CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sutton—

"Ready to head out?" Kyle asks as I apply some lip gloss.

"So ready. I can't wait to hear some music." I shimmy my hips and giggle.

Kyle extends his hand to help me from the RV. It feels good to be in the fresh air, away from the food truck.

We pass several other vendors, noting what the competition is selling and pointing at their menu items. We make our way to the closest of five stages.

Kyle grabs us a couple of beers, and we weave through the crowd until we're only a few rows of people back from the stage.

I dance to the music, feeling the beat run through me. I sashay my hips and roll my stomach to the rhythm, twirling my hands and beer over my head. Kyle bops his head to the beat, and I even catch a few toe taps.

He looks sexy as hell in the gray t-shirt stretched across his pecs. His muscular, tattooed arms are on full display.

I try not to look. I'm with Rafe, and Kyle has no interest in me. He made that clear from the first time we met. I gave him the opening, and he passed me along to his twin. Not that Rafe hasn't been a fun time, but the spark—the chemistry—it isn't what it should be.

We dance through the set, yelling over the music until our voices are hoarse.

After a couple of hours, Kyle shouts over the music. "Want to head back?"

"Sure."

"Should we grab a bite? I'm starving," he yells in my ear.

I nod, and we move through the crowd.

After stopping at another truck that stayed open late, we head to the camper.

"Want to sit on the roof?" he asks, gesturing to the ladder.

"We can sit on the roof?" My voice buzzes with excitement. "Sign me up."

He smiles. "All right, pass me the food. I don't want you falling because your hands are full."

As I climb up, Kyle disappears into the camper, only to emerge a few minutes later with a folded blanket.

"Now who has their hands full?" I tease from the roof.

"I'll manage," he calls up as he ascends the ladder.

After spreading the blanket, we take a seat and dive into our food.

"Goodness, check out all those stars. I've never seen so many." I gaze at the sky. "It's like someone spilled glitter across black velvet."

"Yeah, no light pollution to dim them."

When we finish eating, we lie back on the blanket and stare at the sky.

We gaze at the stars for a long time before either of us speaks again.

"You did amazing today. I think word will spread, and you'll do even better tomorrow." I turn my head to look over at him.

"I hope so."

"Kyle, a shooting star!" I point to the streak of light flashing across the sky. "We should make a wish."

I close my eyes and let my heart speak my wish to the heavens. Then I glance over at Kyle again. "What'd you wish for?"

"I can't tell you," he chastises. "It won't come true."

"Wow." I giggle. "I did not have you pegged for the superstitious type."

"I'm not, but I'm still not telling." His laughter rumbles, and warmth spreads through me at the sound.

"Well, tell me something else, then. Do you really want a restaurant? Like a building?"

"Yeah, I mean, that's the end goal. I'd love to have my own place. Hopefully a thriving one, where I could have multiple locations."

"That's a good dream. I think you'll get there."

"What about you?" He turns and pins me with those gorgeous, warm eyes. "What's your dream? What do you want to do?"

"Nope." I shake my head. "Not telling."

"Why not?"

"You'll think it's stupid." I suddenly feel vulnerable.

"I'd never think someone's dream was stupid." His eyes pierce into mine.

"Fine, but it's not big or typical."

"Stop downplaying your dream. If it's what you want, say it. Be proud of it. Then go after it."

"Okay, okay. I want to have a family business."

His brows furrow. "Do your parents own something?"

"No. I mean my own family—the one I want to start."

"Really?"

I nod. "I'm ready to settle down. And I want my family to do something where we work together. We set our own time. We build something together. I've always thought it would be fun to work with my spouse and have our kids running around, causing mischief."

"That's not a stupid dream. Though, I have to say most people don't want to work with their spouse."

"I want mine to be my best friend—the person I want to tell first when something great happens or something terrible. And I've always wanted to work with my best friend."

He clears his throat like he's nervous. "Good thing you've got Rafe. Maybe you should work with him instead of me."

When I think of my dream, Rafe is not who I imagine beside me. He's not my best friend. He doesn't fit any of what I just said. The realization has me finally facing what I have to do when we get home.

When I suddenly get quiet, Kyle's piercing gaze hits mine. "What? Do you not?"

"I don't think Rafe thinks of me that way. I thought things would blossom if we spent more time together, but it doesn't feel serious to me."

Kyle releases a breath he seems to have been holding. "Well, he's an idiot if he doesn't hold on to you for dear life."

My eyes flick over his face, trying to read his thoughts. My phone buzzes at that moment, drawing my attention.

"Speak of the devil," Kyle comments, sitting up.

"It's not him."

Kyle looks at me suspiciously. "Who else would be texting you in the middle of the night?"

"My ex," I admit.

Kyle bristles at my words. "Why?"

"He won't leave me alone."

"Block him."

"I can't."

Kyle's eyes narrow, like he's trying to read my face.

My shoulders slump, and I admit the one secret that casts a dark shadow over my life. "He has pictures of me."

"What kinds of pictures?" Kyle pops his knuckles as he asks, his fist closing tight.

I give him a look that says, you know very well what kind . "The kind I don't want getting out. They're from when we were dating. Like an idiot, I let him take naked pictures of me."

"And he won't delete them?"

"Actually worse," I admit. "He's threatening to post them if I don't send him money."

"What?" Kyle's jaw clenches with anger. "Where does this asshole live?"

"Burbank."

"What does he do for a living?"

I frown at the strange question. "He has an auto repair shop."

"Really? What's his name?"

"Jerry. Why?"

"What's his shop called?"

"Jerry's Auto Repair. Why?"

He shakes his head. "No reason. I know a few auto places. Never heard of Jerry's."

His voice sounds nonchalant, but there's a tightness in his jaw. He doesn't say anything else, but I can tell he's fuming. I sit up and nudge his shoulder, trying to change the mood. "That band was pretty good, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Don't think I didn't see you dancing by the end of it," I tease.

"I'll never admit to it," he jokes back.

And just like that, the tension dissipates, and the mood lightens.

We continue to talk about everything from our childhoods to our favorite ice cream flavors until the sun peaks over the horizon, casting clouds in pink, gold, and purples.

"That's beautiful," I whisper.

"It sure is. Maybe all those clouds will give us a cool day today."

"Oh, that'd be nice."

"Come on." Kyle rises and pulls me to my feet. "We need to get some shuteye before the lunch rush."

"Not serving breakfast?" I ask as his warm hand engulfs mine, holding long after I'm standing.

"Nah. I didn't want to tackle too many things. Besides, we can only store so much food."

"Well, better for us. Now we can sleep in."

He grins and finally releases my hand.

Once we're in the camper, I slip into the bathroom to change into pajamas and brush my teeth.

When I emerge, the beds have been pulled out and made up, and Kyle has donned a pair of athletic shorts and is peeling his shirt over his head. His abs ripple, and I have to remind myself to close my mouth.

I quickly climb into bed before he can notice me gawking. I keep my back turned to him. "Goodnight," I call, not daring to look at his sexy body again.

I try to clear my head to rest, but it's hard knowing a sexy man is so close to me I could reach out and touch him. I wonder if I'll get any sleep at all.