It wasn’t until my phone dinged with a text message that we both stopped and looked at each other. Josh’s stomach rumbled so loudly it’d set an avalanche off, and I giggled as I grabbed my phone from the bookshelf workstation we’d set up after I kept losing my Sharpies.
I didn’t say I was organized.
I pressed my thumb against the screen to unlock the phone and opened the text.ELLIOTT: Had a great time last night. Dinner one night this week?Josh came up behind me and snorted.
“What’s that for?” I asked, stepping away so he could no longer read over my shoulder.
“It’s a bit offish, that’s all.”
“Offish? How is it? It’s to the point.”
“They’re not even full sentences, Kinsley.”
I looked at the text again. “Maybe he’s busy. I know Sebastian is coming home for his rehab. He’s looking after him.”
“Look at you with the insider knowledge about a sport you don’t care about.”
“Did you sit on a stick over there?”
“No, why?”
“Then you need to go to the bathroom to check for one that’s wedged itself up your ass by magic,” I snapped. “What’s your problem?”
“Your brother doesn’t like him.”
“Oh, and he’s the authority on relationships. He still can’t break up with Amber even though they both know it’s over.”
“Well, apparently she’s a freak in bed.”
“So am I. I sometimes read while I watch Netflix. What’s your point?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know what you meant, Joshua. I just don’t want to think about my brother naked and getting it on with someone, thank you.” I wrinkled my nose up and locked my phone without replying to Elliott. I’d text him back later on when I was alone. “It’s eleven, and I have to open the store in an hour. We should break for lunch.”
Josh grunted, but he didn’t elaborate on that.
I rolled my eyes. “Or you can leave and I’ll eat a nice, peaceful lunch without you.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes. “You go get lunch and I’ll keep moving these around. I’ll mark the boxes, too.”
“Fine. What do you want?”
“Where are you going?”
“Sandwich shop.”
“Steak sub with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and mayo.”
I stared at him.
“Please.”
“Thank you.” I spun on my heel and left him alone in the storeroom to get on with it.
I grabbed my purse and phone and let myself out of the Fort Bookworm door—I’d never be able to call it anything else now—and basked in the fresh air for a moment. It was so strange to be in such close quarters with Josh like this.
Not like we’d never spent time together before, but something had changed between us. It was back to that gray area I couldn’t pinpoint, and I knew there would be a conversation sooner rather than later.
We had to figure out what was going on so we could figure everything out, because this couldn’t continue for very long.
And for him to use Colton as an excuse for why his mood went to shit after Elliott texted me…
Well, it was at the top of the list for things that were pissing me off.
By the time I’d been in the sandwich shop, ordered, waited, collected our order, and walked back down the street to the bookstore, I was all kinds of worked up.
I’d totally thought myself into a corner. I was pissed at his behavior, pissed at his attitude, and pissed at his all-around vagueness when he was the reason I was going on these dates that he seemed to have a real problem with.
There were only two solutions to this.
He saw me as a little sister, the way I thought he always had, or Saylor was right and Joshua Carter had feelings for me.
But I would be damned if I was going to wait any longer to find out the answer to that question.
Never mind that I’d only been seriously asking it for fifteen minutes, I was done.
Ever since he’d stood at my front door and told me that he was happy my date had gone badly, I’d had too many questions I’d ignored and pushed under the rug, and I was about to pick up that rug and shake it all out.
Then, and only then, could I keep my sanity about me.
I entered into Fort Bookworm, paused to relock the door, and carried the food out into the storeroom.
“Oh, good, you’re back. The phone rang, and—”
“What’s your problem?”
Josh stilled, surprise flashing in his eyes. “What?”
“I said, what’s your problem?”
“Jesus, what happened at the sandwich shop?”
I dumped the bag along with my purse and stood with my hands on my hands. “I got abducted by aliens and thought I’d come in with an attitude problem.”
“Seems reasonable.” He put the multi-tool down and crossed over to me. “Is it still hot?”
“Why don’t I choke you with it and you can find out?”
“Whoa, whoa.” He stopped mid-stride and held up his hands. “Kinsley, what’s the matter?”