Promises Promises

Chapter 13

"So, let me get this straight..."

Good grief. It had been a long ride home. Leann asked every question she possibly could, and I answered every one of them to the best of my ability. Now, she was going in for the recap.

"You're at the store in fucking no man's land, buying sugar cookies and lemons, when your tire blows the hell up and a hot roofer comes to the rescue?"

"Basically, yes." I leaned back into the seat, relieved to see the welcome sign for Fairhaven up ahead as the day and the heat were catching up to me. I was exhausted and done talking. Ready for a shower and the serenity of my bed.

"I want all the details," Leann squealed, taking a knife to the mere thought of my upcoming tranquility.

"I just told you all the details," I laughed. "Remember how you just asked about it and I told you everything?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean like...what else happened?"

"Nothing."

"If he works in construction, why doesn't have a beard?"

"Cause he doesn't want one?"

"Did you get his number?"

"No."

Her mouth dropped open with a horrified gasp. "Why?"

"Because I didn't need it?"

"You do need it though," she insisted, glancing over at me with a bounce of her eyebrows, messy blue hair shifting with the movement. "I've been telling you that you need to get under someone new if you're ever going to get over Spencer."

Fucking hell. My stomach did that flippy thing at her casual mention of his name. Stop that. I looked out the window and blew out a breath of air. "I am over Spencer."

"Okay, sure." Leann snort laughed, sarcasm abounding in her tone as she pulled onto my street. But when she parked in front of my house, a smirk emerged. "If you're over him, then there's no good reason why you didn't ask for that tall, dark, and handsome man's number."

"He didn't exactly ask for mine either, Leann," I said to her with a sigh. "He was just trying to help me out in the circumstances I got myself into."

She frowned. "But you said he was really nice."

"Nice people do exist without motives, you know," I pointed out. "I mean, for all I know, he could have had a girlfriend. The vibe just wasn't there."

That lie was as sour on my tongue as the lemons in my grocery bag. I couldn't deny feeling a little something back in that parking lot with Alex. The easy conversation, the eye contact, the comfortable proximity we shared. But as our moments from the day settled into a memory, something else nagged at me from deep within, like a needle poking into a pin cushion. Sharp and quick, taking up space and not letting me rest.

"Thanks for the ride." I grabbed my stuff and made a quick escape from the confines of Leann's vehicle.

She sighed, hands curling around the steering wheel as she watched me go. "You know I'm just looking out for you, right? Whether it's Spence or someone new. My only concern is your happiness."

I shut the door and glanced at her through the open window. "Yeah, I know. I'm just...tired, honestly. It's been a long day."

Leann nodded. "We'll talk later though?"

"Of course." I tapped the door frame of her car. "Thanks for the ride, by the way."

"You're welcome. Let me know when you need to go back tomorrow to pick up your car."