“Have a good day?”
Her slight weight settles against me. Home.
“Pretty good, all things considered.”
“Destiny’s in the kitchen whipping up something for dinner.” It’s a reminder for all of us that we’re not alone yet.
Understanding the message, she nods. Pattingmy chest, she steps back and loops an arm around King’s waist. “I could use a glass of wine. And an escape from these heels.”
“I can help with that,” he croons.
She glances up at me, then cuts a look back to Gabe. There’s curiosity there. And a message. A question. Not exactly an edict. More like a plea.
They disappear down the hall and into the kitchen. Something tangles in my chest. Love for her, but something deeper too. Years-old anxiety.
I never wanted to let anyone get too close. Never wanted to experience loss again. Glancing back at my oldest friend, it’s like a pair of binoculars finally focusing on their target.
The geeky boy from college is all grown up. Grown into a confident man who cares about me. Has always cared. Always valued our friendship above everything else.
His bright blue eyes lock on me, a bit hesitant.
And I get it. Things are different now. Changing. Still changing.
The ship has sailed. In fact, I’m not sure it was ever in port. My hands flex at my sides, itching to do something, but I have no idea what.
All I can do is stare and try to contain the restlessness that’s been building inside me for weeks.Really, ever since his paddle went up to bid on Katherine.
That night changed everything. Not only did it put us on a path to Katherine, but for the first time, I realized I could lose him without him going anywhere.
“What are you thinking?” he asks.
“I—” Damn, my chest aches. “This is hard.”
Outside, a siren wails in the distance. He cocks his head, studying me like he’s trying to decipher a code. I wish he would. I wish he could. Because I’m having trouble figuring out—anything. Everything.
Like, why am I suddenly the one trembling with nervous energy? Why have I never been the least bit interested in a man before, and yet, these last few weeks, I catch myself watching him, wondering ‘what if?’
“This?” he asks, obviously needing an explanation.
The answer should be so simple. Has always been so simple. Nothing was hard because we had it all.
Hell, we still have it alland more. We have Katherine and King and a future that involves more laughter and goodness and closeness. A family we built. And that’s what makes the words and the snarl of tangled emotionsdifficult.
“Words,” I mutter.
He huffs a laugh. “I mean, if King can figure out heart words.”
His blue eyes sparkle with challenge and mirth. The dart hits me right in the heart. I want to find the words, I really do.
“Don’t be an ass.”
“Kind of my MO.” He reaches for his tie, a single finger snagging the knot and tugging. It loosens until the two tails hang down his chest. Nimble fingers pluck the top button from its hole, then the next.
I’ve seen him shed his suit dozens of times over the years. We’ve showered after workouts in the gym locker room, hit the sauna, and basked in the sun on the back of yachts in the most epic locations around the world.
A glimpse of his skin shouldn’t make my pulse quicken. But the truth is, it does. Maybe it didn’t before. Back before I tumbled down the rabbit hole of love and handed over my heart.
“No.” I shake my head. “That’s not your MO.”
