Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Sighing as I stride over to the fridge, I try to ignore the weight of her eyes on me every time they flick my way.
This dinner could go one of two ways: either we’d all finally start being honest about what the hell is happening between us, or we’d scare her so badly that she’d be back on a bus by morning. I really hoped it was the first one.
When I start cracking eggs into a mixing bowl, I finally see her open her laptop back up, that guarded expression slipping into place like armor she doesn’t even realize she’s putting on. That same frustration from before flares up again, sitting like a hot coal in my stomach. I can’t ignore this anymore.
“Roxie,” I say softly, drawing her attention away from her screen.
Her head lifted, her eyes slide back to mine. “What’s up?”
“I don’t want to freak you out.” I brace my hands on either side of the mixing bowl, looking right into her eyes. “It’s just that there’s something I should probably say before we all sit down together tomorrow.”
Her throat works as she swallows. “Okay.”
“We know you’re hiding something,” I say gently, doing my best not to make it sound like an accusation.
Her nostrils flare, her eyes widening as some of the color starts draining from her cheeks.
Maybe I should’ve waited and done this with the guys after all, but I’m in it now. All I can do is push through. Before she even asks, I start explaining.
“It’s not hard to tell. You flinch when the phone rings. You avoid certain topics like they’re land mines, and you’re always vague when you talk about yourself. You don’t have to tell me what it is,” I add quickly when she stiffens even more. “But I need you to know that we’ve seen it. That we’ve noticed and that it’s probably going to come up soon.”
Her eyes dart away again, her shoulders stiff as a board. “I don’t—”
“You don’t owe us an explanation,” I say gently, cutting her off before she can try to deny it. “Not unless you want to give one, of course. I just wanted you to know that we want to help. If there’s something or someone you’re hiding from, we can make sure you’re safe here. That’s all.”
For a long moment, the only sound is faint tick of the clock on the wall. Her fingers fidget with the edge of her sleeve. “I appreciate that, but it’s complicated.”
“Most things worth protecting are.”
The faintest flicker of a smile crosses her lips, but her shoulders are still tight, and her expression still drawn. Clearly, I’m the best person to have handled this. If you needed a laugh or a smart-ass comment to lighten the mood, I’m your guy, but I’m about as sensitive as a wrecking ball and about as equipped to handle delicate topics.
Still, at least I’d warned her. It was time to back off before I pushed too far. “All I’m saying is that if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. You’re still on the team. We still want you here. I just wanted you to be prepared when they ask, because we really do just want to help, which means it absolutely is going to come up at some point.”
Her eyes lift to mine again, and there is something else there this time. Not just fear or shock, but maybe a touch of gratitude for the heads-up. Maybe even a little bit of trust.
“I’ll be at dinner,” she says after another long pause. “If it comes up, I’ll be ready.”
“Good.” I nod, giving her a little half-grin to break the tension. “For what it’s worth, I wasn’t going to ask Boone to make everything. As it happens, I make a pretty mean salad.”
She laughs, and the sound loosens something deep in my chest. This girl is still an enigma to us, even weeks later, but it’s clear that she’s faced some serious trials in her life, and yet she has a zest to her. A willingness and maybe even a deep-rooted desire to live her life and enjoy it, to make the best of every situation, and I fucking love that.
After everything we’d all been through, we needed a little of that exact energy in this house. The last thing I want is to lose that. To lose her. But if we can’t get her to open up, I have a feeling that was precisely what is going to happen.
I just have no idea what else to do to set her at ease. I finally break eye contact and go back to mixing my batter while she goes back to work. Tomorrow, we’ll talk some more, but for now, I’m just going to have to keep being patient.
14
ROXIE
Boone cooks, Chance opens a bottle of wine, and Dillon lights candles like we’re about to film a commercial for cozy domestic bliss.