Reeves?The guy who hasn’t so much as glanced at a woman since Olivia.The same one who told a model last month to “back it up, respectfully” because she tried to kiss his cheek for a selfie?
He’sgetting her number.
Something ugly crawls up my throat.It tastes like jealousy and a mistake I haven’t made yet.
“Cap.”The word comes from behind me, low, a warning that already knows I’ll ignore it.I turn.Jensen’s leaning against the railing, arms folded, watching me like he’s seen this movie and knows the ending.Beside him, Anders looks sun-pink and too pleased for my liking.
“That one isn’t for you,” Jensen says, calm and sure.
I blink.“The fuck does that mean?”
Anders lifts his chin toward Tessa.“She’s a good girl,” he says, not like he’s putting her on a pedestal, more like he’s setting a boundary I’d be an idiot to cross.“One-in-a-million kind.Not part of a whatever the fuck kind of harem you've got going on lately, Captain.”
I laugh, sharp and humourless.“You two holding auditions for moral compass of the month?”
“Save it,” Jensen says.No heat, just truth.“We aren't judging the way you wanna live your life, if we actually believe you were happy.But you’re still bleeding out from Brielle and pretending you aren't.Leave the good ones alone until you know what you’re doing.”
I take a step in, crowding his space because I’m tired of everyone having an opinion on me.“You think you know what the hell I’m doing?”
“Yeah,” Anders says softly.“You’re watching something you want and acting like it's a problem because wanting it means you’d have to stop being the guy you’ve been playing.”
There’s a world where I make a joke and skate off this ice.I miss it by a mile.
“Go fuck yourselves,” I say, and shoulder past and head for the only thing that ever made sense, my family.
Reeves intercepts me at the stairs, Olivia tucked up against him, damp curls sprung into perfect chaos.She’s asleep mid-smile, head heavy against his chest, a paper crown someone made her sliding down one ear.
“We’re taking off,” he says.His voice is low, so it doesn’t wake her.“She’s cooked.”
“Looks like she had a good day,” I manage.
“She did.”He glances past me to where my family is saying goodbyes.“Thanks for not making this a shitshow.”
I huff a laugh toward the chaos around us.“Debatable.”
He starts to step around me.
“What was that?”I blurt.
He pauses.“What was what?”
“With Tessa.The number.”I hear myself.I hate the sound.“What was that?”
He blinks once, slowly.“Olivia adores her,” he says simply.“Tessa offered to take her riding.Said she’d text me times.”
“That all?”It’s out before I can stop it, small and ugly and mine.
Reeves looks from me to Tessa and back like he’s measuring something I can’t see.The softness in his face goes away.“No.”
I wait for him to say more, but he doesn't.
"No?"I raise a brow in question.
He studies me for a beat, and then he blows out a harsh breath.“That woman’s the real deal, Carson.Don’t go near her unless you're playing for keeps.”
McKenna appears at my shoulder.“Who are we talking about?"He follows everyone's glances and beams, the little fucker."Ohhhh, Tess.Ya, she's endgame!"He says with a grin, “You know it when you see it.”
I shoot him a look, and he gives me a sheepish shrug.
