Page 120 of Keep Me Close

I’ve spent years dreaming about her.

About this.

And now that she’s here, in my home and in my life, there’s no way I’m letting her go.

41

Cheyenne

Lakeshore Sweets smells like sugar and roasted coffee the second I walk in. Warmth wraps around me as the door swings shut, but it does nothing to calm the nervous energy rushing through my veins.

Callie is behind the counter, arranging a tray of cookies in the display case while Sloane rings up a customer. Rina, Lilah, and Kia sit at the table near the window with mugs and a plate of pastries between them.

“Well, look who finally showed up,” Rina says.

Lilah grins. “We were starting to think Knox had you tied up somewhere.”

“Like the bedroom,” Kia says with a smirk.

“Not today,” I say with a laugh, dropping onto the empty chair.

Lilah studies my face. “How are you holding up?”

I drag in a deep breath. “I’m okay. Just trying not to freak out every time the phone rings.”

“Have you heard anything?” Callie asks, setting a mug in front of me.

My stomach twists. “Not yet. But they said a decision would be made by the end of today.”

Lilah’s expression softens. “That’s good, right?”

“Yeah.” I wrap my hands around the mug. “At this point, I just want to know one way or the other.”

It had been a shock when I got the callback. A good one, but still a surprise. If I get the role, everything changes.

If I don’t… I’m right back where I started, trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life.

Conversation swirls around me, but it’s hard to focus on any of it. Even when Hugh and Evelyn come up, the comments barely register. It’s the buzz of my phone against the table that makes every muscle in my body lock up.

The voices around me die a quick death as heads turn my way.

Rina glances at the screen as it lights up. “Unknown number.”

My heart thumps so hard I can feel it in my throat.

Callie carefully sets the towel in her hand down. “Go on and answer it. This is what you’ve been waiting for.”

My fingers are numb as I reach for the slim device. It’s ridiculous that so much can hang on one moment. One call. One person on the other end of the line deciding how my future will unfold. It’s enough to make me sick.

I swipe to answer. “Hello?”

“Hi, Cheyenne, this is Merrit from casting.”

It takes effort to keep my voice level. “Hello.”

“We wanted to let you know the team loved your audition and we’re excited to offer you the role.”

For a second, the words echo in my head, but I can’t quite process them. My grip tightens on the phone as the bakery blurs at the edges. Merritt continues talking, but her voice sounds far away. It’s like my body hasn’t fully caught up to the fact that this is actually happening.