“No,” he says flatly. “At least not enough for it to stick.”
“Always a cynic,” I say, bumping his shoulder with mine. He doesn’t reply, only smiles. “I was hoping to get at least a few inches tonight.”
His eyebrows shoot up, and he bites his lip before I realize what I’ve said.
“Of snow! A few inches of snow,” I clarify.
“Right,” he agrees, smirking at me.
“So how much does my brother know about us now?”
He winces. “What makes you think we talked about you?”
“That guilty look on your face, for starters,” I say, poking him in the jaw.
“I’m sorry, I folded,” he blurts out. “I told him almost everything, including the conversation we had on the way here. But I left out the seizures you had a few months ago.”
“Oh,” I breathe. “He knows we’re married?”
“Yes. I couldn’t bring myself to lie to his face, even if I hadn’t promised you I’d tell him the truth.”
I smile, my relief outweighing my nerves now. “And what did Rowan have to say about everything?”
Landry sighs. “He said you were right, that I owe it to you to consider how I really feel. He pointed out that it would be inappropriate for us to continue living in the same house after all this. And he told me he just wants both of us to be happy.”
“Wow. That’s all reallyRowanof him.”
He laughs shortly, staring into the fire. “No kidding.”
I want to prompt him to say more, especially about those feelings he can’t seem to wrap his mind around, but we sit in the cold silence for a few minutes before I work up the courage to speak again. “I know I said it already, but I’m really grateful for your gift.”
His expression softens. “It’s more for me than anyone. I don’t want to have to worry so much about you once you’re living on your own.”
I reach over and wrap my chilled fingers around his, ignoring the way he brings up moving out again. He doesn’t resist the contact, but he doesn’t seem to welcome it the way he did earlier today. “But it means you believe in me, that it’s worth the trouble of helping me because I’m actually capable of taking care of myself. That’s a much more important gift than you know.”
“You shouldn’t have to thank me for that,” he finally replies. “You’re capable of anything you set your mind to, Daisy.”
The stillness stretches between us again, the only sound being the wind blowing through the trees.
“I feel like there’s something else on your mind,” I venture. “But you’re waiting for me to invoke our full-transparency clause.”
He huffs out a short laugh. “Yeah. Same.”
“I’ve been trying to tell you what I’m thinking. You don’t seem to want to hear it,” I mutter and tug my hand back.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ve been afraid.” He turns to face me, and my stomach flutters again.
“I’m afraid, too. I’m worried I’ll say the wrong thing and scare you away. But I like being your roommate, and I don’t want you to move out just yet.”
“I like living with you, too,” he says.
“Then … you should stay,” I add hesitantly.
“I can’t stay forever though.”
I swallow hard. “Can’t you?”
He laughs softly. “Not unless I want to turn you into a cynical, old grump like me.”
