No, no, no. Stop thinking about the kiss.
Thinking about it won’t get me anywhere. It won’t conjure Garrett out of the blue. It won’t make him finally see what’s in front of him.
It won’t help me move on from my stupid, stupid,stupidunrequited feelings for my best friend.
27
GARRETT
I reclineon the wingback chair, my brain in a temporary fog after pushing out a hefty word count so far today.
I’ve returned to my old routine over the past week. The only major difference is I now spend lunch with Peony and Athena. And I no longer pick up food from P&T.
Which means I haven’t seen Zara since I kissed her ten days ago, other than the time she came to see Peony. But Mom was here, and it would have been too awkward to talk about the kiss then. And then there was the time I bumped into Zara at the grocery store…but she was with Emily. And I also couldn’t talk to her about the kiss when I saw her on Main Street while I was shooting some videos to post on social media. She was with Jess and Troy.
If not for this stupid deadline, I’d be able to go to her apartment and make sure things aren’t awkward between us. I mean, it shouldn’t be. It was barely a kiss. Nothing to get awkward over.
Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.
A happy squeal outside my window tugs my attention to Peony and Athena in the backyard.
Also, if not for this stupid deadline, I’d have more time to get to know my daughter. Other than the one time almost two weeks ago, when shelet me carry her home from the playground, we haven’t made that much progress with her accepting me as her father.
It’s not like I’ve been able to go to the playground with Athena and Peony either.
My deadline has stolen that possibility from me.
I pick up my phone and type out a text to Zara—at least that hasn’t changed since the second kiss. Our brief phone calls and texts have seemed normal, as if we had never kissed. Clearly the kisses haven’t had the same effect on Zara that they’ve had on me.
Me: Hey, how are things going?
I hit Send.
It’s Friday afternoon. Usually, I would be joining my brothers and our friends for our weekly game night, but that won’t be possible this time. I’ll be away this weekend with a large group of retired soldiers, who are participating in the Wilderness Warriors canoe trip. To make up for lost time, I need to stay home tonight and work onUntold Mercy.
Which means I can take a short break now and spend it with my daughter.
I put my laptop on the desk and go outside to join Peony and Athena. Athena is running in slow motion while Peony chases after her. They don’t notice me watching them, smiling at how much fun they’re having.
Fun I’m missing out on.
Peony taps Athena on the leg, a wide goofy grin on her face.
Athena feigns surprise, her eyes round. “Oh, no! You caught me.”
I step onto the grass. “Can I play too?”
“Of course,” she singsongs. “We’re playing tag.” Athena swiftly stretches toward me and taps my arm. “And you’reit. Run, Peony!”
Peony squeals again and runs in the opposite direction. With my long legs and her much shorter ones, it will only take three strides to catch her.
I crouch like a frog and leap forward. “Ribbitt.Ribbitt.”
“Oh, no. Someone turned your daddy into a frog.” Athena snickers. “You think he’s like the frog onThe Princess and the Frog? If his true love kisses him, will he turn into a prince?”
The mention of kisses has my brain reeling again, and the memory of my lips on Zara’s plagues me for the millionth time in the past ten days.
That’s not the only memory that replays in my head. The sight of her erect nipples pressed against the thin fabric of her T-shirt has appeared in more than one dream.
