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Shaking myself out of my study of my wife, I walked in farther. “Go for it.”
Vanna shifted from foot to foot at my attention. “Go for what?”
“Getting a dog.” The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. A dog would be additional security in case anyone breached the alarm system.
She shot me a tentative smile. “I always wanted a dog.”
I decided then and there to get her one, the longing in her voice enough to make me want to turn on my heels and walk back out to purchase one right now.
She fumbled with the string of her sweatpants, tying them only to undo them again. “Is there a reason for your visit?”
“Do I need a reason to be in my own house?”
She stilled, face blanching. “Of course not.”
The silence stretched on for another few minutes while I stared at Vanna, who intently studied the marble counter. She turned me into a fumbling idiot. And all she had to do was be in the same room as me.
“Who’s hungry?” Cleo’s voice cut through the thick silence with false cheer. “We’re making steak. Are you staying for dinner, Gabriel?”
“Not sure yet.” I turned to my wife, who still avoided looking at me. “Vanna, can I talk to you?”
Since it hadn’t been a question, even though I phrased it as one, I didn’t wait for her answer but went into one of the empty rooms. There was a table and chairs in the dining room, but it seemed like the furnishing efforts hadn’t gotten much further than that yet.
Vanna’s light steps sounded behind me, and I closed the door once she’d joined me. “Why did you cancel brunch with Mom?”
I always had a direct approach; I hated to beat around the bush when you could just cut through it. Took less time, too, an added benefit since I didn’t have much time to spare.
Her eyes sparked with annoyance, but her voice was even when she replied, “I had a headache.”
“Mom was worried.”
“I’m sorry to have worried her. I’ll call her to make sure she knows everything is fine.”
The more I spoke to her, the more I realized everything certainly wasn’t fine. But I also knew I was the last person she’d open up to. Something I intended to change. Starting with spending more time with her.
“There are a few events coming up that I need you to accompany me to. I’ll get Leslie to send you a schedule.”
I didn’t usually attend a lot of events, but it was the only way I could think of spending more time with her.How have I become so pathetic?
The change of topic was enough to ease the tight way she’d held her body. “Who’s Leslie?”
“My assistant.” I turned back to the door. “I like what you’ve done with the house. I’m glad you’re making it a home.”
She followed me to the front door, her steps hesitant, her hands clenched in front of her. “Thank you so much for organizing Helena.” She looked at the ground, then met my gaze. “Do you mind if I don’t furnish all the rooms? There are just so many, and I’ll never use more than a few of them. It would be a waste to furnish them all.”
Seeing her nervous about asking me a question hurt. But why would she feel comfortable around me when we’d started off so wrong? “It’s your house. You can do with it as you wish.”
She looked at me with open surprise, obviously caught off guard. “Thank you.”
Her words were heartfelt, and I wondered why this meant so much to her.
But this was not the opportunity to find out what was going on. I’d been close to her long enough. There was only so much self-control I had after an exhausting day. I needed a drink and at least a few hours of sleep.
“Good night, Vanna.”
She stopped in the open doorway, her hair whipping around her face thanks to the windy night, her feet bare. It took everything in me to walk away when all I wanted to do was go back inside.
“Good night, Gabriel.”
