Page 40 of Baby, It’s You (Clairesville #1)

Hunter

I pull up to Eddie’s house and park the truck on the cement driveway. He is quite drunk, but even in his intoxicated state, he can tell I’m gutted right now. He shoots me a look laced with sympathy, and I put my hand up before he can say anything.

“Please. I just want to process the night. I’m tired, man,” I tell him. “I’ll text you in the morning.”

“No problem,” he responds and pushes open the passenger door. He’s drunkenly swaying as he steps out of the truck.

“You need help to the door?” I ask Eddie.

“No—” he starts to say, and then bends over and vomits on his driveway.

I lean my head back against the headrest, not wanting to deal with this right now, but I’m not leaving him alone in this condition, either. Eddie is stressed about his app and made some poor drinking decisions tonight. I shut off my engine and get out of my truck.

“Give me your keys,” I tell him as he stands up and wipes the back of his hand against his mouth.

“I feel better.” He smiles and hands me the keys.

“Okay, come on.” I chuckle and take them from him before leading him to the door.

Once I’m inside Eddie’s house, I slowly help him get to his room. I look around and find a small trashcan to set next to his bed. He gives me a thumbs-up and then passes out, asleep within minutes.

“I’m going to sleep on your floor, tonight,” I tell an almost silent room, only the sound of Eddie’s snoring answers me.

I kick off my shoes and remove my cheetah shirt.

Then, I head out to his hallway so I can find a pillow and blanket.

I see a checkered decorative pillow tossed in the corner of the living room and scoop it up.

I check both closets and find no blankets, so I settle for a cream throw blanket that his mom placed on the back of his couch.

She decorated most of his place; Eddie couldn’t care less about the house.

The only important thing to him in this place is the technology down in his basement office.

Heading back to Eddie’s room, I situate the pillow on the ground and lie on the carpet floor, glad that it’s plush.

I stare up at his ceiling and think about Olive. Kissing her for the first time was like a dream. Her lips were soft and supple, and her kiss felt like an electric shock. I was addicted from the first touch of her lips to mine, never wanting it to end.

When she pulled back from the kiss, I expected her to match my expression.

She seemed so into it, and she was, after all, the one that made the first move.

So, when I looked into her eyes and saw absolute horror, I felt my heart crack a little.

Did I make up her moaning into my mouth?

Did I create the connection at that moment in my head to convince myself that she was into me, too?

I feel hopeless right now because I know I will never be the same after kissing Olive. She gave me a high that I will spend the rest of my life trying to recreate. My body just responds to her in a way I have never felt before.

After she ran off the stage, I was so embarrassed. Not because it felt like some form of rejection in front of an audience, but because she seemed terrified of me after that kiss. It seemed like she couldn’t stand to be around me for another second. So, she fled.

Eddie met my eyes from his seat and motioned towards the door, trying to help me save face.

I didn’t even want to leave. I wanted to go back to the kitchen and talk to her so I could try to understand what was going through that gorgeous head of hers.

But then I saw Eddie start to sway into a table and push some chairs over, trying to hold himself up, and I knew I needed to get him home.

I am always trying to help everyone else and make sure they are okay. But I’m not sure if I’m okay.