He regrets losing you and wants you back. “He cares about you,” I said instead of speaking my thoughts as I started to walk, already forgetting I’d just changed my mind about her coming along with me.
“We’re friends. That’s all.” Those words hit me harder than I’d expected, for some reason. “He just knows me well, and—”
“Still knows a lot about your underwear. Makes sense.”
“Apparently he doesn’t, based on what he packed and that conversation back there. And I still can’t believe I said all that in front of you.”
“Because I don’t know you well?” Shit, that came out ... well, not sounding all that great.
“Well, yeah. Orno?” She paused and let ahmmfall from her lips that I could hear even with my back to her. “Somewhere in between?”
I kept on moving, not able to dissect her words.
“You said you were married before. So you understand what it’s like to have those conversations, right?”
I had no clue what she was talking about. What was I supposed to understand? I had no plans to talk to Beth ever again. Even if we were the last two people on the planet and the fate of humankind relied on us having a five-minute fireside chat, I wouldn’t. The world had had a good run. Rest in peace.
“Sure, I’d absolutely be discussing her underwear with her. I totally get it,” I grumbled under my breath, accidentally slipping into jackass mode.
“Ouch.” One quick breath before she tacked on, with a touch of sass, “Well, that answers the question I had, though.”
“Oh, does it?” I whirled around to face her, remembering now she shouldn’t be out here if the break-in wasn’t random.
She ate up the distance between us. “Now I know I’d rather you see me naked than to have heard that conversation with my ex.”
And there she went, distracting me again with that comment. Fuck, I was in trouble.
“Well, I both saw you nakedandheard your talk. Both happened. No takebacks.” I winked, trying my hand at being funny, but dammit,it came out asshole-like again. What was wrong with me? “Sorry,” I muttered, my gaze sweeping over her as she made the unwise decision to close that last bit of space between us.
We were at the edge of the woods.
Just us, nature, and God.
She worked her eyes up my body before making things slightly worse by removing her hands from her pockets like she might reach for me next.
Please don’t.
“You’re in an awkward situation.” She tipped up one shoulder. “Babysitting your best friend’s sister alongside her son’s father.”
I arched my brow, deciding to abandon ever using the wordunderwearagain around this woman, given that I’d already seen her without any on. “So no more talk of your preferred drawers?”
“Drawers?” She smiled, and there went her eyes. Lighting up like lights on Christmas morning. “Um, yeah, let’s not talk about those.” She pursed her lips briefly. “Good idea. Best idea I’ve heard all day, in fact.”
I couldn’t believe we were talking about her underwear after her home had been broken into and she could’ve been raped or killed. Maybe she was looking for a distraction, though, so she wouldn’t get lost in the what-could’ve-been’s instead?
I could hear my mother’s voice in my head, proud of that psych degree she made me get before joining the army. I had to admit, it did help me better understand people sometimes.
When Audrey reached out and set her hand on the front of my jacket, over my heart, I dropped my gaze there and gently took hold of her wrist with every intention of breaking free of this situation I’d somehow found myself in.
Only I couldn’t let go. I just held her. Hand to my heart, with all those layers in between not mattering. We quietly stared at one another, locked in the moment the way we had been when I caught her from falling during the snowball fight.
You’ve been through hell, walked through fire and all the damn things, and so have I. I’m not doing it again.
No going back to ever using that heart of mine for anything other than an organ to keep me alive.
Take her back inside. Head on a swivel and focus up.None of the reminders landed like they needed to. What kind of operator was I? “Audrey.”
She blinked and pulled her hand away, resting her palm on her cheek as if doing a quick temperature check. “I’m so sorry. I think it’s ...” She brought her hand to her temple, working her fingers beneath her white fleece beanie. “I was hit in the head. That has to explain why I’m acting so out of character today. Not locking my door while showering.” She stepped back. “Talking aboutdrawers.” Another step away from me. “And this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach ... Ummm.”
