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I blinked, pulling myself out of the memory. I couldn’t think of it anymore. I couldn’t let myself remember what I’d heard… The screams.
“Hey.” A firm hand touched under my chin, moving to the side of my throat and resting right over my pulse. His thumb smoothed over my cheek.
I blinked again, coming more fully to the present, leaving the past behind. “Sorry,” I rasped.
His eyes had clouded over. “You were starting to shake.”
“I was?” As if on cue, I hugged myself, suddenly cold.
I bit out a laugh, then bent and grabbed the rest of the dishes on the table.
Brett watched, studying me.
I moved around him, looking over my shoulder as he began to follow. “Hope you don’t mind drying because I’m always the washer.”
“Are you now?” His face lit up, but the shadows were still there. I hated that I was the reason for them.
The screen door squeaked open, and I stepped into the kitchen. “Yep. Every time. It’s a rule around these parts. If I’m doing dishes, I’m washing.”
Lo moved past, carrying the girls’ backpacks. “Good luck wrestling that dishrag from her. I think it’s the water. It’s like she plays in it. Try to make her dry the dishes and you’ll find yourself doing the dishes alone. I eventually just gave up and let her wash every time.”
“Now, me,” Roger added, carrying a sleeping Luna in his arms. “I load up the dishwasher as much as possible. But it’s some foreign invention to them. If they have time and a choice, they’ll wash the dishes. Took me three years of persuading Vicky before they finally indulged. And that’s what they call it. An indulgence.”
Brett’s mouth curved up, taking the plate I’d washed as Roger was speaking. “Yeah?”
Lo disappeared into the living room and returned herding Cynthia and Charlotte in front of her. Both girls were sleepy, dragging their feet. “Tell Billie and Brett goodnight. Okay, girls?”
They did one better, coming over and giving us tired hugs and mumbling goodnights. Then they trudged out the door, giving one last wave.
Roger had ducked out with Luna, so Lo was the last one. She held up her phone in a wave. “’Night. It was good to meet you, Brett. Billie, love you. Call me tomorrow.” She left with no more fanfare, so I knew she was tired as well. Or distracted.
I picked the latter because she hadn’t hugged me goodbye. She always hugged me when she left.
I felt Brett’s attention as I watched through the kitchen window. They went to their SUV and headed down the driveway.
What was she distracted about? It couldn’t have been Brett. Or maybe it was?
“You okay?”
I answered without thinking. “She just worries about me.”
Brett’s eyebrows lowered, but he kept drying the dishes I put on the rack. “About me?”
“It’s not just you. I think…” Understanding dawned. “It’s because of me.”
“You?” Brett took a pan from my hands.
“Because of you.” I turned sharply, angling my head back to see him.
“Not following you.”
I flushed and went back to washing. “It’s because I’m different with you. She’s never seen this side of me.” I considered it. “I’ve never seen this side of me either.”
“How’s the side of this you different than the other yous?”
“I’m…” I paused with my hands in the water. “I’m more me with you than I am with anyone else.”
His eyebrows lifted.
