Page 116 of Duty

Everybody else was taking it.

Haven gave him a look—one that made him wink—before she dropped down to the bench beside him. Her heavy breaths took a minute to calm, and he gave her that time before handing over the vanilla latte in his hand like an offering.

“Really?” she asked, laughing lightly. “I’m exercising, and so you ply me with sugary caffeine?”

Andino shrugged. “Seems like a fair trade.”

“For what?”

“Agreeing to meet up with me.”

She nodded, and peered down at the cup in her hands. “To be fair, I was going to call today and see if you wanted to … talk, or whatever.”

Good.

That meant good things for him.

“I might have called sooner,” Andino said, sighing heavily, “but when shit hits the fan in my family, it tends to splatter on everyone in one way or another.”

Haven arched a brow. “Gross.”

“And yet, I didn’t lie.”

“I’m sorry.”

Andino shook his head. “Don’t be—this isn’t your fault.”

“I’m not even sure I know what this is, Andino.”

Of course, she didn’t.

She only knew a little.

His shoulders felt so goddamn heavy—too heavy to support the head that was meant to wear a crown that had never really felt like his. And yet, there he sat, doing exactly that. Or trying.

Trying, yes, and failing.

John’s state reminded him of that.

Andino didn’t even see Haven’s hand come up until it cupped his cheek. Her soft thumb stroked his jawline with a gentle touch that made him want to disappear and feel nothing but that for the rest of his goddamn life.

Funny how that worked.

“You look sad,” she whispered.

“Defeated, I think.”

“Well, I don’t like this look on you, so stop it.”

Andino smiled a bit, and chuckled. Haven patted his cheek with a wink, and then dropped her hand back into his lap. For a long while, the two were quiet as they watched a couple of joggers pass them by in full gear.

At least, it wasn’t snowing today.

Andino’s thick, wool coat kept him warm from the mid-January air. Haven, on the other hand, didn’t look bothered by the cold in her sweater and yoga pants. It was comfortable enough that she didn’t even have gloves on, but at least she threw on a hat.

“I think what they say about me is right,” Andino murmured after a while.

Haven glanced over at him with a little knot between her brows. “Who, and what do they say?”