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“No, no. It’s fine.”
A pang of disappointment blooms in my chest. I should be happy he’s being so accepting, though, shouldn’t I?
“Great. Let’s get started.”
My mouth won’t quite form the smile I intend, so I head inside instead.
“You’re in luck,” I tell Joel. “He can teach both of us.”
“Cool. Do you have something to drink, Tess? I’m parched.”
“Sure. Is water okay?”
“You have any soda?”
I keep my sigh contained. “Let me see.”
I rummage around in my fridge, not expecting anything to magically appear, but you never know. “Nope. I’ve cut back on extras after all those moving expenses wiped me clean in December. I’ve got water, tea, and milk.”
“Hmm.” I glance behind me to catch Joel’s disappointed face. “Never mind.”
Didn’t he say he was parched?
“You want anything, Austin?” I ask.
He shakes his head, still standing by the front door.
Oh, right. I should formally introduce them. “Austin, this is Joel.” I motion between them. “And Joel, this is Austin.”
Austin raises a hand in welcome. “Nice to meet you, man.”
Joel gives him a head nod. “Heard a lot about you.”
Austin’s gaze cuts to me and I quickly turn back to the fridge, hiding my face. I grab the Brita pitcher and pour a glass of water, using the time to let my cheeks cool.
It’s going to be a long night.
CHAPTERTWELVE
AUSTIN
“There, you’re getting it.”I study Tessa’s form as she practices a hammer strike, her arm arcing gracefully in front of her. “Think of the movement as an extension of your body. You want all your power behind it.”
She nods, that familiar concentration on her face as she does it again, more forcefully this time. She’s set her mind to the task this week of practicing the moves I’ve taught her.
I glance up, catching Joel scowling at me before he wipes his expression clear. I’m not sure what his agenda is here, but it’s clearly not to learn self-defense. After a few half-hearted attempts at learning the techniques I’ve been going through with Tessa, he settled on the couch, offering unsolicited critiques instead.
“You should do it harder, Tess,” Joel says. “What you’re doing won’t hurt a real attacker.”
I bite my tongue, my patience pushed to the limit.
You’re not moving fast enough.
They’d laugh at you for doing that.
Are you sure you should be doing this at all?
If he says one more negative thing, I swear to God…
