She quickly shakes her head. "No."
"Didn't you say they'd be back next week? Maybe I should wait and do it when they're here."
"No. They're not coming back." She's talking fast and she continues to struggle with the buttons on her shirt.
"All summer? I thought this was their summer home."
"It is, but my stepdad decided to teach a class this summer so they're staying at their house in Chicago."
"And you're staying here? Why wouldn't you go home?"
"Nash, you need to go." She tries to shove the door closed but I'm standing in her way.
"What's going on with you?"
"I told you to go!" she yells. "Don't you ever listen?"
"Why are you yelling at me? I just wanted to make sure your parents were okay with me fixing their sidewalk."
She takes a breath. "I already told you they were okay with it. If you don't want to do it, then don't. I didn't ask you to. Now would you please just leave?"
She tries to shut the door again so I step back and watch as she slams it shut. What the hell is going on with her? It's gotta be something with her parents. Is she fighting with them? Did she move down here to get away from them?
When I get back to my house, my phone dings. It's a text from Callie. Send me an email about whatever you wanted to tell my parents about the sidewalk. I'll forward it to them and have them call you if they have questions.
I respond back. Sounds good. I'll send it first thing tomorrow.
I get another text. Nash?
Yeah?
There's a delay and then I get another text. Sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you.
Don't worry about it, I text back. Working in construction, I'm used to getting yelled at.
Goodnight, Nash.
Goodnight, Callie.
I go upstairs to my room, then get another text. Cat told me to tell you goodnight. Stupid Cat. He likes you better than me.
He likes you. You just need to let him in. Let him be your friend. Stop hiding from him. Open up to him.
That'll make her mad, but it needed to be said, and if she gets pissed at me for saying it, I'll just tell her I was talking about the cat.
I'm sure she won't text back after that so I get into bed and try to sleep. A half hour later, a text pops up. It's from Callie. I wish I could, but I can't. I'm sorry.
I respond, There's nothing to be sorry for. If you decide you want to talk, I'm always here.
I wait for another text but she doesn't send one so I go to sleep, wondering what's going on with her but getting the feeling she'll never tell me.
The next morning, she sends me a text reminding me she had to be at Lou's early. I tell her to have a good day, then I get to work, trying to keep my mind off Callie, but finding it goes there anyway.
I'm falling for that girl and I've given up trying to fight it. I thought about it and realized that there's no reason for us not to date. After the summer, we'll both be back in Chicago, so if we start dating now and things are going well, we can just continue dating in the fall. She said she doesn't want that, but her actions told a different story.
The way she kissed me? That was not the way you kiss someone you're not interested in. Our little make-out session on the kitchen counter was so hot I thought we'd burn the place down. I wanted to do her right there on the counter but then realized we needed to slow things down. I didn't want us to have sex, then have her regret it later, making things awkward between us for the rest of the summer.
So when Callie went to undo my belt, I had to stop her, which took every drop of self control I had. But if Lou hadn't called, I doubt my self-control would've lasted. Callie wanted it, and I was more than willing to give it to her.
And now? I don't know what's going on with us. She made it sound like she wants to go back to just being neighbors, but I don't think she meant it. She didn't seem to when she said it. So I'm going to keep working on her and see if this might lead somewhere.
I like Callie too much to not at least give this a chance. And if it doesn't go anywhere, we'll just be friends. Friends who share an insane attraction to each other. Not sure how that's going to work but we'll give it a try.
Around noon, Jake calls.
"You still on for tomorrow?" I ask.
"Yeah. I got the equipment but you're getting the supplies, right?"
"Already picked them up."
"How long do you think it'll take?"
"It's a short walkway so I'd say two days."
"The guys and I want to go out on Saturday night. You know of any good bars in the area?"
"No. I haven't had a chance to get out much. There's a bar downtown but it looks run down and the only people I've seen coming out of it are old guys. The good bars are on the other side of town."
"I'll look it up. There's gotta be someplace decent we could go. You're coming with us, right?"
"Maybe. I'll have to see how the day goes. I'm wiped out. I haven't been getting much sleep."
"Oh yeah?" He laughs. "Someone been keeping you up? Maybe your new neighbor?"