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“Hi,” she said with a forced brightness she didn’t feel. “You need anything?”
He came into the shed, giving her a brief, impersonal scan as if he were a doctor assessing her for injuries. “Not specifically. Just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m fine.” She let go her pendant and picked up her file again. “Trying to do some work, as you can see.” With any luck he’d get the hint and leave, and she wouldn’t have to deal with him.
Except he didn’t move away, coming closer to stand beside her workbench instead, watching her.
“You still look pale,” he said after a moment. “Are you sure you should be sitting up?”
She lifted a shoulder, concentrating on the piece of silver in her hand and not on the man standing at her elbow. “I was going to have a nap, but I couldn’t sleep. So this is a nice distraction.” Which was absolutely true. “Hey, where’s Karl?”
“He’s probably saying hello to Jeff.” Finn was apparently not picking up on the “please go away” note in her voice. “Have you had anything to eat this afternoon?”
“No,” she said. “Why would I when I’ve been puking my guts up every time I put something in my mouth?”
There was a silence, and she could hear the sharp note in her voice echoing.
Crap. He was going to know something was up now. Snapping at people was unlike her.
God, she needed to get it together.
Putting down the file yet again, she glanced at him, fixing her usual bright smile to her face. It had never felt more fake.
“Look,” she said, “I appreciate the concern. But I’m really fine, Finn. I mean, if you keep coming to check on me, I’m going to think you might want something else.”
She’d hoped the terrible attempt at flirtation would send him packing.
She was wrong.
Finn ignored the comment and stared at her, his gaze very dark and very direct. “You’re not fine. You’re far too pale, you have huge dark circles under your eyes, and you still look green.”
Oh great. This was going well.
“So?” Beth smiled harder, trying for a more jokey tone. “You probably would too if you’d spent the morning hunched over the toilet.”
He ignored that too. “You looked terrified down in the gallery today. Why?”
All the breath left her body in a rush and suddenly she didn’t feel like joking anymore. Her lungs felt heavy, laboring to draw in air.
How had he seen that? How had he known?
Somewhat desperately she said, “I’m not—”
“Don’t do that,” he interrupted, his voice quiet. “Don’t pretend like you always do. You were sick. You threw up and then came out of the bathroom looking frightened. Why?”
She swallowed. She couldn’t tell him she was fine, not again, not when he hadn’t believed her the first time around.
He will need to know eventually.
Yes, but only if that eventuality happened, which it might not. In which case, why cause him more stress that might end up being pointless anyway? She didn’t want that. She didn’t want anyone to have to deal with that if they didn’t have to, which was why she didn’t want anyone to know, not even Indigo and Izzy.
She’d gotten herself into this mess and it was her problem to fix. No one had pulled her out of that black pit. She’d done it herself and she’d do the same now. That’s what strong, positive Beth would do.
So she forced that smile back in place and opened her mouth to tell him that yes, shehadbeen feeling sick, but it was getting better, when abruptly the look on his face changed, his dark gaze intensifying.
“What are you not telling me, Beth?” His gaze narrowed. “Wait…”
Oh no, he couldn’t be guessing. How could he?Whywould he?
