Read Online Rival Hearts (Rival Love #2) by Natalie Decker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natalie Decker
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That’s what I was thinking. But I don’t say any of this. “Just wanted to.” I shrug.
He stares at me. “So you thought you’d come up here?” He nods, but it’s not one of his regular nods. It’s more of a Yeah, uh-huh, how stupid do you think I am? nod.
“Yeah.”
Erin pulls Skylar over to us and sniffles. “We should go get some breakfast. Oh, and we’re going to have to see if we can check into our room early. That’s going to be tough during the holiday.” She looks directly at me. “Caleb, I should be angry at you for disappearing on us. Not telling us where you were and everything, but I’m glad you came here early.” She hugs me.
“Well, you’re still grounded when we get back home,” my uncle informs me. Knew that was coming. “How about this, you girls go catch up, and Caleb and I will go get some things done.”
Erin smiles and Sky gives me a worried look. I smile at her. I don’t want her stressing over me. I want her to enjoy her time with her mom.
Sky unlatches from her mom and comes over to me. “Before we all split off, can I talk to Caleb for a second?” My uncle and Erin look at Sky and then me. Man, if we’re still trying to hide our relationship, it’s not exactly coming off like that. Not at all.
Erin nods and Sky pulls me to the corner space near the door. I eye her up, study her lips a little longer than maybe I should. God, I want to kiss her. Say screw it, and kiss her right here, right now.
“We’re going to have to cool this”—she moves her hand between me and her—“down a little, right?”
“Why? Maybe we should just tell them.”
She looks at me as if I slapped her in the face. Total shock. “Are you nuts?” She shoves me. “Oh my God, no. We can’t just … God, Caleb, I thought you’d understand. We’re just starting this, and I still have my decision of what I’m going to do. Am I going to stay or return? I mean, it’s just a lot to take in. I can’t add on to that pressure. I don’t need to hear their thoughts and all that bullshit.”
What does she mean by still deciding whether to stay or leave New York? Wait. What the heck just happened here? What the hell have we been doing these past couple days? I told her I love her, and I mean it. Why is she trying to kill us before we even get started, again?
“Fine, we won’t tell them,” I grind out. We observe each other in silence for a moment, then she huffs. “We’ll keep our distance and whatever else you want.”
“Stop doing that.” She shakes her head. “I just want us to keep some space. That’s all. I’m not asking you to turn into an asshole.”
I roll my eyes. Seems like that’s exactly what she wants. She wants to stay here. She wants me to give her a reason to stay. “Fine.”
She makes a growling noise and stomps off to her mom. Erin looks at me and then at Skylar. No one says anything, though. We all just head out the door to go our separate ways.
***
Uncle Brian and I are inside another jewelry store. I’m bored. My uncle is sweating. Literally sweating. He talks to the saleswoman and she directs him over to a long case. I stay back because I don’t want to be asked what I think about anything. I glance down at the case near me, which is filled with necklaces and earrings in a box-set type deal.
I look over at my uncle to make sure he’s not really paying attention to me. I don’t need his questions. “Can I help you find something?” a soft voice asks, averting my attention to a short girl with huge-ass rocks in her ears and her reddish hair slicked back into a ponytail.
“Um … nah. I was just … ”
“Looking?” she asks with a smile.
I nod.
“I’m Tricia. If you need some help, I’ll be over by that case over there.” She points and winks, then makes her way to the counter two cases away from where I am.
I glance around the store and then back down at the case. A necklace pulls all my attention from the room. A tiny
He stares at me. “So you thought you’d come up here?” He nods, but it’s not one of his regular nods. It’s more of a Yeah, uh-huh, how stupid do you think I am? nod.
“Yeah.”
Erin pulls Skylar over to us and sniffles. “We should go get some breakfast. Oh, and we’re going to have to see if we can check into our room early. That’s going to be tough during the holiday.” She looks directly at me. “Caleb, I should be angry at you for disappearing on us. Not telling us where you were and everything, but I’m glad you came here early.” She hugs me.
“Well, you’re still grounded when we get back home,” my uncle informs me. Knew that was coming. “How about this, you girls go catch up, and Caleb and I will go get some things done.”
Erin smiles and Sky gives me a worried look. I smile at her. I don’t want her stressing over me. I want her to enjoy her time with her mom.
Sky unlatches from her mom and comes over to me. “Before we all split off, can I talk to Caleb for a second?” My uncle and Erin look at Sky and then me. Man, if we’re still trying to hide our relationship, it’s not exactly coming off like that. Not at all.
Erin nods and Sky pulls me to the corner space near the door. I eye her up, study her lips a little longer than maybe I should. God, I want to kiss her. Say screw it, and kiss her right here, right now.
“We’re going to have to cool this”—she moves her hand between me and her—“down a little, right?”
“Why? Maybe we should just tell them.”
She looks at me as if I slapped her in the face. Total shock. “Are you nuts?” She shoves me. “Oh my God, no. We can’t just … God, Caleb, I thought you’d understand. We’re just starting this, and I still have my decision of what I’m going to do. Am I going to stay or return? I mean, it’s just a lot to take in. I can’t add on to that pressure. I don’t need to hear their thoughts and all that bullshit.”
What does she mean by still deciding whether to stay or leave New York? Wait. What the heck just happened here? What the hell have we been doing these past couple days? I told her I love her, and I mean it. Why is she trying to kill us before we even get started, again?
“Fine, we won’t tell them,” I grind out. We observe each other in silence for a moment, then she huffs. “We’ll keep our distance and whatever else you want.”
“Stop doing that.” She shakes her head. “I just want us to keep some space. That’s all. I’m not asking you to turn into an asshole.”
I roll my eyes. Seems like that’s exactly what she wants. She wants to stay here. She wants me to give her a reason to stay. “Fine.”
She makes a growling noise and stomps off to her mom. Erin looks at me and then at Skylar. No one says anything, though. We all just head out the door to go our separate ways.
***
Uncle Brian and I are inside another jewelry store. I’m bored. My uncle is sweating. Literally sweating. He talks to the saleswoman and she directs him over to a long case. I stay back because I don’t want to be asked what I think about anything. I glance down at the case near me, which is filled with necklaces and earrings in a box-set type deal.
I look over at my uncle to make sure he’s not really paying attention to me. I don’t need his questions. “Can I help you find something?” a soft voice asks, averting my attention to a short girl with huge-ass rocks in her ears and her reddish hair slicked back into a ponytail.
“Um … nah. I was just … ”
“Looking?” she asks with a smile.
I nod.
“I’m Tricia. If you need some help, I’ll be over by that case over there.” She points and winks, then makes her way to the counter two cases away from where I am.
I glance around the store and then back down at the case. A necklace pulls all my attention from the room. A tiny
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