Page 127 of Only Be Mine

Trevor crossed the kitchen and kissed my temple, lingering just a moment. His hand stayed at my back as his eyes swept the room.

“You’ve been here the whole time?” he asked lightly.

“Yeah.”

“I was surprised,” he said. “I figured you’d be back at the house, resting.”

“I needed to pick up a few things.”

He hummed, thoughtful. “I can help you with that.”

“I know,” I said quickly. “I just… wanted to do it myself.”

Trevor studied me for a second, his expression curious. “You don’t have to, Cate.”

“I know,” I repeated, softer this time.

He didn’t push. Instead, he shifted topics like he always did when something felt uncomfortable.

“I was thinking we could go to that place on Pearl Street,” he said. “The one with the patio. You liked it last time.”

My stomach tightened.

“I don’t really feel like going out,” I said. “Maybe later.”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You haven’t eaten, and Diet Coke doesn’t count…”

“I will.”

“Later,” he echoed, like he was testing the word. “Okay.”

He moved past me, opening the refrigerator, peering inside like he was inventorying the space. “You could come back to the house with me. Nap. We’ll deal with this stuff another day.”

This stuff.

“I don’t want to forget about it,” I said. “I want to… finish it.”

He closed the fridge and leaned back against the counter, folding his arms loosely. “Why?”

The question wasn’t sharp. It was genuine. Almost confused.

“Because it’s mine,” I said, then immediately wished I’d phrased it differently.

Trevor’s expression softened, but something else flickered underneath it. Disappointment, maybe. Or concern.

“It’s ours now,” he said gently. “You don’t have to do everything alone anymore.”

“I know,” I said again. I was saying that a lot today.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was sharing something reasonable. “I just don’t want you overwhelming yourself.”

I nodded, even though my chest felt tight.

“I actually already made a call,” he added casually.

My head snapped up. “A call?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “A cleaning service. Nothing crazy. Just to help pack things up. We can supervise, if you want.”