I thought that feeling would fade. But it hadn’t at all.
And that scared me.
Because what if my feelings for Matt hadn’t faded either? It was easy to see him in pictures. It was harder to hear stories of him over the years. And I couldn’t imagine how I’d react when I finally saw him face to face.
“Heads up, Sanders!” Rob yelled and kicked the ball in my direction.
So much had changed, and yet it was somehow completely the same. The main difference was that I was no longer a Sanders, despite Rob’s nickname for me. I was a Miller. And I’d always be a Miller.
Homecoming - Chapter 21
Thursday
Matt
“Where are you going?” I asked as Tanner rolled a suitcase through the dining room.
“I told you. I have a thing.”
I just stared at him.
“An out-of-town thing. I mentioned it the other day.”
“You’re leaving me here with Nigel?” I asked.
“Well, I can’t exactly take him with me. He’ll scare her off.”
“Scare who off?”
“No one.” He started whistling as he untucked a fedora from under his arm, rolled it down his arm, and hit it up with his elbow. It landed perfectly on his head. “I love vacations. It’s one of the only excuses to wear one of my old hats.”
I didn’t think his hat looked old, but it did look a little off. The brim was too wide. Or too long. Or something. “I didn’t even realize you liked hats.”
“I have a whole hat room,” Tanner said.
“Where?”
He looked over his shoulder at the hallway. “Don’t go poking around. It’ll upset Nigel.”
“Right…because I’ll get burned?”
Tanner laughed. “Who said anything about you getting burned if you poked around?”
“Nigel. I’m pretty sure he said ‘Snoopers get burned.’ ”
“I mean…that’s an old phrase, isn’t it? I recall now. It’s nothing weird about the apartment. But…don’t snoop. And now you’re looking at me like you’re going to snoop. Nigel!” he called.
Nigel ran into the dining room holding a tray of sausages. “Does Mr. Caldwell need some more sausage?”
“No, I’m good,” I said. Nigel had been serving me sausages non-stop for days now. And I wasn’t loving that for me.
“Nope, his plate is still full,” Tanner said. “But I need you to keep your eyes on him while I’m away.”
Nigel frowned. “I’m not coming with you? I packed my trunk already.”
“I need you here,” Tanner said and slapped his back. “So that Matt won’t find that room with the surprise.”
“You mean the room with all the pictures and the red string?”
