Page 66 of All Tied Down

Holding up his hands, he sighs. “I know. That’s why I’m here. Your marriage.” He pauses and holds my gaze, saying the things we cannot say out loud before continuing. “Be careful with him. I don’t know what else to say besides that.”

His words from earlier now make perfect sense.

“It’s hard to articulate what I need to tell you because of your relationship with Garrett.”

Because he didn’t know how to say please don’t hurt my friend because he wants you to comfort him but your marriage is fake and you may not feel obligated to fulfill that role.

“And what if you’re wrong? What if this is all for nothing?”

“I’m not.”

“How do you know?” I press because I don’t want to be responsible for holding Garrett up while he weathers this storm.

Not because I don’t care about him—but because I do.

Because this is serious and I don’t know if I can or want to be the one to shoulder the emotional load that’s the restructuring of Descending North.

Dammit.

Roan doesn’t get to answer before a message lights up my screen.

But he does smirk.

The bastard.

GARRETT: How late are you working tonight?

EMERSON: Why?

GARRETT: If it’s late I might just drive out there

GARRETT: Shit came to a head with Darren

“I’ll leave you to it.”

“Smug is not a good look on you, Mr. Ellis.”

“No, but it is fun sometimes.” He’s halfway to the door before he turns back and looks at me. “Thank you and for what it’s worth, you’re good for him.”

And then Roan is out of my office as another message comes in.

GARRETT: I know I sound needy as fuck but I just want to be with you right now

EMERSON: Is it because you need a solution or sympathy because you know I’m not good at the latter

GARRETT: I think I need a distraction

A distraction.

Twin reactions course through me as I reread the message—relief because I can be a distraction.

But it’s followed by the faintest sense of disappointment that a distraction is all he wants.

Isn’t that the best-case scenario?

Without overthinking it, I grab my phone and wait for Des to pick up.

“Miss Andrews?”