I went searching for the woman who made my pulse fly for reasons I was determined to ignore.
I found Audrey in the living room with Chase and Seraphina. Chase was deep into building a LEGOStar Warsship on the coffee table, a roaring fire behind him while the two women talked and watched him work.
My body stalled at the sight. Because of her. Him. Safe and smiling as a family. Something I’d convinced myself I didn’t want after Beth and I blew apart.
Apparently, all that self-talk back at Audrey’s house to convince myself I couldn’t interfere in a family that may be being rebuilt was out the window. Because now I was standing here like I couldn’t breathe unless I was part of the picture too.
“You’re back.” Her soft voice tugged me out of that dangerous spiral and back into a world where I had to live and die alone.
“Look what I’m building, Uncle Alex!” Chase’s proud voice saved me from myself.
I tore my gaze from Audrey and took in his progress. “Very cool. Box says ten plus, huh? Crushing it.” I winked, then gave Seraphina a nod before turning to Audrey. “Here.” I handed her the bag. “Please don’t smack me for going through your stuff, but it seemed important yesterday that you had, well ... your stuff.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Drawers?” she mouthed, stepping closer while positioning her back to her son and Seraphina.
“Among other things.” I couldn’t stop the grin from landing hard.
Color rose up her neck and into her cheeks. Pink, to match the pair of lacy ones I’d packed.
I set down the bag and shrugged out of my jacket. The fire had me roasting while standing before her. Theheat—not the thought of her in pink lace—had me burning up.
“Mind watching Chase for a second?” Audrey asked Seraphina, effectively back-seating my thoughts, cutting off that avalanche of a disaster on the verge of happening in my head imagining Audrey in only pink panties.
“Of course,” Seraphina offered.
Audrey nodded, then gave me a subtle gesture. Time to get away from her son’s ears for whatever conversation we were about to have.
“How much did Ryder already tell you?” I asked while following her down the hall, past the kitchen, to a small nook tucked off to the side, just big enough for a love seat and not much else.
“Ryder told me it’s not safe for the guests to be here. Hence the herd of people flooding outside when you showed up.” She dropped onto the love seat, elbows on her knees, face in her hands.
Not exactly an encouraging sign.
I considered sitting beside her but opted to keep some distance. I leaned against the wall, arms folded, trying for casual. It felt about as natural as Reed telling a joke.
She slowly lifted her head, hands falling to her lap. “Alejandro.”
It wasn’t just that she’d used my full first name—it was how she said it. Soft. Intentional. Like it meant something. And damn if it didn’t knock the wind from me.
I held still, waiting for her to follow it up, trying not to breathe too hard. If she knew the effect she had on me, I was screwed.
Before she could continue with whatever she’d planned to say after my name, I rushed out, “How are you feeling? Still out of character, or are you back in the zone today?”
Her lips twitched like she assumed I was joking.
I wasn’t.
“Well, I was starting to feel like myself again until the hammer was dropped about Mitch. Why?”
Right. Him. The reason we’re in this mess.And as much as I wanted to ask her about those divorce papers, I figured Ryder should be the one to do that, especially since he’d told Reed over the phone before we arrived that he hadn’t known about them.
“Just curious.” I shrugged.
“And now I have a question for you: Why’d you put up a mini wall between us yesterday only to go and pack my stuff today?”
I still couldn’t believe she had my words translated last night. I had to be more careful when I let the Spanish slide out loud. “It was only a mini wall, like you said. Doesn’t mean I can’t pack you a bag.”
“Going through my underwear doesn’t qualify as dangerous?”
