Hold On (Play On #2.5)(23)

Although happy to hear Skylar’s voice, I frowned. “Hey, Sky, what’s up?”

Her voice lowered. “Your brother just handed me the phone and wandered off, brooding.”

Concern pierced me. “My phone died. Is he mad at me?”

“A little, I think. He tried calling you last night and when you didn’t answer he got worried, so he called Catie and she told him you were out on a date?”

Since she asked it like a question I answered as such, “Yes, I was on a date.”

Nervous butterflies fluttered to life in my belly.

“Killian’s just a little worried.”

“That I’m dating?”

“Um… yes.”

Irritation flooded me. I was the happiest I’d ever been and I didn’t really feel like explaining myself to my brother. “Well, tell him he has no reason to be.”

Skylar was quiet a moment. “So… who’s the guy?”

My smile was automatic and I sank down onto the edge of the bed. “Skylar… oh man, Skylar, I can’t even describe him.”

She sounded amused, “You sound… dreamy?”

I giggled. “I do, don’t I?”

“Are you drunk?” she laughed.

“On love,” I admitted.

It surprised me for a second that I’d said it out loud but only a second. I’d always been an open book but there were some things even I kept to myself. Not with Skylar. I couldn’t explain why but from the moment we met I’d been able to tell her anything. She didn’t judge people. Skylar was thoughtful, empathetic, and understanding.

And so I found myself telling her all about Gray and our instant connection. About how I couldn’t explain it but it was real… “I’m in love with him.”

She was silent so long, tears began to burn in my throat. Tears of regret. I shouldn’t have told her. How could anyone but Gray and me understand?

“You think I’m being an idiot,” I whispered.

“God, no,” Skylar replied immediately. “Autumn, I know you’ve had bad luck with guys in the past but that was not your fault. You’re sweet and kind and you treat everyone like your best friend, but you are also smart and capable. You’re not a dreamer with your head up your ass… so if you say you think you’re in love with this guy then I believe you.”

Relief flooded me. “Really?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned. I don’t like that it’s happened so quickly and that it’s with someone neither I nor Killian has even met. But you can’t blame me for feeling that way.”

“No, I get it.” And I did. If Killian had fallen in love with Skylar without me having met her I’d have worried, not liking the idea of him investing emotionally in someone I didn’t know or like. “How do you think Killian will react?”

She sighed. “I think you know how he’ll react. He’s not just your big brother. He’s parent and big brother. He’s not going to like this.”

And that put a big fat dampener on it.

“Have you thought about how this relationship is going to work with you here and your guy in Montana?”

There was the other big fat dampener.

“No,” I answered honestly. “I haven’t.”

“Autumn, please be careful. I’m not saying what you’re feeling isn’t real but this is a complicated situation. Maybe take some time to work all that stuff out before you get in any deeper with this guy.”

“Gray doesn’t want to talk about it just yet. He said he wants our hooks so deep in each other we’ll do anything to figure it out.”

Skylar let out a huff of laughter. “I bet he did.”

“How’s that?” I frowned.

“Babe, you’ve seen you, right? You’re drop dead gorgeous, confident without vanity, and just the sweetest, nicest person you could meet. I bet your guy took one look at you and decided he’d do and say just about anything to make you his and to make you stay. That’s what he means by doing anything to figure it out. I bet he wants you to move there.”

Unease settled over me. “You think?”

“He owns a successful construction company there. He has a big loving family. He wants to take you hiking in the summer.” Wow, she’d really listened to everything I told her. “This is not a guy who wants to leave Montana.”

“But I don’t want to leave Glasgow.” And I didn’t. “I’ve never been away from Killian for more than a few weeks.” He was my family.

“Then you really need to talk to your guy before you fall any harder.”

Emotion clogged my throat. I sounded hoarse when I retorted, “I don’t think I can fall any harder. I’m already there.” I sucked in a shaky, teary breath. “What am I going to do?”

“You need to talk to him. And then you need to call me to let me know you’re okay. Do you want me to tell Killian?”

I knew it was cowardly to ask her to, but I just couldn’t handle my brother’s feelings on top of my own right then. “Would you? It’ll just make it easier for me when I do finally talk to him about it.”

“Of course.”

Needing to shake myself out of my dark thoughts, I changed the subject. “I’ve commandeered this whole conversation. How are you doing?”