I turned when I heard a soft noise and saw Dax waving at me. ‘Thanks,’ he signed, closing the door behind him.
I nodded. ‘You want tea?’
He lifted a brow. ‘Sweet tea?’
We did, in fact, have sweet tea in the fridge. It was a staple when I was growing up, and Nash had learned to make it right when Creek moved in with him. It was one of the few small comforts I kept from home.
‘Yes,’ I told him.
Dax rubbed his hands together, then signed, ‘Kiss-fist sweet tea. Large glass please.’ I laughed as I grabbed one from the cabinet, filled it with ice, and then the tea from the pitcher. He let out a happy hum as he gulped half, then leaned on the counter and gave a chef’s kiss gesture.
‘Glad you like it. My grandma’s old recipe.’
He took another swig, cocking his hip against the cabinet, and glanced around. ‘Looks different.’ He gestured at the mirrors Nash had added to the wall for Tameron. ‘Dayton help?’
I shrugged. ‘I think so. He made changes before I moved here.’
Dax looked happy. ‘He cares a lot. That’s not common.’
It really wasn’t. Nash was cut from a different cloth, as my granny liked to say. He was a caregiver and a protector. The kind of guy who looked like it would take two seconds to get him in a murderous rage when he was, in reality, the biggest marshmallow I had ever met.
It was no wonder he’d engendered so much loyalty from so many people. I had a feeling there were more than just Creek, Bean, and Tameron who would die for Nash.
Dax waved at me again, and I realized I’d zoned out. ‘You okay? You want to sit down?’
I went to shake my head no, but I was trying to do better in listening to my body. I was tired. It wasn’t the worst flare day, but it wasn’t a good day either, and if I pushed myself, I was going to regret it.
‘Yes. Unless you need to leave,’ I added.
He shrugged and blew air past his lips. ‘Off work today. But if you want to be alone…’
‘No. I like the company.’ I hadn’t had a friend in so long, and I was hoping I didn’t seem overeager.
Dax didn’t seem bothered. He grinned and walked past me, dropping into Nash’s comfy chair and kicking his feet up on the table. I loved the way he made himself at home.
I’d never been able to do that. Southern propriety had taught me never to get too comfortable, to always respect my elders even when they didn’t deserve it, to never swear in front of polite company, and to always put my needs last.
I wanted to be less like the man I’d been trained to be and more like the man who was worthy of a friend like Dax, or a lover like Nash.
The thought of that made my chest hot, and I breathed through it so the blush wouldn’t become visible on my face. Dax would most definitely notice. As it was, he was watching me like a hawk as I crossed the room and sat.
When I was comfortable, he dropped his foot and leaned over his thighs. ‘Something’s wrong with you.’
I stared at him. ‘Headache.’
‘Bullshit.’
I sighed and bit my lip. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. Not…entirely. But maybe I could tell him a little. Maybe I could unload this burden on someone willing to hear it.
‘Tell me,’ he urged. ‘We’re best friends now.’
My eyes went wide. ‘We are?’
He studied me for another beat, then nodded. ‘Yes. Best friends. Tell all.’
I laughed and passed a hand down my face. ‘This is a secret. Between us only.’ He nodded, but I ticked my finger back and forth, shaking my head no. ‘I know Deaf gossip. I mean it. Secret between us only.’
Bursting into laughter, Dax held up his hands in surrender, then made a locking motion over his lips, then over his wrists. ‘Lips and hands locked. I promise I won’t tell anyone.’
