Bitter Rival: An Enemies-to-Lovers, Grumpy x Sunshine Romance by Emery Rose Andrews

Author:Emery Rose Andrews [Andrews, Emery Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY

Daisy

Ten minutes later, we hit the road with the festival address programmed into Beckett’s GPS “in case you fall asleep” and a playlist chosen by me—the essential Laurel Canyon playlist circa late 60s, early 70s.

“Just so you know, by agreeing to accompany me today, you’ve also given me permission to take your photo.”

“I never agreed to that.”

“That’ll teach you to read the fine print.”

He snorts a laugh and then he gives me his special smile. Dimpled and boyish. And I’m swooning.

“What am I going to do with you?”

I twirl a lock of hair around my finger. “I can think of a few things…”

He glances over, his gaze on my mouth before it roams down my body. With a slight shake of his head, he focuses on the road again, but his grip on the steering wheel tightens. His knuckles have turned white. That’s how hard he’s gripping it.

I chuckle under my breath.

“What’s so funny?” he asks like he’s anticipating a good joke.

You. “Nothing.”

Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California” is pouring from the speakers, the sun is shining, and I’m hit with so much nostalgia and longing that it feels visceral.

I miss the West Coast with its muted sunset hues, the Pacific Ocean, and rocky beaches.

I miss the giddy highs and the kaleidoscope of butterflies that invade your stomach when you fall in love with a boy and he loves you back.

I’ve been alone for so long, and I’ve been telling myself I'm doing fine. But a nagging sensation in my gut tells me something is missing.

It feels like a hunger. A sickness. An ache that won’t subside.

I feel guilty for wanting more when I already have so much—a career that feeds my passion, my own apartment, and my independence.

I’m a free spirit who can pick up and go at the drop of a hat.

And isn’t that exactly what I’ve always wanted?

So why does it make me feel empty whenever I think about returning to my old life? My real life. The life I was perfectly happy with before I came to Sutton Ridge. Before I moved back into the only house that has ever really felt like a home and started living with the man who was once the boy I loved with all my heart.

My ringing phone jolts me out of my reverie, and I dig it out of my backpack and check the screen. Finn.

I silence the call but stare at my phone, gnawing on my lip. My gut is telling me something is wrong. I never heard back from him after I called and texted last month, asking for the rent money. He never transferred the money, but I don’t know why I ever thought he would. He’s never been reliable.

“Do you need to get that?”

I let out a breath and shake my head. “No. It’s fine.”

“You don’t sound like it’s fine.” He makes “fine” sound like a dirty word. Like he resents its very existence and would delete it from the dictionary if his last name was Merriam or Webster.

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