“Boo.” Saylor’s gaze is soft now. Gone is the accusation in it.
“And what if they are the ones to glue you back together?” Tally asks, but I just shrug. “What if you give them a chance to prove themselves?”
She can’t guarantee that. And the risk is so damn high.
I’m only holding onto strings that are starting to rip under my weight.
Mac pulls me to stand in front of him and crouches down so we’re at eye level. “There’s a thing with fear, you know,” he starts, gripping my upper arms. “It runs away if you run toward it.”
The door to the restaurant opens, and Nash and Tim stride in. Nash looks so damn good in dark jeans, a navy sweater, and a black beanie, brown strands of hair peeking out, and a grin across his face, dimples in full force as he sees me.
“Don’t run away, run toward it,” Mac whispers in my ear.
I can’t take my eyes away from Nash, who steps in front of us. “Mac, hands off my girl, man. I know you can kick my ass, but I will at leasttryto defend her.”
“Stay,” Mac mutters in my ear again before he steps back, his hands up in a surrender motion. “Oh, I’m so scared,babyJones.”
Saylor chuckles from beside me, and I feel his hand touching mine. “You know, I can be anything you need me to be, even superglue.”
Tim sits next to Tally, kissing her cheek and stroking her belly. “Hey, baby, how was your day? Sorry we’re late. We had a little accident with the bait box and needed to grab a shower first.”
“Ugh, that shit’s the worst.” Saylor shudders in my peripheral vision.
“Oh, it was good, thank you. Sloan just told us that the van is working again with a heater, so it gives us a little more time to search for a room for her,” Tally tells Tim, her eyes lingering on mine.
“Evil Tally, I like it.” Saylor snickers.
Nash’s gaze is on me the whole time, but apparently, he’s done waiting for me to acknowledge him with ahello,so he just sits on the chair, pulling me into his lap.
“So first off,nice,no freezing nights anymore…” he steals some of my fries and mumbles around a mouthful, “… and why would she need a room?”
I want to stand from his lap, but he holds me tighter, leaning in to kiss the side of my throat before he munches another fry.
“Because winter is going to be too cold to stay in the van, idiot.” Tally rolls her eyes. Tim tries to steal one of her fries, but she hisses at him, making him hold up his hands in surrender.
“I’m gonna make some more fries, it seems,” Mac mutters, making his way to the kitchen.
“No, I get that, but she has a room,” Nash states before he turns to yell after Mac, “Thanks, man!”
Tally grins at Tim, then at me. “Does she?”
Nash turns to look me in the eyes, his hand coming to my thigh, stroking up and down the seam of my jeans. “Of course she does,” he says softly. “She has her own, or she can share mine. Where I am, there’s room for her. Always.”
“Fuck, that was good. He’s getting better,” Saylor mutters while my heart flies out of my chest.
“I don’t want to live in your house,” I protest, but it sounds weak even to my ears.
Who am I kidding?All of us fucking know what’s up. Only the hurt and scared little voice in my head is left protesting.
Nash leans in to kiss my nose. “I know, but I’m working on it.”
“Oh, he so is.” Tim chuckles, and I frown at him, but he just grins and winks at me as he puts an arm around Tally’s shoulders.
The door to the restaurant opens again. This time, it’s real customers. Tally tries to stand, but I put a hand up. “Stay, I’ll take care of it.”
I attempt to stand, but Nash gently holds me for a moment, whispering in my ear, “Have a little faith in me, okay?” I gaze into his ocean blue eyes and nod absentmindedly. He smiles and adds, “Thank you.”
Later, during a short break next to the kitchen, I feel tingles on my waist and close my eyes, whispering a faint, “I’m sorry.”
