Page 51 of Hearts at War

No. Not going there.

I hadn’t figured out a way to shut off this desire that flared up whenever he was remotely near me, but that didn’t mean I had to worry about acting on it. Keeping my distance was working so far, and I’d stick to that.

After work that day, still floating on the happiness of shedding the truth to my new coworkers and friends from the bank, I wasn’t quick to be defensive when Eric approached me. As I walked to my car, he came from the post office, flagging me down to chat.

“Hey, Heather.”

I smiled. “How’s it going, Eric?”

“It’s going.” He still wasn’t a man of many words, but he showed his capacity for carrying on more small talk than he had previously.

Huh. A fleeting thought hit me that maybe my return was a good thing for him. That he liked having something like family around.

“I was wondering though,” he said after ten minutes of enjoying the late afternoon sunshine near my car. “How come you came back from the city?”

Just like that, my guard went up. When Fergus tried to get an answer for why I was here again, I deflected and didn’t reply.

With Eric, I clammed up as well.

“I’m just saying. You know?” He rubbed the back of his head, that nervous tell. “I can see how you’d rather stay away from here and all, but...”

“Nah.” I shook my head as I opened my car door, ready to remove myself from the direction this conversation was going. “I’m starting to see that Burton’s not as bad as I always thought it was.” It tasted like a lie, but only partially.

Either way, I wasn’t prepared to explain my return yet.

Or maybe ever.

Chapter 18

Roarke

I pulled up to the bumpy road leading to the cabins. Instead of speeding up, I cruised and peered out the side window.

For once, I was coming home when there was still a straggling ray of sunlight remaining in the sky. Darkness was creeping closer, but I still had the visibility to clearly make out the sight of Heather seated on the single chair set outside her cabin.

She rocked back on the rear two legs, her feet propped on an old crate that had been left behind by the previous tenant. Back and forth, she idly moved the wooden chair. Her gaze was glued on her phone instead of looking up to see who might be driving by.

Then again, she had to guess it would be me. No one else came out this way. Her cabin and mine were the only ones that were currently occupied.

What the hell.

On impulse, I slowed my truck even further. Pushing my foot to the brake pedal, I acted on the desire to stop and check on her.

She’d been on my mind for the last week, but I hadn’t spoken to her once. We hadn’t crossed paths close enough to talk. Even if we did, I had no idea what I would’ve said. I could only wonder what she might want to convey to me. More scorn that she’d caved to kissing me?

Probably.

But this silence had gone on long enough. It had gone on too damn long. It wasn’t right to be this hung up on a woman I never wanted in my life. Maybe if I gave in and caught up with her, I’d be guided back to why I had no business wishing for her attention and time.

As I steered my truck her way, her head popped up. She tapped the small screen, likely pausing whatever she was watching, to narrow her eyes at my approach.

No, you’re not expecting me. I know that. And I also didn’t care. She obviously wasn’t busy, just chilling and relaxing out here in the last bit of the golden hour while it was still warm.

Her brow furrowed I as braked. I didn’t reconsider. When I turned off my truck, she pressed her lips in a firm line of disapproval. And I carried on, exiting the truck and walking toward her.

Keeping my hands in my pockets, I made sure to look casual, like this was just a random, meaningless visit. Sure, she hadn’t invited me to stop. But maybe this could be tit for tat? She’d needed my help for a place to sleep, and I needed her help to get her out of my damn mind.

“What are you doing here?” she asked simply, cutting through the suspenseful quiet as I strolled toward her. I didn’t miss the surprise in her voice.