“There you are! I thought maybe you were dead or something.”
“Not dead. Just been trying to stay off the grid for a bit.” I glance at June’s door, wondering if she’s awake yet. I left her asleep on the couch. That woman sleeps like a brick.
When I woke up with her in my arms, I briefly thought about pretending I was asleep so I could savor the feel of her against me for as long as possible. But then I became aware of the painful sensation shooting up my arm, and I had to pry it out from under her. She didn’t flinch. I think I could have rolled her off onto the floor, and she would have stayed asleep.
I got up at my usual six-thirty time and made a pot of coffee (still no sign of life from June), shaved and changed into my running clothes (she hadn’t moved), and decided to go for a jog until she woke up. She could be awake in there now, and the thought has me wanting to end this call with Noah as quickly as possible.
“Yeah, no kidding. I was starting to feel like a jealous girlfriend for how many texts I sent you.”
“Well, you’ve got me now. What do you need?”
He sighs. “I’ve been trying to hold the investors for your answer like you said, but they are getting restless. I can’t hold them any longer. They said they want an answer by the end of the week or they offer it to Martin.”
I turn my back to the house and run my hands over my face. “End of the week Sunday?”
“Saturday,” he says, ruthlessly stealing a day out from under me. “Ryan, man, I can’t even believe you are hesitating on this. It’s the deal of a lifetime.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m just not sold on it yet.”
“Why? Do you have other offers you’re entertaining?”
I glance back at June’s house. “Something like that.”
“I hate when you’re vague. It makes me feel antsy.”
I catch movement in the window and see June standing from the couch with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and over her head like a hooded cape as she walks back toward her room. She’s so dang cute. “Listen, I’ve gotta go, Noah.”
“Ryan, don’t you hang up on me ag—”
“You’ll have my answer on Saturday.” And then I hang up.
The heaviness I thought I escaped settles back over me, and I take another lap around the block to give June a little extra time to wake up without me around. Yeah, I’m such a nice guy that the only reason I’m delaying going inside is to give June some privacy. Not at all because my time of limbo has just ended, and I’ve got to make a decision I’m not sure I’m ready to make yet.
When I get back to June’s house, I’m drenched with sweat and breathing hard, but I’m no closer to a decision. I want to talk to June about the job offer, but I also don’t want to spring it on her, because I feel like we had a breakthrough last night.
I have a sinking feeling that saying something like Morning, June! Hey, so I’ve been meaning to tell you about this job of a lifetime I was offered that will literally eat up all my time and require my undivided attention for the next three years. Think I should take it? will only take us back three spaces. I will not pass go. No collecting two hundred dollars. I don’t want to worry her with something I’m not even sure I want.
I’ve put my career first for so long that I’m ready to put June first now. I want to take this relationship as far as she’ll allow it to go. So, for now, I need to keep it to myself. I still have a few days until I have to give Noah my answer, and I plan on using all of them to find out if June is ready for this relationship or not.
Walking into the house, I’m surprised to find her sitting at the table, still wrapped up in her fuzzy blanket, feet curled up in her chair, eating a bowl of cereal. She sees me step inside, and the spoon freezes in her mouth. Her gaze dips down and takes in my sweaty appearance and then darts back up to my face. She finishes chewing with a secret smile.
“Good morning,” I say cautiously as I approach her. She doesn’t respond, just holds that small grin on her face. “Are you about to dive into a freak-out and completely regret everything that happened last night?”
She slowly shakes her head no. It gives me courage to get closer. I stop just behind her and lean down to kiss the side of her neck. She makes a soft mmmmm sound that makes my stomach dip.
“So, I’ve decided when and where I want our first date to be,” I say against the warm skin of her neck.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Chicago.”
June pulls away, taking away my access to her neck, so she can look me in the eyes. “Chicago? Why?”
I take a seat at the table, facing her. “Because I have something special planned that can only happen there. If I only get one date, I intend on making it count.”
June looks oddly thoughtful. She’s hiding something behind those green eyes, and I want to know what it is. But I also know that she’s not the kind of woman to spill her secrets. It’s going to take time to get them all out of her, so I let it be.
“Please? I also want to show you where I live and the restaurant I’ve been working in.” I’m basically trying to throw sprinkles on top of a broccoli sundae, hoping to make it look more appealing.
June moves her lips from side to side as she contemplates it. I’m holding my breath. “Okay,” she finally says, and then a big smile cracks over her lips, and she brings another bite of cereal to her mouth. “Actually, I was going to say yes from the beginning. I just like watching you sweat.” She side-eyes my torso and arms.
“Is that right? You should have said something—I’ve got a lot more sweat under my shirt,” I say, reaching for the bottom hem of my shirt and lifting my brow.
“Ryan.” She says my name like she does when she wants me to behave. It only eggs me on.
I lift my shirt a few inches. “Is it hot in here or what?”
“Ryan, not the abs!” She covers her eyes dramatically with her blanket. “I’m just an innocent young woman.” But she’s laughing.
“Okay, fine,” I say, sounding deeply disappointed. “You can look now.”
June pulls down the blanket and squeaks when she finds me shirtless with a big grin. She rolls her eyes and grabs her glass of water. I only have enough time to blink before she tosses it on me to really teach me a lesson. Water goes everywhere. I, however, don’t flinch because I just went on a run, and the cool water feels amazing.
June stands up abruptly and stomps into the kitchen, mumbling something about making it worse and then brings back a towel. I offer to let her dry me off, to which she takes the towel and pops me with it.
The rest of the morning goes on like this, with June and me doing what we do best: teasing and flirting. I end up prying her soggy cereal out of her hands and dumping it down the drain so I can make her a proper breakfast. We both eat and talk over our second cups of coffee, and June tells me little tidbits of her life that I’ve missed out on over the last decade. I do the same.
But I notice anytime my topic veers into the realm of work, she freezes up, so I avoid the subject like the plague. Instead of talking about my job, she learns about the hot dog vendor I swear makes a better meal than any gourmet dish I’ve ever had, and I tell her about the little bistro where I spent most of my off time during culinary school.
