I could only watch as she left, slamming the door behind her. I didn’t follow her. I should have, but I didn’t. I couldn’t understand my jealousy. I didn’t date. I couldn’t date Harlyn. So why the fuck was I being such a dick?
Because you’re falling for her. “Fuck,” I muttered to myself.
I had hoped she’d be upstairs tending bar with Kai by the time I finally got myself together and dressed, but I knew she wouldn’t be. I was still disappointed, even knowing it. I’d really messed up. “Have you seen her?”
Kai had a look on her face I’d never seen before, it was the furthest thing away from a smile you could get. “What? Oh, you care now? She came up here crying for fucks sake, Caige. What the hell did you do?”
“Kai… look… I…” I ran my finger through my hair pulling at the ends. “I fucked up.”
“Captain obvious. When are you going to admit you’re falling in love with that girl?”
“Because I’m not. I can’t be. She’s only been here a little less than two months.”
She almost looked sad to me. “Hunny, the heart doesn’t run on a timeline. It wants what it wants, and it rarely cares how our brain feels about it. You’ve changed over the last month. You smile more, hell you were even whistling one day. You love her. It’s so fucking clear.”
“Wait…”
“You are so not sneaky when you call her back to your office for schedule discussions. Schedule overviews don’t typically take forty-five minutes, I’ve been to them. Impressive by the way.”
I didn’t even smile. I had to go find her and apologize, fucking get on my knees and beg her forgiveness. I couldn’t lose her. Maybe Kai was right, maybe I was ass over head in love with my next-door neighbor and employee.
“When did she leave?”
She looked at her watch, “A little over an hour ago.”
“Fuck.”
“Well, why the hell are you standing here? Go get your girl.”
I left and jumped in my truck, pushing the pedal to the floor. I was so fucking stupid. It took me half the time it normally did to get home, and luckily I didn’t come across any cops on my drive.
What I saw when I pulled into Harlyn’s driveway made my stomach drop. A black car was sitting in front of the door, tailgate lifted as the driver put Harlyn’s bag into the trunk. I slammed on the brakes, threw my truck into park, and hopped out.
My breathing was frantic as I rushed over to the driver. “Where is she?”
He just pointed toward the house. “Thank you,” I said as I took off toward the front door. It hit the wall with a bang from my force. I’d fix the damage later. Now I just needed to get to my girl.
I knocked on her door and waited to see if she’d invite me in. Nothing, she said nothing but I could definitely hear the faint sounds of crying coming from inside the room so I knew she was in there. “Harlyn, will you please open the door?”
“Why? So you can berate me again for something that was your idea in the first place?”
“No, so I can apologize for being the world's biggest idiot.”
“I’m the idiot, falling in love with my summer fling…”
“You love me?” She didn’t respond. “Harlyn… please open the door, baby.” It felt like hours before she opened the door.
There my beautiful girl stood with tears streaming down her face. It was like a punch to the chest. I felt like the biggest moron. I wanted to hug her, but when I stepped toward her this time, she backed away. Okay, so… apologize first.
“Look, Harlyn. I was scared, okay? Ever since you got here this summer there’s been something, this weird connection between us. Tonight I just lost my shit. I don’t want anyone else to fuck you or pleasure you. I want it to be me and me only.”
Her voice was soft as she spoke. “I’m nervous, too. If that helps any.”
My shoulders loosened. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Babe, you scare the living shit out of me, but in the best way possible. It took you slamming the door in my face and a good stern lecture from Kai to realize how badly I’d fucked up. I can’t lose you, Harlyn. Fuck going back home to live with your mom. I want you to move in with me. Live with me because I need you by my side so I don’t go crazy.”
“Caige…”
“Harlyn… I realized tonight that when you find the one you’ve been waiting for, it’s downright terrifying. But it's also just as terrifying thinking about the person you’re in love with walking out of your life and never coming back. It would break me if you left.”
“But my car is here to take me to the airport, Caige. My bags are packed.”
I couldn’t stand it. Even if she turned me away, I needed to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her. I reached out to grip the back of her neck and slanted my mouth over hers. She melted into me and I hugged her tightly. When I leaned down to scoop her up a yelp slipped from between her lips.
I carried her over to the bed and laid her down. “I’m still mad at you, ya know.”
“I know, and I promise I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”
“Whatever it takes, huh?”
“Yes, I just have to do one quick thing. Don’t move.” As much as I hated to leave her I needed to send the driver away and grab her bags so we couldn’t be interrupted. I left her sitting like the precious gem she was on the bed, tore down the hallway, and out front to talk with the driver.
Three minutes later I was racing back to her room with her bags. “Okay, he’s gone.”
“The driver?”
“But he didn’t get any money… and I need to cancel my plane ticket.”
“I paid him a hefty fee for wasting his time and we can call the airline after I’m done with you. Now, I believe I have some making up to do. Because that guy you saw earlier was a total ass. A definite open mouth, insert foot asshole.”
“Yeah, he really was.” She smiled and it lit up my world. Never again would I take the one person in the world who means the most to me for granted. I had one more thing I needed to tell her though.
I swallowed against my suddenly dry mouth. “Harlyn.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m falling in love with you.”
“I’m falling in love with you too, Caige.”