Page 121 of Reeves

"Myself, mostly."

She accepts that answer without pushing. That's new. The Charli I remember would have dug deeper, tried to fix whatever was broken in me.

The conversation settles into a rhythm I remember. Not performing for each other. Not trying to impress or defend. Just talking the way we used to when it was late and the rest of the world felt far away.

Her hand stills. "I'm really sorry about your dad."

Her voice goes softer.

I immediately tense up without meaning to. "Yeah. It’s been a long nine months."

"I still can’t believe what happened to him. So awful."

Most people don't push past the official line. They offer their condolences and change the subject. But Charli never took the easy route with difficult things.

"Ugly way to go. Especially him." Mugging is the official cause of death, but there's so much more to it than that. She doesn't need to know that a rival logistics company owner had him executed in front of his oldest son.

"I'm sorry, Reeves. Especially after losing your mom so young. It's not fair."

The mention of my mother hits different coming from her. She knew what losing Mom did to our family. She saw how it changed everything.

"We’re going there tonight?"

She doesn't try to comfort me with empty words. She just listens, the way she always did.

"I guess I just want to make sure you're okay? You've had a lot on your plate."

"I am. You know me."

"You're right, I do. That's why I'm concerned."

Fuck.She always could cut through my bullshit.

"I’m okay. My brothers have everything handled. Ridge stepped in.” I shrug. “I leave Friday. That's how we Stones do it."

She wants more from me, but that's all I can give. Because I'm so numb now, I do think I'm okay. I have an escape, and I couldn't deal if I didn't.

I think about Ridge's offer to come back and work for Stone Intermodal. There's no way in hell I could ever do that.

Her fingers trace a small circle around my belly button. "You mean that's how Reeves Stone does it."

I know what she's saying. I leave. I don't try to disagree because she's right.

"That’s why this scares me, Reeves. I don’t want Benjy getting attached, just for you to… leave."

I exhale and run a hand through my hair.

"I don't want to hurt him."

"I know that. But wanting something and doing it are different things."

True.

The conversation could spiral here. Back into old patterns, old arguments about my inability to commit. Instead, I ask the question that's been sitting at the front of my skull since yesterday.

"Tell me about him. What's he like when it's just regular life?"

She shifts slightly, and she's notably lighter. I can tell that talking about Benjy is her happy place.