Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“He knows I’m here.”
“I mean, he’s probably worried you’re going to end things.”
“I don’t know if I have any other choice. I don’t want to be the person who Lissa believes is preventing her parents from remarrying. The things she said to me . . .” A pang struck Tallulah in the chest. “How do we come back from that?”
“Maybe . . . you don’t. Maybe you go somewhere different.” Chloe pointed at her own mouth, looking very pleased with herself. “That was pretty good.”
“It was. Foot high five?”
They tapped feet beneath the blanket.
Mostly in the interest of distracting herself, Tallulah was just preparing to launch into a speech in defense of the Home Shopping Network when someone knocked on the door.
“Chlo?” came a deep male voice from the other side. “You home?”
Chloe’s mouth formed an O. “That’s Sig,” she whispered.
“What?” Tallulah whispered back. “Did you know he was coming?”
“No!” Her eyes widened. “But he has a key.”
Both women tensed, their heads turning slowly at the sound of a key turning in the lock of the door. Simultaneously, they got the idea to hide underneath the blanket, both of them yanking it over their heads, just as the apartment door creaked open . . .
And not one, but two sets of footsteps thudded in.
Oh lord. Tallulah knew those footfalls anywhere. Burgess.
He’d gotten sick of calling and now he was there.
Why hadn’t she expected this?
And why were her toes curling up in anticipation?
Sig chuckled. Sighed. “Do you think the blanket makes you invisible, Chlo?”
“Maybe.”
“It doesn’t.”
The blanket was torn away, revealing two very large, very annoyed hockey players.
Tallulah’s gaze swung to Burgess, absorbing him like a houseplant that hadn’t been watered in a week. Had it really been less than twenty-four hours since the last time she’d seen him? How had he managed to look so terrible in such a short space of time? Black circles hugged the bottom rims of his eyes, his worry and exhaustion evident in a way that made her want to lie down beside him and kiss him better. Guilt over not answering his calls drilled her in the stomach like a line drive from Pedro Martinez.
And the fact that she was casually making sports references made her want to cry even harder.
“Can we talk?” Burgess asked Tallulah, hoarsely.
“I don’t know what to say,” she croaked. “I’m sorry.”
“Jesus.” His brows drew together. “I’m the one who needs to apologize, Tallulah. Not you.”
Tallulah’s chest hollowed itself out, making her ache to bound off the couch and throw herself into his arms where she knew, without a doubt, she’d feel a thousand percent better.
Burgess’s chest rose and fell heavily, as if he knew what she was thinking.
And wanted—needed—the same thing.
Sig reached down and snagged Chloe’s wrist, hauling her off the couch. “Come on, let’s go sit in my car while they work this out.”
“No, Sig,” Chloe said, reaching a hand toward Tallulah. “I can’t abandon my friend!”
Tallulah shook herself out of her Burgess trance. “Yeah! You guys can’t just walk in here and ambush us like this.”
Chloe pointed at the mugs of cocoa. “Look! We’re doing emotional recon.”
“Do it later,” Sig and Burgess said at the same time.
“Wow.” This from Tallulah.
“Wow,” Chloe echoed. “Don’t get any toxic masculinity in my hot chocolate.”
Sig tapped her nose. “I have a five-hundred-dollar Sephora gift card waiting in the car and a banana acai bowl for you to eat on the drive over.”
Chloe turned on a heel and started walking. “Good luck, Tallulah.”
Tallulah watched in shocked fascination as Sig ushered his future stepsister out of the apartment, the door closing neatly behind them, but not before Sig could shoot them a smirk. “Sold out for acai,” she muttered. “I guess it really is a superfruit.”
The words were barely out of her mouth when Burgess took a seat beside her on the couch, wasting no time before pulling her into his arms. Tallulah went so fast, she even surprised herself, climbing right onto him like a clinging monkey, legs circling his waist, her head lodging into the notch of his neck, his strong arms wrapped around her like a physical promise. “I’m sorry, Tallulah. I’m so fucking sorry for what was said to you.” He kissed the crown of her head, her temple. “You didn’t deserve that. I’ve been sick to my stomach.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls. I think . . . I’m embarrassed, maybe.”
“No. Don’t be. Please.”
“How is Lissa?”
She lifted her head in time to see a shadow pass through his eyes. “She’ll understand eventually. But . . . it might take some time.”
Those two sentences landed like blows to her solar plexus. “She’s . . . still really upset?”
Several seconds passed, each one heavier than the next. “Yeah. I’m not going to lie to you. She is.” His tone was grave. “It’s my fault for not talking to her sooner.”