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I cross my arms and lean my hip against the porch railing. It creaks, and I jerk clear of it, standing straight again. “What’s it to you?”
He shrugs. “I’m surprised.”
I scoff. “Surprised? You don’t know me to be aware of what’s unexpected or unpredictable.” And I want to keep it that way. So, back off.
He shakes his head. “Not true.”
I tilt my head to the side. “How so?”
“I looked you up online. When Caleb was rushing to crash Lauren’s wedding, I looked through posts of the first wedding and saw you in the bridal party. I skimmed through your profile enough to consider texting you to stall the wedding.”
He had done that. I shake my head. “Okay, that doesn’t mean you know me.” And won’t.
“But I saw how you posted teaching memes and things like that. You seem passionate about education.”
I still am passionate about it, and knowing it’s not an option stings. “It doesn’t matter.”
He raises his brows.
“I don’t owe you an answer.”
“Are you always this bitchy?”
I flip him off, but then I realize that’s only proving his point. “It doesn’t matter why I’m not teaching anymore.” It still sounds like a copout of an answer I don’t owe him. I shrug. “People change their minds.” Even though I haven’t. I’d love to go back to the classroom.
He looks at me again in that deep, pensive way that makes me feel so vulnerable and exposed. Like he’s peering right through me.
Then he shrugs, walking up the steps and strolling past me on the porch as he goes into the house.
Before he disappears inside, he pauses and replies without looking back. “I’m very familiar with that if you ever want to talk about it.”
I frown after him, staring at the screen door after it swings shut.
That’s assuming I want to talk to you at all.
And despite my resistance and determination to ignore him, I’m suddenly very curious about what he meant with that remark.
Chapter 5
Dalton
Aubrey is lying.
I can’t tell what bothers me more. The fact she is lying at all and that I absolutely hate liars? Or is it because of how badly I want to know why she’s not telling the truth? Whatever secrets Aubrey is keeping are not my business. Despite that fact, I cannot forget about the way I just knew she was withholding the truth. I’m addicted to wanting to know more, sort of like how you want what you can’t have.
Last night was fun. Having dinner with Caleb and Lauren was enjoyable. I look forward to getting to know the blonde even more, but what I’ve seen of her so far, I’m impressed. She’s sweet, she’s open, and she’s witty in a way that complements Caleb. I get no red flags from the woman who’s captured my friend’s heart. Although, that doesn’t tell me much. My radar for detecting red flags isn’t all that reliable. After all, I was with Johanna for years. I was none the wiser until the very end that she was cheating and lying to me. She is a huge part of why I detest dishonesty, and I don’t know when I’ll ever get over all of it enough to not hold such bitterness in my heart.
It’s trickling into my judgment about Aubrey already.
During the ride to and from the restaurant and all through the meal, I noticed Aubrey’s antagonism. I don’t know what her problem is. If this is all because of the stupid way we drove to the bed-and-breakfast, she needs a lesson in life about holding grudges. I don’t know why she dislikes me, and I don’t know why she lied, but both of those together worsen my attitude toward her.
It would be easy to just let it go and forget about her, but I can’t. I hadn’t stalked her before Lauren’s wedding, but from what I browsed through, I noticed she was a devoted educator. How can she change so quickly?
Something nags me about her, and when I can’t find her or pass by her at breakfast or lunch, I only grow more curious.
I distract myself by walking with Caleb to check out the empty and as-yet undeveloped plot of land where he plans to build a future with Lauren.
We stand out here in the wide openness with trees and mountains in the distant sweeping vistas. Birds sing. The kids from one of the guest families laugh as they run through a sprinkler out back. I doubt they’re supposed to. I saw Lauren setting it up to water the beginning of a garden and the children are taking advantage.
