She finally tears her gaze off the sign over the door, meeting my eyes. There is a strange slant toher mouth, like a grin mixed up with a grimace. “You know, if you weren’t so hot, that would be really creepy.”
“Because hot guys aren’t stalkers.” I smile, but this time it’s my genuine smile.
“Exactly,” she says. She looks back at the coffee shop.
“Are you writing a book?” I ask. “When you become a full-time writer?”
She looks at me strangely for a second, then nods. “Yeah.” Her eyes fall to my hands. “I’ve written five books.”
“Five?”
She nods.
“That’s a lot, Daisy.”
She nods again.
“I think you may already have a writing career,” I say, turning in my seat to face her.
She laughs. “They aren’t published.”
“Yet.”
She looks back at the coffee shop. “Yet,” she agrees.
“Then I’ll look for your name in the bookstores.” I brush the hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. How did I not notice her tiny ears? Four little studs run up her earlobe and another one in the cartilage up top. It’s now I realize I never kissed her ear. How did I not kiss her tiny little ears? I’ma fucking idiot. That tightness gets worse. I need air. Gripping the handle, I shove the door open, ready to escape before I grab her and kiss her ears, her face, and every single freckle on her cheeks.
“Blake?”
Please don’t say anything sweet or funny. It will make leaving the car impossible.
“Thank you,” she says to my back. “You made this weekend special.”
With a smile that feels as fake as me, I step from the car, grabbing my bag from the back seat. If I walk fast, I won’t feel how bad this sucks. It will feel less shitty knowing I’m leaving the most perfect woman because I don’t deserve her. The tightness in my chest will disappear when I’m not around her anymore, and I’ll forget this weekend. I’ll forget her. My life will go back to normal.
“Blake!”
My jaw, my hands, my entire body clenches at the sound of her calling my name. Her shoes scruff on the sidewalk as she stops behind me. She is not making this any easier.
“Blake,” she says my name again.
I turn to face her, still clenching my bag. “Yes, Daisy?”
“So…” She looks around, down to her feet, at my bag, again everywhere but at me. “The next Conner Family Gathering will be soon.” She stills and looks down at my shoes before looking me in the eyes. She searches my face for a second before a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “And I’ll need my fake boyfriend to come with me.”
That tightness in my chest suddenly breaks, the band around my chest snapping, freeing my lungs it was holding too tightly. I can breathe again. I drop my bag to the sidewalk and cup Daisy’s face, rubbing my thumb over her lips.
“You need your fake boyfriend with you?” I ask to make sure. “To defend you from your shitty sister?”
“Yes.” The small smile breaks into a massive grin. “Exactly.”
Hoping she can’t see the excitement rippling through me, I breathe in slowly to calm my racing heart. She wants to see me again.
Again.
She wants this,me, again.
“I think that would be a good idea,” I say. “They would never believe you dumped me. I’m amazing.”
She laughs and clasps her hands over mine. “So, I’ll see you soon?”
I lean down to kiss the tip of her nose. She looks so earnest, practically begging me to say yes. So beautiful. “You know where to find me when it’s time.”
Until then, I will do everything in my power to become everything she needs.
