But her shoulders are tense now, and the lightness from earlier has dimmed.
I step closer, angling myself so I’m between her and the crowd behind us. “We can leave if you want.”
She shakes her head, pulling her eyes away from the crowd and back to me. “No. I’m okay. Really. I’m probably just being paranoid.”
“You’re not being paranoid,” I say firmly. “You’re being careful. There’s a difference.”
She gives me a small smile.
“Cole’s here,” I remind her. “And so am I. Nobody’s getting near you.”
She nods, taking a breath. “I know.”
The tension doesn’t completely leave her shoulders, but she turns back to the pasta stand, forcing herself to engage with the vendor about which shape is best for different sauces.
I stay close, hyperaware of everyone around us now. Cole has moved closer, positioning himself so he can see both us and the crowd behind us.
The crowd continues moving, oblivious to our apprehension. Thankfully, no danger appears.
Regardless, the moment has shifted in some way. The carefree morning has a shadow over it now, a reminder that Preston’s influence hasn’t completely disappeared just because she’s not living with him anymore.
“Hey,” I say softly, touching her elbow. “Let’s get some of those fresh peaches from that stand over there, and then we can head home. Make that caprese salad. Open some wine. Watch a movie.”
She looks at me, and the gratitude in her eyes is almost overwhelming.
“That sounds perfect,” she says.
We make our way through the rest of the market, still stopping here and there but with less leisurely wandering than before. Tessa picks out more fresh fruits and vegetables.
By the time we’re heading back to the car, her shoulders have relaxed again. Not completely, but enough.
“I had fun,” she says as we load our bags into the trunk. “Even with the weird paranoid moment.”
“Me too,” I say. “And you weren’t being paranoid.”
She glances at me as I close the trunk. “You really think someone was watching me?”
“I think you’ve been conditioned to recognize when you’re in danger,” I say carefully. “And I think your instincts are probably sharper than you give them credit for. If something felt off, I believe you.”
She’s quiet for a moment, processing that.
“Thank you,” she says finally. “For believing me and for not making me feel crazy.”
“You’re not crazy, Tessa.”
She holds my gaze, and for a second, I think she might say something else. But she just smiles and climbs into the passenger seat.
Cole gives me a nod from where he’s standing by his car, a few spaces down. He didn’t see anything either, but he’ll stay alert.
I slide into the driver’s seat and start the engine.
My entire existence feels surreal right now. A couple of months ago, I couldn’t have imagined my summer turning out like this—living with a woman I barely know, hiring bodyguards, navigating the aftermath of someone else’s nightmare. But the strangest part? It doesn’t feel weird. And that’s entirely because of the woman sitting next to me. Tessa grounds me in a way I can’t fully explain. Like no matter what chaos swirls around us, as long as she’s here, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
TESSA
