Just Between Us (Nashville is Calling, #2)

by Madison Wright

When we were kids and I needed affection, I’d find my brothers and make them give me hugs just like this. I always called it an Ellie Sandwich—although they usually called it a Loser Sandwich.

I want to know what makes him laugh and how he takes his coffee and if he’s kissed a stranger under the stars before, or if he reserved that just for me.

“I wish I had a chocolate penis for you,” she says softly. “They always help.” I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me.

“You’re always taking care of everything and everyone. Let me take a turn.” The smile falls from her face, her lips almost forming a frown. “You shouldn’t say things like that.” I stare down at her, confused. She must see it too, because she murmurs, “It makes it very hard to stay away from you.”

He is a shooting star on a cloudless night, sunrise over a crashing surf, the first flower in spring. He is everything simple and lovely in life, and I can’t believe he came back here.

I’ve never had someone look at me like that, with such reverence and fascination, like he can’t believe he gets to be here with me.

Cam is stargazing and too-sweet tea. He is gentle touches and homemade soup. He is all the best things, and I don’t know how I got him.

“I’m really glad you sat at my table one night in October, Camden Lane.”

You are an explosion of color in a dreary landscape. You’re a striped sweater in a crowd of black dresses. You, Ellie Bates, are the statement piece the whole house is designed around.”

“It’s like that quote from When Harry Met Sally. ‘When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start—’” “As soon as possible,” I finish for her.