Page 48 of More For Me

“I will.”

I hang up, then lower my face to the table. This fucking sucks.

“It was always going to suck,” I remind myself. “It’s only a few hours. You can do a few hours.”

“A few hours of what?”

My head snaps up and I see Everly standing in the doorway. Something in my chest twinges—she’s so freaking beautiful. And for once this week, she isn’t darting out of the room with some excuse at the first sight of me. Instead she’s watching me, her expression concerned.

“Bodhi, you don’t look very good—are you sick?”

“I’m fine.”

She comes closer. “But your color is all off.” She reaches toward my face. “Do you have a fever?”

“I’m fine, Everly,” I snap, jerking my head away. She freezes, her hand a few inches from my face.

“Sorry,” she says, shaking her head, but she sounds more confused than anything. “I wasn’t trying to pry.”

I close my eyes, feeling like a total asshole.

“I was worried when I saw your car,” she continues, voice softer now, like she’s afraid of my reaction. “Did you not go to school?”

“I took a day off.” Please, for the love of God, don’t ask me why.

“You sure you aren’t sick?”

I do my best to force a smile to my face and finally open my eyes. “I’m not. Just tired.” I reach for my laptop, closing it before she can see the pictures on the screen. I finally managed to get everything scanned and organized and the printer agreed to a rush job, so the album should be ready by the time I need to leave. “I’m having dinner with my parents tonight so, uh, I’m gonna go get ready.”

“Bodhi, it’s two thirty in the afternoon.”

Well, damn. “I know. I think I’ll rest some, first. Like I said, tired.”

I can feel her gaze on the side of my face. “Do you want company?”

I manage a tight smile, but I don’t meet her eyes. “Not today.” Then I practically sprint from the kitchen for the safety of my own room.

I should be happy that she’s talking to me. Should be happy that she actually seems to want to spend time with me. But today…there’s just no room in my head or my heart for anything else today. Not even Everly.