Page 83 of Teach Me How
“That’s kind of sad.”
I spin my mug in a slow circle. “Is it?”
“Yes. It is.” She nibbles at her lower lip. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Are you legitimately looking for a partner right now?”
I force myself to meet her gaze. “Probably not.”
“Too soon. I figured.” She shrugs. “The good ones are always either taken or gay.”
“I’m not taken.”
She laughs. “Right.”
55.
Reese
It’s a beautiful fall day. We’ve had a stretch of them now. Bright, warm sunshine, leaves dancing across the ground. We call it a Badger Summer. You can count on them happening in Nebraska late into fall, you just can’t count on them lasting.
It’s seventy degrees today, but could literally snow tomorrow.
We Nebraskans have learned to take advantage of good weather when you have it. These are the same people who will ice fish on melting lakes because the weather is right.
And if there’s beautiful weather on the day of the Harvest Festival, by God, everyone and their dog is going to be there.
Pushing through the crowd, I pick my way past the stand selling caramel apples and cider. I have to circle around a pyramid of bright orange pumpkins and a kettle corn vender.
I spot him talking to Josh and Bo.
It’s not hard to locate them. They stand head and shoulders over everyone else. Impressive, considering the average height for men out this way is a solid six feet tall. He’s chuckling at whatever nonsense is coming out of Bo’s mouth, but I’m in no laughing mood.
Josh spots me first, Bo and Skyler follow his gaze. Slowly turning to look at me.
But I only have eyes for Skyler. “You.”
He gives me a flat look. Dismissive. His lips curve into a wry smile. “Me.”
No.
I can feel him trying to slide back into the big brother’s friend role.
We are not going back to the way things were. That’s impossible. And it pisses me off. Hooking my fingers around his biceps, I haul him away from his buddies. “I need to talk to you.”
I barely catch sight of Josh’s curious expression and have to ignore Bo’s surprised laugh altogether. Skyler follows gamely behind me, allowing me to lead him a safe distance from everyone. A quick glance tells me that Bo and Josh are still watching us, so I let my hand drop away.
“I talked to Eliana.”
Skyler carefully clears his face of emotion. “Yeah? How’s she doing?”
“Still single, thanks to you.”
He’s still holding himself very still. “What did she say?”
I sigh, tossing my hands. “That you were a perfect gentleman, but there wasn’t a spark. Why wasn’t there a spark?”