath away.
“You surprised the hell out of me. I wasn’t expecting it to hit so hard, or so fast. But your dad’s right—part of me has always loved you.
I don’t know when that turned into being in love with you, probably the moment I spun around and saw you in that dress at the photo shoot.
But I do love you. I am in love with you. ”