All the air trapped in my lungs over the past few minutes started to release and I felt my heart rate drop at least twenty beats per minute.
The door flew open and Silas rushed in, haggard. He knelt in front of me, his eyes wild and desperate. “I’m so sorry.” He pulled my forehead to his. “Please don’t listen to her.”
I sat there, stunned. That had been horrible. But Silas had defended me. Kicked his own mother out for talking badlyabout me. Billy chose his mother over me every single time. I didn’t even know someone could love me like this.
But I had to pull myself together. Things had gotten out of hand way too fast. I gripped his wrists, placing them back at his side. “Hey. It’s okay, I’m okay.”
He looked hurt that I would push him away, but I’d made a decision in the last few minutes. I wouldn’t be the reason something like this happened again. There were some lines we needed to draw, starting now.
I desperately wanted to kiss him once last time. Instead, I laid my hands on my lap. “Your mom’s right?—”
“No. She’s not.” He shook his head, so defiantly I wanted to kiss his adorable frown lines. But I wouldn’t be doing that anytime soon.
I held up my hands to stop the barrage he was about to begin. “Silas. The ninety days are almost up. We’re going to the beach with your family?—”
“No. I’m not taking you anywhere she’ll be.”
“Yes. We are. I’m not going to be a wedge between you and your mom. If you think she's struggling now, think how she’ll feel if I let you guys miss vacation. We’re going. And we can wait for this.” My finger metronomed between us. “We’ve waited this long. Twelve days will fly by.” His expression said he wasn’t so sure. I looked directly into his eyes. “I. Love. You.” His breathing was finally calming. “A week and a half is not going to change that.”
He reached for me, but I dodged him and jammed my hands under my thighs. “No. No more touching.” His cheeks flamed. I locked eyes with him, willing him to understand. “If you so much as graze a finger against me, I am going to cave.” I ignored Anna biting her fingers to keep from squealing like this was a climax in some romcom. “I never, ever want to witness a scene like that again. Because if I do, I’m going to saysome things to your mother that will not be kind. And she’s already having a hard enough time with me as it is. I don’t want to give her any more ammo. Do you understand?”
His outstretched hand fell, his fingers balling into a fist at his side. He slumped in defeat and groaned. “I’ve waited my whole life for you. I don’t want to wait another minute.”
“Awwww.” Anna pressed her hands over her heart. “Uncle Silas, you are a romantic.”
He pursed his lips at her before drawing his focus back to me. “Clem.” His tone was pleading.
“Twelve days,” I reminded him. “Please.Youcan do this.Ican do this.”
“Wecan do this!” Anna shouted. “I’ll help. I’ll be the No Touching Patrol. I have a whistle and everything.” She straightened her arm out, flipping her palm down. “Put ‘er right there. Team Simon on three.”
“Team Simon?” Silas frowned.
“You shipped us?” I choked, laying my hand over hers.
“Oh yeah. Me and Brooklyn. Months ago.” She shrugged. “But if Simon isn’t your vibe, we can always do S’lemon.”
Silas snorted. “You’re a part of this too. How about…Lem’anna’las.”
“Nope. Uh uh.” I shivered, it was so bad. “I don't think the shipping thing works in a three-way. How about…Team Trifecta?”
Anna nodded slowly. “Yeah. I like it.” She looked to Silas for approval.
His gaze burned into me, begging me not to make him commit to this.
“C’mon. Take one for the team,” I said, Sophie style. “I believe in you.”
“Fine.” He huffed, but he clearly wasn’t going to be happy about it. He went to lay his hand on mine but stopped. Thenhe slipped his hand under Anna’s, taking the touching thing as literally as I’d meant it. That was the best thing about Silas. When he committed, hecommitted.
Anna led us out, jouncing our hands. “One. Two. Three.”
“Team Trifecta!”
twenty-six
CLEMENTINE
Again, Silas tried to talk me out of teaching the ten a.m. class. Told me to ask Peyton. Even offered to stay behind to ride with me. But I told him to go ahead and have fun. There was no sense in missing half a day in the water when I’d be right behind him.
