For a long moment, the only sound is faint tick of the clock on the wall. Her fingers fidget with the edge of her sleeve. “I appreciate that, but it’s complicated.”
“Most things worth protecting are.”
The faintest flicker of a smile crosses her lips, but her shoulders are still tight, and her expression still drawn. Clearly, I’m the best person to have handled this. If you needed a laugh or a smart-ass comment to lighten the mood, I’m your guy, but I’mabout as sensitive as a wrecking ball and about as equipped to handle delicate topics.
Still, at least I’d warned her. It was time to back off before I pushed too far. “All I’m saying is that if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. You’re still on the team. We still want you here. I just wanted you to be prepared when they ask, because we really do just want to help, which means it absolutely is going to come up at some point.”
Her eyes lift to mine again, and there is something else there this time. Not just fear or shock, but maybe a touch of gratitude for the heads-up. Maybe even a little bit of trust.
“I’ll be at dinner,” she says after another long pause. “If it comes up, I’ll be ready.”
“Good.” I nod, giving her a little half-grin to break the tension. “For what it’s worth, I wasn’t going to ask Boone to make everything. As it happens, I make a pretty mean salad.”
She laughs, and the sound loosens something deep in my chest. This girl is still an enigma to us, even weeks later, but it’s clear that she’s faced some serious trials in her life, and yet she has a zest to her. A willingness and maybe even a deep-rooted desire to live her life and enjoy it, to make the best of every situation, and I fucking love that.
After everything we’d all been through, we needed a little of that exact energy in this house. The last thing I want is to lose that. To loseher. But if we can’t get her to open up, I have a feeling that was precisely what is going to happen.
I just have no idea what else to do to set her at ease. I finally break eye contact and go back to mixing my batter while she goesback to work. Tomorrow, we’ll talk some more, but for now, I’m just going to have to keep being patient.
14
ROXIE
Boone cooks, Chance opens a bottle of wine, and Dillon lights candles like we’re about to film a commercial for cozy domestic bliss.
I catch Boone’s eye across the table, a slow, knowing smile curving his mouth. “It feels like it’s been forever since we all sat down together.”
“Yeah.” I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and try to look at ease. “It’s nice. You even used cloth napkins instead of paper towel.”
Chance chuckles. “We’re classing it up for you, babe.”
“Careful,” I says lightly. “I might start expecting actual silver next time.”
Dillon leans back in his chair with his wine glass in hand. Naturally, he sees right through my pretense and promptly calls me out on it. “You seem nervous.”
I freeze for half a second, then force a laugh. “Do I?”
“Yep.”
“Then it’s probably because I’m waiting for whatever it is you want to propose.”
Dillon smirks, exchanging a look with everyone else that says,It’s time.
I let out a quiet sigh, then rake my fingers through my dark hair.
“We said we’d be honest tonight. We don’t want to keep any secrets from you anymore.” Boone says.
“Okay. That sounds ominous.”
Chance meets my eyes, steady and calm on the surface, but underneath that, those greenish-gold hazels glow with heat. “We want to tell you the truth about us. About how we do relationships.”
“Relationships?”
Dillon nods, an impish grin on his face as he comes right out and says it. “We don’t just share in the bedroom. We share a life.”
“It’s not about ownership or control,” Boone explains patiently. “It’s about trust. Connection. We’ve all dated separately before, but it never felt right. When we’re with someone and we’re in it together, everything just clicks.”
“And you’re telling me this because?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light even though my pulse is doing double time.
