A pained expression crossed his face, and he backed away from the ladder. “Right.” He nodded, his jaw stiff and his eyes as cold as hers.
Maizie clambered down the opening before he could catch her in her lie. Because that’s what it was.
That kiss meant everything to her.
But nothing could change.
Twenty-Three
Grandma had sent Christian on a wild goose chase. Literally. She had told him she needed goose eggs for a new recipe she wanted to try. He had looked like an idiot wandering around stores, asking people if they knew where goose eggs were sold.
Besides the eggs, her list had included more bathroom amenities to prepare for his mom and sister’s visit.
He’d been so wrapped up that he still didn’t know what to do about last night.
One moment, he’d felt like he was soaring, and then he’d opened his stupid mouth. He knew it had been wrong to kiss Maizie, but that was beside the point. He wasn’t a guy who kissed girls who had been driving him crazy all summer out of jealousy.
Okay. Scratch that. He was exactly that guy.
When he liked a girl, he took her on a date. A real date. Maizie deserved a guy who treated her right. A guy who had all his crap together and wasn’t failing everyone he loved. He’d never be enough for her.
And she had confirmed that.
The icy look in her eyes when she told him the kiss meant nothing ripped his heart in two because that had been the best kiss of his life. He couldn’t stop thinking about it, about her. He was sick of their game. And he knew she was too, but she was stubborn. But it wasn’t just a game anymore. It was a front for their real feelings. If he was man enough, he’d tell her just that. But he didn’t know how to be the man she deserved.
“Christian, your mom’s here!” Jayce hollered from the front porch.
Not one minute later, his little sister came running into the house.
“Christian!” She threw her arms around his stomach.
“Emi!” He grinned, returning the hug. Gosh, he’d missed his little sister. “How are you? You’ve gotten bigger!”
“One whole inch!” Emi said. “And look!” She opened her mouth to show that her last baby tooth had finally fallen out.
“You’ve been kissing too many boys,” Christian said, tickling her sides.
She giggled and squirmed out of his arms. “Only Henry, but dogs don’t count.”
“Good. You better keep those lips away from boys for the rest of your life,” he said.
She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “As if.”
“Hey missy, you’re nine. Not sixteen.” He tickled her again.
“I’m almost ten,” she said.
“Oh, I’ve missed you so much!” Christian’s mom came into the room and pulled him into a hug.
“I’ve missed you too, Mom.” He hugged her back, breathing in the familiar scent of her lavender perfume. “I thought you said you were coming tomorrow.”
“My boss gave me an extra day, so we thought we’d surprise you. Plus, I had help driving down here.”
“Wh—” And then he heard it. The undeniable voice of his ex-girlfriend.
“Christian!” Her warm and silky tone caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up.
His eyes went wide, and he looked to his mom just before Caroline landed herself in his arms, planting a kiss on his cheek.
