“Pretty cool, huh?”
I sigh. “It’s so beautiful.”
There’s an easy silence that’s followed by Happy’s low, murmured, “Yeah…”
I’m pulled from the breathtaking view by his slightly calloused fingers gently pinching my chin, coaxing me to look at him. And when our eyes meet in the muted glow of the city lights, my heart skitters in my chest from his closeness, his intoxicating and heady scent wrapping around, ensnaring me like a silky web. And I know he’s going to kiss me. And I want him to, more than anything. But there’s something in the air between us, like whatever is happening right at this very second is so much more than anything either of us was prepared for. This is… it. And I want it. All of it. Whatever it is.
Happy’s thumb drags along the curve of my bottom lip, hisgaze dipping from mine and snagging on my mouth. And my heart is thumping so loudly, I’m sure he can hear it, or see its pulse thrumming against my skin, but I don’t care. I just want his lips on mine. I want him to claim me with one kiss. I’ve never been so desperate.
As he inches closer and closer, his hand moving from my chin and around the back of my head, urging me, I’m not even breathing, anticipation curling deep in my stomach. But right before our mouths meet, nothing more than a hairsbreadth between our lips, something starts shuddering violently in the console between us, and I startle, pulling back, finding Happy’s phone lighting up.
“Shit,” Happy mutters under his breath. He picks up the phone, glancing at me warily, but then he pauses before sliding to answer. “It’s my mom. She’s at home with Luck.”
“Answer it,” I insist, nodding.
Licking his lips, Happy exhales hard, answering the call. “Mom?”
I can hear a woman’s voice on the other end, but I can’t make out the words, trying not to eavesdrop while looking out over the view again.
“Yeah, it’s the Prazosin.”
From the corner of my eye, I watch as Happy pinches the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes, and instead of sitting here and pretending like I don’t know what’s going on, I reach over and place my hand on his thigh, squeezing gently through his jeans in a show of support. He opens his eyes, finding mine, and a small, somewhat relieved smile ghosts his lips, like he might have been worried that I wouldn’t understand or, worse, that I would be pissed at the interruption.
“Yeah. That’s the one. Crush it up and put it into some juice, and see if she’ll take it, and—” He glances at me again, trepidation flickering in his gaze as he says, “I’ll come home now.”
When he ends the call, he releases a heavy, racking breath, gripping the steering wheel and bowing his head. I smooth myhand over his back, comforting him while he takes the moment he needs, feeling the torment radiate off of him.
“I’m sorry,” he says, glancing at me. “Lucky’s not feeling good. She had a nightmare, and my mom can’t settle her. I’ve… I’ve gotta go home.”
“It’s fine,” I assure him. “I can just order an Uber.”
Happy blinks at me like I just said something in a different language. With a snort, he simply says, “No.”
“No?” I repeat, confused.
Starting the engine, he pulls out of the parking spot and onto the tree-lined street. “You’re coming home with me, Baby Draper.”
“Are you sure this is okay?” I ask for the fifth time as we pull into Happy’s garage. “I don’t want to impose, or… I don’t know, make anything more stressful for Lucky.”
“Hey, look at me.”
I turn as he shuts off the engine of his truck, silence settling around us, his dark gaze imploring mine through the dim light of the sleek garage.
“I want you here,” he says, reaching out and trailing the backs of his fingers over the curve of my cheek.
Uncertainty swirls in my chest, but I do my best to ignore it, nodding once and hopping out of the truck, following Happy to a door that opens to a set of stairs.
We walk up to the first floor, coming out behind the kitchen. The house is quiet and still, the lighting low save for the flicker of the huge television that’s playing scenes from an old black and white film on mute.
Happy places his keys onto the kitchen island and pads across to the spiral staircase that I know goes upstairs, the same stairs I watched Allie take Lucky up the last time I was here.
“I’ll wait here,” I whisper.
Happy pauses, looking at me over his shoulder. “No. Come up.”
Hesitating momentarily, I kick off my loafers and follow, letting him take my hand in a move that feels huge considering we’re in his house, with his mother somewhere around, on our way upstairs to his daughter. The way I grip his hand, it’s like a lifesaver, holding me above water; I can’t remember a time I’ve ever been this nervous.
I take in the upstairs landing. There are three doors—one to the left, one to the right, and one ahead—the stairs leading up to the third floor continuing on behind us. Happy tugs me with him, keeping me close as he leads the way to the door on the left, the one left slightly ajar with a dull glow brimming out through the opening.
