The Crush (47)



“So I heard,” I murmured. A splash of pink bloomed on Adaline’s cheeks.

When I glanced back at Molly, she was smiling widely.

I lifted an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen me in longer than that.”

“I know.” She clapped her hands to my cheeks and squeezed.

“Ouch.”

“That didn’t hurt.” Then she laughed. “When did you get so big? What are they feeding you down there?”

Carefully, I extracted her hands and looked at my mom over my shoulder. “Yeah, no driving for this one.”

She stood with her arms crossed, watching us with a pleased smile on her face. “Noah just texted he’s almost here.”

My eyes found Adaline’s.

Molly shoved at my chest. “How long are you staying?”

“A week.”

Adaline looked away, blowing out a slow breath.

“Yay!” Molly exclaimed and slapped my arm. “A whole week?”

“Can you stop hitting me, please?”

She laughed. “Sorry, I’m just excited. And a little drunk.” Molly looked back at Adaline. “Did you get all your stuff?”

I spoke up before I had time to think it through. “I can take her home.”

Adaline sucked in an audible breath. She didn’t argue, though.

Mom gave me a curious look. That look moved to Adaline. Then back to me.

Molly shrugged. “Okay. Do you need help loading up the box, Ad?”

Adaline blinked. “Umm…”

My mom waved her hand. “Just leave all that here. I want to look over that binder again. I’ll make sure you get it back tomorrow, Adaline.”

“Can I borrow your car?” I asked her.

She nodded. “Keys are hanging on the wall in the laundry room.”

Molly held her hands out. “Wait.”

Everyone froze.

Molly whirled around, finger pointed at Adaline. “Why did you ask if you manifested him?”

Adaline’s face went pale as a ghost. “B-Because…” Her voice trailed off. “I…”

My mom’s eyebrows popped up.

My stomach dropped into my feet. “Did she? I don’t think she said that.”

Molly frowned. “Didn’t she?” Then she rubbed her forehead. “I swear she did.”

I stared at Adaline’s face, and she looked like she was about to pass out. “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

“Do you need some water before we go?”

Her face softened into a loose, warm smile. “Probably.”

Mom walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the fridge. “Looks like you’ve got this one all taken care of. Get her home safely, okay?” Her eyes held mine meaningfully.

“I will.”

“We’re gonna have a conversation when you get home, son,” she said under her breath.

I blew out a breath. If my mom could be a little less observant, that would be great.

Molly flung her arms around me in another hug. “I am so happy you’re here. Can you come to Luna’s soccer game? She’d die to have her famous Uncle Emmett on the sidelines.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Adaline watched us with a little smile on her face.

This was good. No running. No anger. No freaking out.

“Ready?” I asked her.

She nodded, giving my mom and Molly hugs, promising to call the next day to coordinate getting her car back. As we walked out of the house, my hand itched to settle on her lower back.

Adaline kept her face forward, no sidelong glances, no brush of her hand against mine. When I opened the door into the garage and waited for her to go through, she let out a shaky breath.

“You okay?” I asked once we were clear of the house, the night air cool and fresh in my lungs.

Adaline didn’t answer right away, but as I opened the passenger door for her, she gave me a pleading look. “Seriously?”

“What?”

Her hand gripped the top of the door as she stared up at me. “I wish I wasn’t drunk right now,” she said.

I smiled. “Okay?”

She whimpered.

“What is it?” I asked on a laugh.

Her eyes pinched shut, and she quickly got in the car. “Nothing. Ignore me.” She tugged the door shut and sank down in the seat.

“Oh, if that were possible,” I muttered as I walked around to the driver’s side.

When I climbed behind the wheel, I winced, my legs jacked up somewhere around my chin. When I got the seat back far enough that I could fit, I felt the weight of Adaline’s gaze heavy on my face.

I turned, staring openly at her in the darkened garage. “Hi.”

She smiled, shy and sweet, turning her legs to the side so she could face me. “Hi.”

“Still in the same apartment?” I asked.

Adaline nodded. Her eyelids looked heavy. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said quietly. “I really thought I was imagining you.”

“I can’t believe you said that out loud.”

She sighed. “I have no filter when I’ve been drinking. It’s awful.”

The thing I didn’t realize until Adaline was how completely you could adore someone and still want them in a violent, visceral way. Carefully, I reached my hand out and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. My fingers lightly skated the soft curve of her skin, and her whole body shivered.

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