Page 51 of Meant to Be

“What’s the matter?”

“The spacing is off. I’m going to have to talk to my foreman.” He pulled out his phone and went about typing something in it. His fingers began flying over the keypad.

“Looks fine to me,” I mumbled because it really did.

Joshua grunted as he continued typing. “They also put a vent right in front of the door, where you enter the house. Assholes,” he cursed, shaking his head.

I didn’t envy whoever was on the other end of that text.

I moved around the lounge room that was on the second floor.

“To the untrained eye it looks okay,” he started explaining once he put his phone back in his back pocket. His voice taking on an ominous tone. “But it only takes a minor problem to throw everything out of whack. Thankfully, I notice everything.”

I turned to face him. His gaze was intent on me and it was then I realized we had somehow moved on from talking about real estate.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked carefully, feeling like I needed to guard myself for some reason.

“It means …” he began, moving closer, crowding my space.

I wanted to step back and pull him closer at the same time.

“Exactly what I said. There isn’t much I miss when it comes to property or the people I care about.” He took another step closer and it was then that I felt my back pressed up against a wall. I hadn’t even realized I was moving backwards until I no longer could. “I’m the most observant out of my four brothers. It’s been useful when it comes to business. I can tell when a structure’s off by even an inch. It’s how I’ve made Townsend Real Estate the best in the industry and it’s how I know something’ off with you.”

“What do you meansomething’s off?” I shifted my gaze to stare off into the distance over his shoulder.

“The bullshit reason you gave the other week for why acting on the attraction between you and I was a bad idea. The way you wore your hair when you first came back, as if trying to tone it down, to become more obscure. The dowdy clothes you try to hide behind.”

I resisted the urge to reach up and feel my curls, just to point out that I hadn’t worn my hair straight since that night we’d first made love in the rain.

“Dowdy?”My voice was incredulous.

“I said what I said. You used to love vibrant colors and dresses to show off your legs. Now …” He trailed off, pointedly staring at my somewhat loose fitting jeans and sleeveless T-shirt. It was a decent outfit but far from what I used to wear.

“If you don’t like my clothes—”

“This has fuck all to do about not liking your personal style and you know it.” His voice was calm but underlined by a hardness that caused me to flinch and turn away.

I clenched my jaw, hating feeling this vulnerable.

“Look at me.”

I inhaled, swelling my chest and blowing out the air that’d filled my lungs before pivoting my gaze to his.

“What happened, Kay? What brought you back to Williamsport?”

I did my best to act casually. “Nothing. I just missed home. That’s all.”

“You’re still lying. And running.”

I couldn’t tell you what stung more. The truth of his words or the disappointment I heard in his voice.

“It’s not as easy for me as it is for you.”

“What’s not easy?”

“Sharing my secrets. Especially when they’re my own fault.”

His head shot back and his expression became perplexed. He wanted to know more. Was about to demand more, but a loud banging downstairs caught us both by surprise. Josh growled low in his throat when he realized someone was knocking on the door.