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“Found who in the hallway?” I asked just as I stepped into the kitchen.
“Harley. She forgot to eat breakfast and got busy with work. She came over here and fainted in the hallway.”
“Is she okay?” I demanded, my tone probably harsher than it should’ve been. I’d seen Harley every day, so I knew she was fine.
Daphne glanced over. “Yeah, she's fine. Well, you look all tense,” she observed as I stopped at the corner of the counter.
“What the hell does that mean?”
Daphne’s perceptive gaze skated over me. Her tone was casual when she replied, “Just that. You look tense.”
Flynn glanced in my direction, his gaze inscrutable. “We're all a little sensitive about heart stuff,” he offered with a glance back at Daphne.
“I know. Harley said she started taking medication.”
My blood was beginning to boil. Harley should’ve told me about this. She hadn't even mentioned that she was taking medication yet. I felt Daphne's gaze on me and tried to school my expression to neutral, but Daphne was annoyingly perceptive. She didn't say anything at that moment, but I saw her eyes narrow slightly and worry chase through her gaze with the telltale furrow between her brows forming. She looked away, replying to something Flynn asked.
Walking to the bathroom in the back hallway, I splashed cold water on my face, quickly drying it with a paper towel and taking a breath. I ordered myself not to dwell on this. I didn't need to worry about Harley. She was fine, right? I didn't need to be angry. It was just that she hadn't told me about this. That tiny detail felt like a splinter driven into the old scar in my heart around my mother's death.
My rational brain tried to remind myself she hadn't known how serious it was until it was too late. I had to splash water on my face again. I took another deep breath, trying to kick all of those worries to the curb.
When I entered the kitchen again, only Daphne was there.
“Where’s Cat?” I asked.
“I think she went to town.”
I felt unsettled now. I was still hungry, but I didn't want to eat. My stomach was churning.
“I have your favorite,” Daphne said.
“My favorite what?” I prompted.
She smiled. “Those ham and cheese rolls you like so much. I don't know if they're really your favorite, but I know whenever I make them, you gobble them up.”
When I rounded the counter, she pushed a small plate in my direction. I picked a roll up and took a bite. It was delicious, but I couldn't even focus.
“Harley didn't tell you,” Daphne commented.
“Didn't tell me what?” I asked, though I knew precisely what she was talking about.
Daphne's lips pressed in a line. She placed a rolling pin to the side and quickly rinsed her hands in the sink. While she dried them, she looked over at me. “She doesn't want anyone to worry. I’m worried, and I'm sure you are. I know she means a lot to you.”
My heart was making a racket in my chest, and it actually hurt a little. I always thought the whole idea of someone’s heart aching was bullshit. But, right now, mine sure did. Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I wasn't going to fucking cry in front of Daphne. Not because I was being all manly, but because I didn't want her to fuss over me. That would only make it worse.
“You can cry,” she said softly.
I blinked, and a single tear rolled down my cheek. I brushed it away. “I don't want to cry. I'm not being all tough.”
“I know you're not.”
“You know how our mom died,” I stated.
She nodded. “This probably brings a lot of shit up.”
“Yeah, no shit. I wish Harley would just—” I shook my head. “Fuck. I don’t know.”
“Talk to her about it. Tell her how you feel.”
