She dropped her gaze.
“You going to apologize?”
“No. I told you I didn’t want to come back here, so I left.”
“Without telling me. No note, nothing. I woke to find you’d run.”
Her teeth snapped together. “I don’t do that kind of thing.”
“You don’t do basic human courtesy?”
“No. I’m rude and belligerent, which I believe we’ve covered before.”
She eased the straps on her backpack, the weight obviously heavy.
“No one would blame me for shaking the shit out of you. Hell, I’d probably even get a medal.”
“I-I wasn’t ready to come back then.”
And just like that his anger fled. That one small stutter, the only hint of her vulnerability, and he suddenly wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her.
“Let me carry that.” He reached for her backpack, but she stepped back.
“I got it… thanks.”
“Jesus, Hope, do you ever take a break?”
“From what?”
“Being independent and downright difficult. Plus, there’s the ungrateful side to your winning personality.”
She sighed, hard enough to part his hair.
“Look, Newman, don’t keep confusing me with your people. I’m not like them. I do things solo. Always have and always will. I’m sorry if my actions disappointed you, but get used to it, that’s what I do.”
“Do?”
“I truly didn’t think it would bother you,” she said, not answering his question.
“If you believed that you wouldn’t have run away.”
“Whatever. Now I have to go.”
“Where you going?” Newman wrestled her backpack off her shoulders, and slipped it onto his.
“What the hell?”
“It’s heavy, you’re tired, and I’m not. So I’ll carry it for you.”
“I don’t need you looking out for me, Newman, and I’m not sure why you would want to after what’s happened and the way I treated you.”
“I’m hoping my good manners will rub off on you.”
She didn’t argue again, which told him she was tired, and yes the backpack had definitely grown in weight since he’d last seen her.
“Where have you been?”
“Here and there.”
