“Yes, hello again,” I said, my accent slipping a little. I’d have to speak slower. I could not afford to slip and show them my real face. “I’m afraid Kyle invited me to stay. He said it would be all right. And your wife agreed.”
The man stared at me for a moment before he nodded, crossing his arms. “Absolutely. Our house is Kyle’s house. And now your house.” He chuckled nervously.
“It’s very kind of you.” I stumbled, a slight wince crossing my lips as I wished I would have chosen simpler words. In Belvaria, formality was second nature. Here, it may as well have been a flashing sign over my head. “I was at the Beach Rider and…it’s not a very nice place.”
“Oh, right. Umm, yeah, it’s way better here.” He motioned toward an armchair. “Uh, why don’t you sit down? Can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you.” I slid my eyes closed as I skirted past him to take a seat, quickly realizing should have said thanks, not thank you. It was too formal. “I’m fine.”
“Well,” he said as he plopped onto the couch, “this is your place now, too, so if you want anything, the kitchen’s right through there. You can just get it. And if there’s something not stocked, just let someone know, and we’ll make sure it’s there.”
“That’s incredibly generous of you,” I answered.
My mind whirled with possibilities. I needed information from him, but I wasn’t certain what the best way was to get it.
If Alex Stone truly was as brilliant as his reputation suggested, he might be the key to solving problems far beyond what Kyle could address. But I’d need to tread carefully—Ava’s watchful eye wouldn’t miss a misstep.
“So, uh, tell me more about yourself, Nattie.” Alex leaned back into the soft couch cushions, tossing his arm out to the side.
I shifted, avoiding his gaze for a moment. This was exactly what I hoped to avoid. I hated to lie, but I couldn’t do anything else. Or could I?
“There’s really not much to tell,” I said with an apologetic smile. “I’m pretty boring.”
“Oh?” He raised his eyebrows. “Somehow, I don’t believe that.”
I grinned, lifting my shoulders. “It’s true.”
“Well, you certainly have captivated Doc. He couldn’t stop talking about you after dinner.”
My heart sped a little, a flutter in my chest that I’d never felt before. I was always cautious in the past. After all, in my situation, whether or not a person was actually interested in you as a person wasn’t always clear. And the answer was usually no.
But Kyle didn’t know me. I was just a simple woman who had fled from an abusive situation. Could he actually like me for me?
The idea appealed to me, but I remained cautious–with both my life and my heart.
I realized I was smiling to myself, and let the expression fade as I sought to find something to answer. Thankfully, Ava and Kyle returned to the room before I had to make more conversation.
“Hey,” Kyle said with a wide grin as he crossed toward me, perching on the arm of my chair. “I put your bag in your bedroom. It’s all ready.”
“Thank you,” I said, my eyes trained on him as I tried to imagine what it would be like if he really did like me for me.
I finally forced my gaze to Ava who plopped onto the couch next to Alex with a tiny dog in her arms. “And thank you.”
“Of course.”
“So, Nattie,” Alex said, brandishing a controller, “do you like video games?”
My jaw tightened. I felt like an animal being corralled into a corner. This was the problem with staying here. I was not prepared for the level of familiarity that would be expected.
I hadn’t played many video games. “I have nothing against them.”
“Ohhh, we’re going to have to change that,” Ava said with a tongue-in-cheek grin on her face. “We’re gamers in this house.”
“Hardcore,” Alex said.
“Even Doc’s a convert,” Ava answered as she fished another controller from a drawer.
Kyle smiled at me, rubbing my shoulder softly. “It’s fun. Want to try?”
