“Yes!” she growled. She moved her finger over lunch and the end. “This shows me how to get back on track. Do you know how hard it is to have a life that’s so tumultuous? It’s all over the place all the fucking time and it’s hard not to just stare at the wall and like process. Or just fall into it.”
I was starting to seriously understand and felt small especially when she told me now she was looking forward to doing magic making blankets because it was all about feeling comfort. And sheneededto feel comfort after doing something weird again and upsetting people. Feeling upset.
“This is the first yoga class, right?” I hedged, looking at what else was on the agenda. I frowned when she flinched. “What? I thought you were looking forward to it.”
“Don’t be mad at me. I’m not sure I messed up now that Winter was so upset, but… I don’t think what I did was wrong. I’m not that dense, but now I’m doubting that.”
“No, I think you’re down on the tank and still healing,” I muttered. “I feel it. So I promise I won’t be mad because I know you didn’t do anything wrong and we can talk it out if it’s something I don’t like just like you’ve done with me.”
She sniffled and looked up at me with her eyes shining with tears. “I really needed to hear that today. Thank you, my sexy Russian.”
I swallowed a few sighs as she spilled what was going on starting with her session with Taylor and Tracey. I fully understood why she didn’t want to come to the men she was dating because it was tricky to come tooneof us or like who wouldn’t get jealous thinking she was asking for something sexually and using this as a hint.
But also, we couldn’t be objective. I was pissed the way Winter handled it but also understood given he probably walked up at the worst moment for him to blow his cool when he was pretty easy-going.
And yeah, that was clear from his reaction since he’d joined us just before she’d explained it all, obviously coming to check on her.
“Okay, first of all, I completely understand what happened in the context it did,” I told her when she was done. We’d already picked up pizzas and brought them back, it had taken that long to tell me it all. “I’m not defending him because that was a dick move, but I wouldn’t have been happy if I was Winter either walking up on that last part.”
“Yeah, I’ve already seen that and get it but like…” She huffed and took a huge bite of pizza.
“He made you sound like a kid who doesn’t know better or someone who needed a babysitter more than Link could have…” I sighed. “Not taken advantage of the situation or whatever because he wouldn’t do that but pushed a topic you maybe didn’t know how to shut down.”
Bevin frowned. “Is that what you think Winter meant?”
“Yeah, like maybe—he can be a bit gossipy, and part of that is getting information for his job. Again, not defending Winter—”
“No, but seeing other sides of this would be nice,” she admitted. “And then I might need a nap like the healer warned. I don’t know what about my other stuff today, but I’m sure I need to go over this with Wyatt and Mrs. Reid.”
I nodded, hearing her that she didn’t want to keep on the topic either. “There are certain times I know where the conversation is headed and to get information out of me. You get it when it’s your family or specific situations you’re used to—ready for. You even admit you’re not the best for stuff like dating or sex lives talk. He thought Link pushed that and was pissed.”
She was quiet as she gobbled up half a slice and sighed. “So it wasn’t that we said anything really wrong already, but he thought we were on one trajectory and was pissed Link had me on it when I didn’t see it?”
I glanced over to where Winter was, glad when he nodded. “Yeah, that’s my guess. But I’m not him. You’d have to talk to him and let him apologize, explain it.”
“Yeah, fine, and I even get he was probably worried if he was called there saying something happened to me, but I’m not a moron. I know not to talkour sex liveswith people. Certainly not like an older brother figure.” She rolled her eyes.
Except I shared a look with Winter and was glad we were on the same page about Link and how he saw Bevin.
Wyatt arrived first and that was when Winter showed himself, apologizing and making it clear he would grovel later, but he was worried about Bevin and wanted to check on her. Also, that the healer was at the house because she couldn’t sign the normal NDA and was waiting for Mrs. Reid to lock her into a better one.
I was glad to hear that and they were figuring out how to get stronger ones since they were currently tied to Jasmine’s magic? I wasn’t well-versed on that because a lot of what I’d learned from Momma was how to evade people… Not do things legally.
Mrs. Reid arrived next and with this new healer who then checked Bevin out again. She was fine, but they did want her to take a nap and eat more calories than normal for the next few days while physically resting. Her magic was fine, which was a relief to Bevin so she didn’t mess everyone else up.
Of course that was what she cared about.
“Bev, I get the schedule now and want to handle it for you with others,” I told her when she was going to head back to the dorm to sleep. I cupped her face when she was hesitant. “I get itnow and I’m all for it. Let me lay it out for them. I promise no one will pick on it again. Trust me.”
Her eyes flashed shock and she gave me a quick kiss. “Okay, if you have that kind of magic awesome. Please do.” She glanced down at it and hesitantly gave it over. “Good luck. Don’t lose it. I don’t have a copy.”
I used magic to quickly make one, my heart hurting when she was so relieved and took the original back.
At least I got another kiss out of it.
“This is hershield,” I told everyone there when Bevin was gone. I waved it for others, not hiding my upset.
“Yeah, big time, and I felt stupid for not having seen it,” Winter grumbled, rubbing his neck hard enough that the skin turned red. “And I fully get it now.”
