Catcher caught it in his mouth, groaned, and crawled back into the shade.
“Cecilia!” Melody shouted. “How would you like to try out a new clothing line?”
Archer pivoted on his heel and headed back to the gym. He wasn’t sure how Cecilia felt after what had happened between them last night, but he sure as hell knew how he would feel if he saw her parading around the yard in a bikini.
And there would be no disguising his feelings in his loose track shorts.
That morning,I’d slept in. The storm eased up during the night, shortly before I fell asleep next to Archer.When I awoke, he was gone. He’d left no trace that he was ever there except for one thing: I noticed he’d taped a picture of storm clouds over a farmhouse to my vision board.
Hope had offered me clothes that were more my style. I put on a white summer skirt that fell to my knees and a pink cami.
Archer and I hadn’t discussed the future or whether we would continue to see each other. Neither of us was ready for that talk so soon. I needed to process Noah officially exiting my life.
When Melody asked me to put on a bikini, I made a fast getaway. After grabbing an apple from the kitchen, I blushed at the intimate noises coming from Tak and Hope’s room as I hurried through the house in search of Archer. I wanted to get a sense of what he was feeling after last night.
Chewing on my apple, I peered into the game room and library before walking onto the front porch.
Krys was relaxing in a chair, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He startled me at first, because for a nanosecond I thought it was Noah. They didn’t look alike, but the long hair gave me a shock.
“I guess you’re glad to get rid of the asshole,” he said, eyes forward.
I approached the rail. “Yeah.”
Krys played with a silver pendant around his neck. “Maybe you need to be on your own for a while. Being alone is good for the soul.”
I wasn’t sure if he meant alone as in relationship status or leaving the house, so I took another bite of my apple.
He stroked his goatee while staring straight ahead. “I’m going to save you a whole lot of wondering. Archer isn’t a guy who settles down. So erase any notion in your head that he might be next. He’ll hurt you.” Krys stood and faced me. “Not the way that other asshole did, but Archer doesn’t know how to relationship. I’m not saying that to be a dick. He’s my cousin, and I’d lay downmy life for him. But I’m just telling you what he’s afraid to. As long as I’ve known him, he’s never been capable of love. And he’s gone through some shit.” Krys averted his gaze. “His emotions aren’t right, so don’t fuck with him.”
“Where is he?”
Krys gestured to the garage. “In there.” The door slammed after he went inside.
That guy’s a ray of sunshine. But he wouldn’t say all that if he didn’t love Archer. He’s not trying to protect me, because he doesn’t even know me. He’s protecting him. From what?
The wind offered no relief from the scorching sun that burned my shoulders as I walked to the garage. I found the entrance to the gym inside.
Though it seemed like a silly thing to do, I knocked. It wasn’t like he was naked in there.
When no one answered, I opened the door.
Lying on his back, Archer lifted a long bar with weights on both ends. It was the first time I’d seen him wearing the artificial limb, and it was a strange sight. He seemed more normal to me without it. Watching him lifting that heavy weight blew me away.
Not wanting to startle him, I stood noiselessly by the door.
Archer blew out a sharp breath and then set the bar on the rack. I watched him detach the claw that was clamped to the bar. When he sat up and caught sight of me, he grabbed the towel by his feet. “What are you doing here?”
“Spying.” I took another bite of the apple. “You’re strong. I can barely lift a cast-iron skillet.”
Archer wiped his face and laughed. “I could help you with that, you know. Lifting isn’t just for men.”
“I ran into Krys just now.”
“What did he have to say?”
I strolled across the room. When I reached the bench he was straddling, I sat down. “He loves you.”
Archer cocked his eyebrow. “Does he, now?” He laughed and tapped his fingers on his prosthesis.
