“They will be,” Dad replied. “Fever, nausea… the usual. Colin said it’s been a rough couple days, but they’re managing. Kieran’s been staying with Sofia and Aaron all week just so he wouldn’t get sick, too.”
I bet he loved that. Kieran and Jamie were attached to each other’s hip. Spending a whole week in one house instead of next to each other must’ve been a blast for them.
I nodded even though Dad couldn’t see it. My head felt heavy. I should’ve been thinking about the gala, or Colin, or how to help, but all I could think about was Alana.
Her eyes. Her laugh. The way she said my name like it meant something.
God, what was wrong with me?
“He worked hard on that event,” I said quietly.
“He did. But you know Colin, family first, always.” There was a pause, one just long enough to shift the air between us. “You sound off.”
Shit.
I tensed instantly. “Do I?”
“You do,” he said, and I could hear the concern sneak into his voice. “You’re usually more talkative. Especially when it’s about something familiar. You okay?”
“I’m just tired,” I said too fast. “Didn’t sleep well.”
That wasn’t a lie, at least. I’d barely slept the night before, and after this morning? Yeah. Sleep was going to be even harder to come by.
Another pause. Longer this time.
“You sure that’s all it is?”
No. Not even close.
I swallowed hard. The image of her mouth flashed in my mind again, vivid and wrong and perfect. I gritted my teeth.
“I’m sure,” I said.
Dad let out a soft sigh—the kind that told me he wasn’t buying it, not really. “Alright. Just… don’t let it build up, Eden. That never ends well. Trust me on that.”
I stared at the floor. “Yeah. I know. Thanks.”
“Okay. I’ll let you go. I’ll update you on the new gala date when I hear from Colin.”
“Thanks.”
After we hung up, I sat there, motionless. The phone still in my hand, the towel still wrapped low around my hips, and my thoughts still tangled around a woman I wasn’t supposed to want.
But I did.
God help me, I wanted her more than anything.
And I had no idea how the hell I was going to look her in the eye again without breaking.
And if I didn’t get a grip soon, it wasn’t just going to be my sanity that broke.
It was going to be us.
MeandAlana.
Whatever we were.
Whatever we weren’t supposed to be.