Then he grabbed the mug that held my tea and slid it across to me. That should have infuriated me. He just dumped out my drink, one that I was planning on having. But instead, it endeared me to him. He knew how much I loved my tea, and he refused to let me try any of that rubbish.
“What’s going on with you?”
Milo’s head popped up, but he didn’t move any further.
Oh, God. It was that look in his eyes. He was going to question me, and I was going to crumble. There was no other way around it.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you never drink coffee, and you’re being weird.”
“Well, I’ve been called weird my whole life. Why stop now?” I smiled.
But he didn’t smile along with me. Instead, he looked like he was about to dive in deeper.
“Josie—”
I pushed off my chair and headed for my room. “I have to get ready for work. You should probably head home.”
But he didn’t. He followed me into the bedroom and leaned against the doorframe, staring at me as I grabbed my things for the shower.
“Josie, we need to talk.”
“About what?” I asked, averting my eyes.
“I heard something last night, and I’m not sure I have the right to ask you about it.”
That got my attention. “About me?”
He nodded, shifting slightly. “Look…” His jaw clenched hard as he looked away. Wow, whatever this was, he was super uncomfortable.
“Whatever it is, you can ask. I’ve got no secrets.”
“That’s just it. I think you do have a secret.” His eyes met mine again. “I think you’ve been hiding something from the whole town. Something you think you need to be ashamed of.”
Okay, that took me by surprise. “Um…I’m not sure what that would be.”
“Josie,” he murmured, pushing off the doorframe to walk over to me. “You can be honest with me. I know I’m not— I just wish you would be honest with me.”
I stared at him, completely lost for words. “Um…okay? Perhaps if you could clue me in as to the secret I’m hiding from everyone, I would be able to give you the information you need.”
He watched me carefully, like he was worried I was going to snap or run or break down in tears. It was odd.
His whole body tensed before he finally spit it out. “I heard that you were attacked by Austin.”
My jaw slackened at the mention of the incident.
“And I know you think you should feel ashamed or something, but what he did was not on you. I need you to know that. I just?—”
A snort ripped from my nose without meaning to. I covered my mouth, trying to hold back the laughter, but it bubbled up anyway. Which didn’t exactly help my situation because JR was watching me like I needed to be committed.
“I’m sorry. It’s very sweet of you to worry about me, but trust me, I’m fine.”
“Josie—”
“He tried. Trust me, he tried, but it was because he was drunk. Gosh, that rumor has been going around for so long, I sort of forgot about it.”
“Then what really happened?” he bit out angrily.
