AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But there’s something else that’s been tugging at my mind, something more than the thrill of completing another project. Wade.
I haven’t seen much of him over the past week. It’s strange, really. We’ve been working together for a few weeks now, side by side, arguing over tile choices and countertop materials, and yet these last few days without him around have felt… empty.
I never realized how much I’ve come to rely on his presence, his quiet strength, and that stupid, sexy grin he flashes when he thinks I’m being too fussy about a design choice. Not seeing himhas made me realize just how much he’s wormed his way into my thoughts. Into my heart.
I brush a stray hair out of my face, smudging a bit of paint on my cheek in the process. I could probably fix that in the bathroom mirror, but I don’t care. I’m too busy grappling with the sudden, startling realization that I’m in love with Wade Collins.
It hits me like a ton of bricks, stealing the breath from my lungs. I love him. How did I not see this before? It’s been right there in front of me the whole time, in the way my heart skips a beat when he walks into a room, the way my chest tightens whenever he flashes that lopsided smile, the way I can’t help but glance at his house every time I drive by.
But with that realization comes a whole new wave of worries. What if he doesn’t feel the same way? What if this is just a fling for him, a casual thing that he’s already moved on from? The thought makes my stomach churn, and I have to sit down on the edge of the couch to steady myself.
I’ve never been good at these kinds of emotions. Give me a blueprint or a color palette, and I can make magic happen, but when it comes to matters of the heart? I’m hopeless. I’ve always been too afraid of getting hurt, too afraid to let anyone in. But Wade… he makes me want to take that risk. He makes me want to believe that maybe, just maybe, this could be something real. Something lasting.
A loud, clanging noise jolts me from my thoughts, and I realize it’s my phone vibrating on the coffee table. I glance at the screen and see a text from Lena.
Lena:Lucky Horseshoe tonight?
I hesitate for a moment, then type out a quick response.
Auden:Sure. Be there in 20.
Maybe a night out with friends is exactly what I need to clear my head. Or at least it’ll keep me from obsessing over what Wade might be thinking.
I hurry home and, throw on some clean clothes, and then head back into town and park my car next to Lena’s in the parking lot.
The Lucky Horseshoe is buzzing with the usual Friday night crowd. Locals laughing, pool balls clacking against each other, and the hum of conversation all fill the air. The place is packed, but Lena has somehow managed to snag our usual table near the back. She waves me over, her smile bright as she spots me.
“There she is!” Lena says, pulling me into a hug as I approach. “I was starting to think you’d ditched me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I reply with a grin, sliding into the seat across from her.
The familiar warmth of the place, combined with Lena’s easygoing smile, helps ease the tension I’ve been carrying all day.
We order drinks, and for a while, the conversation is light. We talk about work and how the bakery is going, but that doesn’t last long. Soon, she narrows her eyes on me, her lips twitching with a smirk.
“How’s Wade?” She asks, and I groan.
“So this is an interrogation? And here I thought my friend just missed me.”
“I did miss you, but I still want all of the details.”
“We went out a few times… slept together,” I admit, and she throws her hands up in the air.
“Yes! I knew it! And how was it?”
“Amazing. Mind-blowing.”
“So why are you here with me instead of with him tonight?”
“Things are… I don’t know. I don’t want to get too wrapped up in him. I need to focus on work.”
“Why can’t it be both?” She asks, and I grab my drink, chugging half of it.
“Because I…I think… I think I’m in love with him.”
Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she looks genuinely surprised. Then, a slow smile spreads across her face.
“Well, duh! You have been since like forever.”
