I just don’t think I’m ready to spill the tea with them about Connor yet. Especially not when I still haven’t found a solution to the whole “I’m leaving you and your baby girl in a few months” situation. Nope, I’ve made my bed. Now I’ve just got to lie in it. Even if that means lying in it alone.
“Okay, so . . . pizza toppings?” I say with a smile.
“Get the roasted garlic, four cheese and truffle oil, and two of the Turkish lamb pizzas,” Scarlett says. “I’ll pay you back.”
“Lamb pizza?” I ask.
Scarlett lobs a serious look my way. “Believe me, it’s the best thing you will ever put in your mouth.”
“True story,” Maren says with a nod.
I place the order on my phone and select delivery, because who in the heck wants to go out right now?
“Pizza has been ordered,” I say.
“Thanks, girl,” Scarlett says a second before her phone buzzes, and she lets out an excited squeal.
“Hellooo?” she answers, her voice an excited singsong. Her face falls slightly. “Oh. Sure, I’ll let you up.”
Maren and I give her the same curious look. “It’s Connor,” Scarlett mouths with a halfhearted shrug.
I can feel Maren watching my face for a reaction, but I’m too busy wondering if Scarlett’s excited reaction was because she thought it would be Caleb.
Scarlett disappears down the hallway, her footsteps fading before the distant sound of a door slamming alerts us that she found him successfully. Their footsteps approach quickly, and my heartbeat races to catch up with them. When Scarlett bursts through the door, she has her hostess face on, all bright smiles and warm sashays.
“Our first guest has arrived,” she sings again, waving for Connor to enter.
Speak of the devil, and apparently he will appear with a bottle of rosé. How thoughtful.
Connor steps through the doorway looking as gorgeous as ever, his dark hair pushed back off his forehead, a gray T-shirt revealing the subtle outline of his muscles. His green eyes find mine within seconds, and a shock wave of heat passes through my core.
Down, girl.
Yes, he’s attractive and fit, and did I mention before how long it’s been since I’ve gotten any? But none of these thoughts are the least bit helpful right now. I’m only here for a short time, and I’m certainly not going to get wrapped up in anyone before I leave the country. And least of all my new boss.
“Wow, nice place, Scar,” he says, surveying the kitchen briefly before his gaze lands on Maren, and then me. “Hey, Maren. Hi, Jessa.”
I smile weakly at him and wave.
Oh my God. Did I just wave at him? Sweet Jesus, kill me now.
I’m never normally this awk-weird, but ever since we woke up tangled together in that hotel bed, I’m majorly off my game. And now add making out to the mix, I’m acting like a thirteen-year-old crushing on the most popular boy in school.
Yep. Kill me now.
Scarlett whisks Connor away to give him the grand tour of her new place, which will probably take all of two minutes. While they’re gone, I turn to Maren, who’s still eyeing me with playful suspicion.
“I’m thinking it’s definitely time for a drink,” I say quickly. “Are you with me?”
She nods and takes my hand, leading me into the kitchen. “So, you wanna talk about it?”
Maren’s been the sweet one from the beginning, someone I know I can talk to about these things. She knows better than anyone what it’s like to have complicated feelings for someone. Maybe it would be a good idea for me to open up to her. To talk to someone about the craziness swirling around in my head. Girl talk would do me a world of good.
“Well, I guess it’s just—”
But before I can finish, the front door to the apartment bangs open, followed by a chorus of hoots and hollers. My eyes grow wide and I stare at Maren, shock and worry all over my face, but she just smiles and rolls her eyes.
“The boys must be here. They can get a little . . . rowdy when they’re all together. It’ll pass after the first, like, twenty minutes, though,” she says, clearly noticing that the worry on my face didn’t fade away. It sounds like a freaking rugby game is being played in Scarlett’s front hallway.
Drinks in hand, we walk back out into the living room to find that the rest of the “get-together” has arrived. And now that everyone is all in one place, we might as well call this what it is—a housewarming party. Scarlett’s having a party, a small impromptu one, sure, but a party nonetheless. Meanwhile, it’s taking all my self-control not to melt in Connor’s presence, even with the rest of the crew here.
Maren is quick to close the distance between herself and Hayes, and he lifts her into his arms and plants a sweet kiss on her mouth.
One day, I hope to be so in love that I can make out in front of a room full of people without caring that everyone else can see. It would be sweet if it didn’t happen every time they see each other. I can only imagine what their reunions are like when it’s just the two of them. That’s love for you, I guess.
Connor makes his way across the room to me, and my pulse quickens with every step closer he takes. “Hey,” he says when he reaches my side.
His wrist almost brushes mine, we’re standing so close. I have to keep myself from trembling.
“Hey,” I say back.
He looks at me apologetically. “I didn’t really say hi to you before.”
“That’s okay,” I say with a smile and a shrug. “It’s good to see you. How’s Marley?”
I’ve never sounded so stiff, so polite around him before. But I’m not exactly sure where we stand after the last time we saw each other. Besides, we’re with his friends now, and they’re quickly becoming my friends too. So, whatever’s happening between Connor and me can take a back seat to hanging out with the crew.
“With her mom,” he says. “Marley misses you, I think.”
I freeze. Or maybe whatever’s happening between Connor and me will be the only thing I think about all night.
Is he actually talking about his baby, who barely recognizes human faces yet? Or is this some kind of code for the fact that he misses me? But that can’t be right, can it?
Does Connor miss me? Is he trying to tell me something?
Feeling his gaze on me, I take a sip of my wine, grateful for the cool bite of the liquid going down my throat.
Penelope appears from the kitchen, a sullen-looking Wolfie in tow. “Connor,” she says quickly, rushing toward us. “How’s my niece? Please tell me you have pictures.”
Connor nods. “What kind of dad would I be if I didn’t? Hey, Wolf, did you grab one of the IPAs from the fridge?”
Wolfie grunts and jerks his chin. Apparently, that means yes, because Connor and Penelope turn back to Connor’s phone, leaving me to smile awkwardly at Wolfie. He’s so big . . . and so quiet, sort of like a big teddy bear. I’m really not sure what to make of him.
“So,” I say, clasping my hands in front of my waist. “How’s life?”
Wolfie grimaces slightly.
I’ve been told he hates small talk more than the rest of the guys, but I can’t help it. What am I supposed to do, stand here in awkward silence and wait for Connor and Penelope to be done gushing about the baby? I’m not about to interrupt their sibling time. I’m trying to make a good impression here, after all.