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“What are you doing?” Calista whispers.
“Just putting the pictures back up. I took them down, but…”
Calista stares at the bedroom door, which is shut. “And it’s a good thing you packed them away.”
I didn’t pack them away, not really. I just hid them in drawers for the time being.
“I don’t want him to get any ideas.” I put out my favorite one of Sawyer and me by the lake on our wedding day. My gaze roams over my smile… I’m not sure I’ve shown that many teeth since that day.
“You’re crazy.” Calista picks them up one by one, shoves them back in the drawer, and shoves some other things on top of them. “This was a good thing you did. And a picture of a dead husband does not make you off-limits.”
“Calista!”
She rests her hands on my upper arms. “What do you want to do? I’ll have Rylan go in there and tell him there’s been a mix-up and he can’t stay here if you want.”
“I’ll what?” Rylan perks up on the couch. “Um… babe, did you see the size of that guy?” I’m not sure he’s that concerned though, because he never tears his eyes away from the television.
“No, it’s just…” I let my confession die on my lips. Do I want Calista to know that I’ve already met him? That I was going to take Easton’s advice and maybe hook up with him because I thought he was a drifter and was going to be in and out of Lake Starlight, so no one would know I slept with him? But I’m too embarrassed to tell her, so even with her wide eyes, I shake my head. “It’s my responsibility to tell him. In fact, you guys can go.”
“Perfect.” Rylan stands and grabs the boxes again.
“Ry!” Calista whisper-shouts.
“She said we could go.” He nods at me.
I laugh because Rylan isn’t a bad guy; he just wants to be alone with his new wife. If he felt I was in any real danger, he’d stick around, but I’m not nervous about Carey because I think he’s dangerous.
“Really, go. I’ll call you.” I push Calista toward the door.
“But… Rylan.” She glances at her husband.
“Haven’t you ever seen Single White Female? Just because he’s a guy doesn’t mean he’s dangerous. A girl could try to kill her too.”
“Thanks for that.” I cross my arms.
“I’m just saying I think you’ll be fine.” He shifts the boxes in his hands. “Let’s just go take these over to Dion’s and have him drive us home.” He questions me with his eyes, asking if that’s okay, and I nod.
Calista bites her lip and looks at me, then at the door. “I don’t know. Maybe you should talk to him first, Ry.”
He scoffs. “What am I going to say?”
Her arms flail. “I don’t know. Like, don’t mess with my cousin, she’s delicate.”
“Delicate?” I ask with exasperation. “No, you both need to go.”
Calista gives Rylan a look and he groans, then puts down the boxes and stalks over to Carey’s bedroom door.
“No!” I say a little too loudly.
Rylan knocks and he must be told to come in because he walks in and only leaves the door open a sliver. The television is just loud enough that I can’t hear anything they say. My cheeks heat from embarrassment.
“I cannot believe you had Rylan go in there,” I say through my teeth, seething.
“I have to make sure you’re safe.”
“You are aware that Carey could beat the shit out of Rylan, right?”
She puts her hand on my forearm. “It’ll be fine. I’m not worried about that. Hopefully they’ll just come to an understanding that as long as he’s staying here, he needs to be respectful.”
