All That and a Bag of Chips

Chapter 27

"What was that about?" Heather asked.

Avery was not a topic that Collin had planned to cover that night. They were having dinner to build a bridge, and discussing his ex–especially such a recent one–seemed like it could cause a tidal wave down the river, destroying any progress they had made.

But, thanks to Sam, he couldn't avoid it completely.

"You met Avery the other night, right?" Collin asked, and Heather nodded. "Well, I guess she broke up with her new girlfriend, but I am unsure why this is my concern."

"I think it's obvious." She smirked. "She wants you back."

Collin gaped. How did she know? "Wh–"

"She was totally sniffing me out the other night. A girl can tell these things." Heather shrugged like it was no big deal.

"What did she say?" He sat forward, placing his elbows on the table.

"Oh, I don't know. Nothing really. It was more the vibe she was giving off."

"I have no interest in getting back with her," Collin insisted.

"I know," Heather said, relaxing into the dining room chair. "But..." Her face grew serious. "Are you over her?"

Collin pulled his elbows down and looked at his hands. The ones that had changed so much since the first time they had held Avery's back in their sophomore year of high school. "She's not the person I thought she was," he answered. "At least not anymore. So, there's nothing to still be hooked on, you know?" He glanced back up.

"Yeah, I can understand that." She nodded once, satisfied with his response.

"Are you done?" Collin asked, gesturing to her empty plate.

"Yes, and thank you. It really was delicious."

He picked up both their plates; hers cleaned off, his nearly so. "Hopefully we can do it again." He cleared the table, bringing everything to the kitchen.

When he walked back around the counter, Heather had moved from the dining room table to the living room and was sitting on the green couch, her Snoopy mug resting on her knee. He grabbed his NPR mug and sat down next to her, took a sip, and then placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

"No coasters?" she asked.

"I enjoy living on the edge." He smiled.

She took her own sip and then placed her mug next to his. "Do you cook often?"

"No, not really." His knee bumped against hers. "You?"

"Yeah." She scooted closer to him, her hip touching his. "If you let me borrow your kitchen, maybe I could cook something for you sometime."

He faced her, their shoulders brushing and their faces mere inches apart. "I'd like that," he said low and with a hint of a growl.

"I could really go for something sweet right now." She nibbled her bottom lip and looked at him through lowered lashes.

He leaned forward, inhaling her scent of rose petals and cedar. He was close enough that he could feel her breath tickle against his skin. "I didn't make anything for dessert, but I always have a stash of Oreos if you want one."

Their bodies both shifted slightly, their shoulders turning towards each other. Heather tilted her head a few degrees, her mouth opening, as if to say something in response. But she never got the chance to answer, because Collin closed the distance, his nose nuzzling her nose, his lips lightly caressing the edge of her lips.