Devon shook his head. “No. I bought the property at auction about five years ago. Spent two years renovating this house. I’ve been working on the big house bit by bit. Eventually, I’ll move into the house and rent this out.”
Braedon nodded. “Huh.”
“Why do you ask?”
“How’d you feel about hiring an inexperienced handyman to help you renovate the house?”
“You getting out?” Devon asked.
“Yeah.” He nodded as if not really sure. “Yeah. I am. The Navy’s giving me the option to retire, and I’m taking it. I can’t keep looking for the bad shit, not after what happened. I can’t keep putting Addy and my parents through that. And I figure Addy’s going to be spending a lot of time down here in Charleston. It’ll be nice to be close to her.”
“Uh…how close are we talking?”
Braedon looked him dead in the eye. “I’m going to take the guest room.”
Devon pressed his lips together.
Braedon threw his head back, laughing. “Oh, man! You should see your face!” He wiped his eyes. “I’ll find an apartment nearby.”
Devon’s shoulders dropped, and he let out a sigh of relief. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy having Braedon around, but not that around.
Still chuckling, Braedon stood and tossed the remote to him. “But right now, I am going to take the guest room because I’m beat. See you in the morning.”
“Night.” He flipped aimlessly through the channels, hoping something would catch his interest. Finding nothing, he turned off the T.V. and threw his empty bottle in the trash. In the living room, he flipped off the lights and stripped to his boxers. He pulled the back cushions off the couch and tossed them on the chair. Without the cushions, it was almost as wide as a twin bed and comfortable to sleep on—which was one of the reasons he’d bought it. He stretched out, pulling a throw over himself.
Even though they’d slept in the same bed at the castle, after what had happened today, he didn’t know how she’d react to waking up in a strange room with someone in bed with her. He’d give her some space for now until they could talk about their future.
* * *
Devon startled awake when the blanket was lifted from his shoulders. Addison lay on the couch and snuggled into his front, pulling the larger blanket from the bed over them.
“Hey,” he whispered. “You okay?” From the dim light filtering in through the curtains, it must be around five a.m.
“Yes. Why are you out here?” she asked.
“I didn’t want you to wake up in a strange place with a strange man in bed with you.”
The corners of her mouth tilted up. “You’re not strange. Thank you for coming after me.”
“I think Connie got to you first,” he said.
“Yeah, but you weren’t too far behind.”
“I wish I’d gotten there sooner so you didn’t have to go through any of it.”
“I know.” She ran her fingers along his jawline.
He grasped her fingers and kissed them. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” she said.
“I’m sorry I left Germany without talking to you.”
“Why did you?”
“I was in the hall outside Braedon’s room and heard you tell him we were only pretending, that none of it was real. It was easier to walk away than face you knowing you didn’t feel the same way I did.”
“Oh.” Addison slid her arm around his waist. “I’m sorry. I lied to him. It wasn’t pretend, but we hadn’t talked about our feelings or what would happen after the dust settled. I wasn’t ready to share the truth with him when I was only coming to terms with it myself. Especially when I wasn’t sure you felt the same way.”
