He smiles.
Trulysmiles at me. God, I wish I could tell him how fucking angry it makes me when he doesn’t give me a genuine one, and thatthisis him.
Not that fake shit he’s been plastering on his face.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
Clover continues to purr in my lap as I finish off my bowl. We stay relatively quiet, sharing only a little bit here and there. Nothing is brought up about why he didn’t come once Grant and my mom moved here to Wildhart.
The only question that revolved around the subject that was answered, was when the last time he had come to the cabin was. He said that moving in was his first time coming.
That shocked me, but he explained it was his grandfather’s, who didn’t have the best relationship with his dad. He passed when Ayden was thirteen and it took several years for them to gain the property in Grant’s name. By then, he had graduated from high school and… well, here we are.
Here we are indeed.
After he finishes his food, he reaches across the table to take my bowl. I scoff and take his wrist, which is hot under my touch.
“I’ve got it.”
I know I’ve seen the tattoo before, but never up this close. Moving his arm slightly away, I turn it over so I can look at the very detailed piece.
It’s a rectangular piece that spans most of his forearm, and inside it is a realistic portrait of a lion. It’s just the forehead, down to its nose, the main focus being solely on the eyes.
They’re a bright amber color, sitting with the rest of the blackand white piece.
They sorta look like?—
“You like it?” He sounds sheepish as he asks the question.
The edge of my lip quirks up. “Yeah. It’s beautifully done. The detail, especially in the eyes, is insane. Did you get this done in San Francisco?”
“Yeah.”
I lean slightly forward, looking at the fine detail, all the way down to the fur that looks realistic. My thumb drags across the bottom of the design as I hum.
“Is this your only one?” I lift my gaze to see his eyes are slightly dilated.
I shouldn’t be touching him like this. So, reluctantly, I let him go and sit back before standing.
He roughly clears his throat. “Mhmm.”
Taking his bowl and my own, I move to the sink. “I’ve been dying to get another one, and another piercing.” Running the water, I rinse the dishes before popping open the dishwasher and putting them in.
Ayden doesn’t say anything, and when I turn around, it’s because he’s walking toward the stairs.
My brows pinch as he gives me a weary look. “I didn’t realize how tired I was.” He laughs slightly. “Can we pick this conversation up tomorrow?”
I don’t think he’s being disingenuous, he genuinely looks like he’s exhausted. “I actually picked up a shift.”
The devastation on his face has both a knot forming in my stomach and my chest hurting. I’m actually glad he is upset about that, but at the same time, I don’t want him to be.
“Oh… Then maybe next week.”
“I can always text you.” I wipe my hands on a kitchen towel. “Or call you during my downtime.”
That’s probably not the best idea. Not that it’s against some rule at the station, but for my own self-preservation.
He offers a soft smile. “Yeah, that’d be great.”
