Page 33 of Far from Destined
“Yes,” she said softly. “We are.”
I didn’t know what I saw in her expression, but it wasn’t denial. It wasn’t rejection.
But neither was it acceptance.
What I did see had to count for something, though.
“You’re not going to stay for breakfast?” Joshua asked.
I shook my head and then went down to my knee. Joshua came and hugged me tightly, and I inhaled, needing this moment. I wasn’t okay. I wasn’t completely healed. But for some reason, even though Dakota put me on edge, she and Joshua also settled me.
I didn’t know what that meant exactly.
“We’ll hang out soon. Now, you should go get ready. I need to head home and do the same.”
“And then we can talk about a puppy!” Joshua threw his hands up into the air.
“Joshua Bristol,” Dakota snapped, even though there wasn’t much anger in her voice.
I held back a wince. “Probably not the best thing to say in the morning before your mother has her coffee. And you shouldn’t have mentioned it in front of another person.”
“I was just trying,” Joshua said, a twinkle in his eye.
“Yeah, and you crashed and burned.”
“Fine, no puppy. Ever.” He let out a put-upon sigh before running to the back of the house, presumably to get ready for his day.
I held back a laugh and shook my head. “I’m not going to encourage him,” I said, and Dakota just ran her hands over her face.
“Macon, about last night—”
“No,” I cut in, taking a couple of steps forward.
I checked over my shoulder to make sure that Joshua wasn’t around, and then I slowly lowered my lips to hers, holding her chin with my thumb and forefinger as I did.
It was a bare brush of lips, a mere intake of breath, and then I stepped back.
“We’re going to talk. You and me. We just fell asleep last night, like normal people do. Like friends. But that kiss in the park? And what I feel right now? I don’t think it’s only friends.”
“I don’t know what I want, Macon,” she said honestly.
“Neither do I. I already said before that I wasn’t going to hurt either of you. I’m not taking that back. So, let’s figure this out.”
“Macon,” she whispered.
“Don’t. Let’s call it a good morning. I am going to be late for work if I don’t leave. And I know you have some babysitter issues to deal with.”
“Oh, God,” she said into her hands. “I know Constance’s parents called last night before we fell asleep, but I still don’t know what I’m going to do. She’ll need time to heal, and I’m so happy she’s going to be okay, but I don’t have either of my normal babysitters anymore.”
“You know Myra is taking care of it.”
“Oh, right. How could I have forgotten Myra?”
“We’re both a little discombobulated this morning.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Myra said she’d be here soon.” I looked down at my phone and cursed. “Actually, she should be here any minute. And while I don’t want to be here when she shows up, you know Joshua is going to mention it. So no use keeping anything a secret.”