More Than I Could (77)

Me: For not being another brother. They just got worse as they went. Mallet, Gav, Luke. Can you imagine yourself as a boy? Fuck my life.





Kate: <shrugging emoji> <thinking emoji> <laughing emoji> <princess emoji>





I laugh.



Kate: Since you’re here, I have a big meeting today with my boss. Whisper a little prayer or juju or whatever for me, okay?





Me: Okay. Good luck.





Kate: Thanks. <smiling emoji>





Me: Going back to work.





Kate: Learn about time zones during your lunch hour.





Me: <thumbs-up emoji>





Kate: And also learn emoji etiquette. We do not thumb unless we want to fight.





I snort and swipe off her name. But I find another name before I put the phone down and return to work.

Megan’s picture, which I saved from the lake the other night, is in her contact file. Her cheeks are pink from the cold, and her lips are swollen from my kissing them. She’s a beautiful, wild mess, and seeing her smile fills me with hope … for me. Something I haven’t had for a long time.



Me: I can’t wait to see you.





Her response takes a few minutes, but it’s worth the wait.



Megan: I’ll be here when you get back. Hurry. <heart emoji>





Me: <heart emoji>





“I’m such a fool,” I say, laughing at myself.

I silence my phone and slip it into my pocket. Then finally, I get back to work.





Chapter Twenty-Nine





Megan




“How are things going?” Maggie asks.

I put her on speaker and set the phone on the ottoman. “It’s going great. I think we’ve found a rhythm.” No pun intended.

“Is Kennedy behaving herself?”

“You know she is,” I say, folding a blanket left on the couch this morning. “I haven’t had any trouble with her at all. You painted her out to be this wild animal, and she’s been nothing but an angel for me.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. I’ve been checking in with Chase, and he’s been giving me good reports, but I thought it was time to check in with you and get your side of things.”

“No complaints here. How is Lonnie? Are you enjoying yourselves?”

Maggie laughs. “It's so much fun being with my daughter after spending every day with my rotten boys. Kate wants to shop, read books, and paint the dining room. I’m used to finding fishing worms in my refrigerator and mud tracked through the house.”

I laugh too.

“Kate got some great news today,” Maggie says. “She’s being sent to a workshop in Miami and then transferred closer to home.”

“Oh, wow. Maggie, that’s great. I bet she’s excited to be closer to you guys.”

“She is, but not as excited as we are. I think Lonnie might burst at the seams.”

I pluck a water bottle from between the couch cushions. Then a quart of blueberries. Really, Kennedy?

“So on that note,” Maggie says hesitantly. “Lonnie and I have decided to head back home early.”

My stomach falls to the floor. What?

“Kate will have to pack because she leaves for Miami on Monday. When she gets home, she will have a lot to do for the move.” She giggles. “I can’t believe I just said that. Kate’s moving home.”

I can’t believe you just said that either, Maggie.

The blueberries fall from my hand and smack the floor. Tiny berries scatter across the hardwood, rolling under the furniture. Shit.

“When will you be back?” I ask, getting on my hands and knees to gather the fruit.

“We’ll hit the road in a little while. If I can keep Lonnie from stopping every mile, we should be home tomorrow afternoon sometime.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon, sweetie.”

I blink back tears. “Yeah. See you soon.”

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling. Breathe, Megan.

What does this mean? Will Maggie come home and I’ll need to go? Why would I stay at Chase’s house with no good reason?

What happens between us now? Will reality settle in, and we’ll acknowledge this was a lustfest? Or will we manage to figure something out?

I put a hand on my chest and practice breathing evenly.

“It’ll be okay. Don’t panic. He’s given you no reason to think things will blow up in your face … like everything always does.”

I groan and roll back over and continue my berry search.

“No. Nope. This will be fine,” I say aloud. “Everything has been going so well. There’s no need to …”

My voice trails off as my phone begins to ring. A number I don’t know flashes across the screen. Huh.

“Hello?” I say, sitting on my knees.