My breath stops.
“How did you know?”
“Iknewit!” she crows. “You just seemed like you really liked him. I figured you wouldn’t hold back. I mean, I get it. I looked him up, remember?”
“Did you Google him again today?”
“Not since we last spoke. Why?”
“We have a problem,” I say slowly. “News leaked that he’s here with me, and now our names are linked.”
“Linked like dating linked?”
“Yeah. But also, now he’s here and everyone’s all worked up about it. He thinks he’s ruined our time together and potentially dragged me through the mud.”
“Huh? Does he know you’re a Blackthorn?” she asks carefully.
“Yes. And I’ve told him that I’ve been through the rumor mill and walked away alive. But he—”
“He still feels guilty?”
“Right.” I pull the duvet over me miserably. “Things got stressful. He basically said we’re a giant mistake. Point-blank to my face.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, ouch.”
“Maybe he was just upset?”
I scowl at the ceiling.
“Maybe. I mean, that’s possible. He popped off because he was pissed and he didn’t mean it. But hesaidit, Hattie. Sometimes, people are more honest when they’re mad.”
“Oh, God.”
“It shouldn’t bother me so much. I don’t evenknowhim that well. Not enough to get worked up over this.”
“Mm, okay. There’s no time limit on feelings. Are you sure about that? How well do you know him?”
Definitely well.
Despite our short time together, I know him like the back of my hand.
I know he’s a generous handyman. A selfless grouch. A very conflicted ego.
I know he can cook like a stove god, he has a fraught relationship with his ex, and he’s a top ten finalist for father of the year.
I know he handles his son’s overactive imagination gracefully and fusses over his little girl fitting in.
I know he came here because he wanted to healthem. He wanted a badly needed mental break from his family taking too many kicks to the gut.
He wanted shelter.
And I know that even though this thing with us is temporary, even though he tries not to care too much, he’ll shelter me too.
But still—still,I want to lie.
I want to tell Hattie I barely know him because that means he barely knows me, and somehow that would make this emotional derangement over him less embarrassing.
