The Promises We Keep (Made for Love Book 1) (15 page)

“
Do you want to know why she was here?
”

It strikes me as an odd question.
Isn
’
t it obvious? Her son lives here
—
she
’
s never needed any other reason outside of that, has she?
“
What do you mean?
”
I ask him.

“
It
’
s a secret
—
can you keep a secret?
”

I feel my pace quicken with my growing eagerness. His tone implies that whatever he
’
s about to reveal is exciting and I love those kinds of secrets.
“
Yes!
”
I promise.

“
She came out to help Jack buy an engagement ring for Claire.
”

My feet stop moving. My
feet
stop moving, but the rest of my body doesn
’
t seem to get the memo and I lurch forward. Sonny catches me, grasping hold of my forearms before I hit the ground.
“
He
’
s going to propose?
”
I ask, out of breath.

“
Are you okay?
”
he asks at the same time.

“
Yes,
”
I mutter, shaking my head
—
the contradictory act conveying exactly how I feel. The news has me off balance.

“
Yes,
”
he answers at the same time I do.

A giddy sort of happiness fills my chest as I picture Claire in a wedding dress. I giggle, feeling a bit triumphant and privileged as I now hold onto this precious secret. For a moment, I can
’
t help but think of Addie and Hammy
—
I wonder how they will handle the news, as they now live in a constant state of expectation to move in the same direction, and soon. I
’
m not really worried about that, though. Hammy will propose when he
’
s ready.

“
What are you thinking?
”
asks Sonny with a laugh, giving my arms a squeeze to bring me back to him.

“
Oh,
”
I shake my head again and laugh. I give his forearms a squeeze of my own before I let him go and start running, again.
“
I
’
m thinking that
’
s amazing and exciting and Claire is going to be a sexy bride and
you
will be quite the groomsman.
”
I didn
’
t mean to say that last part, about him being a groomsman, and I blush when I realize that I actually said it out loud.

“
I agree with you
—
about it being exciting. I
’
m sure Claire will be a beautiful bride
—
and
you
a radiant bridesmaid.
”

I trip over my own feet at his words and he reaches out to catch me, again; only this time, one hand grips me around my waist while the other cups the hand I shoot out to catch my fall. He chuckles and my blush grows hotter and spreads all the way to my hairline. I don
’
t need a mirror to confirm
—
I
’
m so hot, I can hardly stand it.

“
I
’
m not sure I
’
ll be a bridesmaid,
”
I stammer lamely as he lets me go and we continue along the trail.

“
I bet you will be. I know you
’
re her favorite twin.
”

“
I am?
”
I coo.

“
Yup,
”
he confirms with a grin.
“
We have that in common.
”

She blushes for the hundredth time since I first saw her in the parking lot and I can
’
t silence the chuckle that vibrates from my chest. I
’
m being reckless, flirting shamelessly, and I know I should stop
—
but I don
’
t want to. Spending all weekend with the buzz of anticipation that continues to be Jack
’
s pending proposal, Avery has been on my mind more than usual
—
which is saying a whole lot. I keep trying to remind myself that she deserves better than the damaged goods that I am, but even if that
’
s true, I can
’
t deny that she
’
s who I want.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I
’
ll go back to keeping my distance. Today, I
’
ll continue with this masochistic behavior
—
it
’
s worth it, just knowing that I have the ability to effect her the way she effects me.

When we reach the halfway point of our run, she turns around to head back and I follow her, sticking by my word that I will allow her to set the pace.
“
Um
—
when is he planning on asking?
”
she inquires, steering the conversation to safer territory.

“
Friday night, I think. Or maybe Saturday, night. I can
’
t remember
—
I just know he
’
ll ask before she heads home and she
’
s flying out on Monday.
”

“
Talk about the best summer break ever. Or maybe the longest,
”
she
’
s quick to add.
“
It might suck being apart from her fianc
é
for two and a half months with the engagement being so new.
”
I appreciate that everyone who knows about the engagement talks about Claire
’
s acceptance as if it
’
s already been given. Hopefully Jack is as sure of Claire
’
s answer as the rest of us are and he
’
s not harboring any unnecessary nerves as he presses through finals week.

I imagine being in Jack
’
s shoes
—
only instead of picturing Claire, I picture Avery. If she was my girl, engaged or not, I would have a hard time spending the entire summer away from her.
Actually, if I
’
m being honest, I would have a hard time spending a summer apart from her even now. Thank God I don
’
t have to.
“
I couldn
’
t do it,
”
I admit, gazing down at her.

She looks up at me and offers me the most adorable smile before she says,
“
Me neither.
”
Her words make my lips twitch up into a smirk; my smirk makes her blush; her blush makes me grin and it takes every ounce of will power I have not to scoop her into my arms and kiss her.

We run the rest of the way home in a comfortable silence. It
’
s after one by the time we get back and I
’
m starving
—
for food and for more of Avery
’
s company. I suggest going out for lunch and she is quick to agree. Wanting to avoid studying for a while longer, we decide to head to Cooper
’
s for some pizza. We go our separate ways in order to shower and change. I
’
m cleaned up, my wet hair pulled back into a low ponytail, and clad in jeans and a t-shirt within twenty minutes. She said she
’
d text me when she was ready, but after ten minutes of waiting, I decide that I can
’
t wait a minute longer and I head upstairs.

When she opens the door, my heart speeds up at the sight of her
—
as if I hadn
’
t seen her only a half an hour before. She
’
s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, too
—
the material hugging her in all the right places, making her incredibly more presentable than me. Her feet are bare and her thick hair lays damp down her chest and back. She casts a playful glare at me as she presses her fists against her small waist.
“
I
’
m not ready,
”
she insists. I beg to differ.

“
You look perfect.
”
I mean it.
“
Just grab some shoes and you
’
re good to go.
”

Her playful glare turns into a sweet smile and she nods for me to come inside.
“
Just give me two more minutes.
”
She disappears into the bathroom and when she comes back, I notice that she
’
s pinned back the front of her hair into a pretty twisted-bump-thing. She slides her feet into a pair of Toms that are sitting beside the front door and grabs her purse.
“
Now
I
’
m ready. You
’
re driving!
”
she announces as she heads outside.

“
Hey, wait,
”
I call out, suddenly remembering something.

“
Hmm?
”
she hums, whipping around in response.

Without a word, I scoop her up into my arms, lifting her from her feet. I hear the breath catch in her throat before she wraps her arms around me. I hold her tightly against my chest, further indulging in my masochistic binge, and pray that she can
’
t feel my racing pulse.
“
I owe you two, remember?
”

“
Mmhmm,
”
she practically whimpers.

I know I need to put her down, but her grip around me doesn
’
t loosen, so I hold on for a moment longer.
Tomorrow. I
’
ll be good tomorrow.

Sonny and I spend way too much time at Cooper
’
s, but I can
’
t complain. I
’
m one happy girl when he walks me to my front door and bids me good evening. While part of me wishes that he suggest we study together for the rest of the night, I know that it probably wouldn
’
t be a very good idea. He must know that, too. After an afternoon filled with playful banter, I
’
m not sure we
’
d be able to shift the tone and hunker down into study mode. So when he hugs me goodbye, I cling to him
—
and the memory of our afternoon together
—
and then watch him leave.