“Hade, leave it, okay?” I grip my mug tighter.
“For now,” he says, his mouth tugged down in a frown.
Annoyance brews in my chest, making me fidgety. I clear my throat. “What are your plans for today?”
He bows his head, focuses on his plate. “Got somewhere I need to be.”
The change in his demeanor makes my stomach sink. It’s like his body has shrunk in on itself. Even his voice seems more distant, as if this is the one topic he’d rather not get into. But after the way he pushed me about ballet, I’m itching to push back.
“Does this have anything to do with the woman who called you yesterday?”
Head snapping up, he sucks in a harsh breath. “It has nothing to do with you.”
I shrug, acting more nonchalant than I feel. “If she’s your girlfriend?—”
“She’s not my girlfriend.” He takes a deep breath. “She’s Owen’s widow, Ines.”
My heart squeezes painfully. All I can muster is an “Oh.”
“I help her with anything I can, and I visit pretty regularly, keep them company.” He finally looks up, his irises the color of a forest at night, dark and mysterious. “She and Santi don’t have anyone else.”
“Santi?”
“Owen’s son. He’s almost three.”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes as his words sink in. The pain in his voice makes my heart hurt. “I’m so sorry,” I say, covering his hand with mine. “I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk about it.”
He flashes me a small, sad smile. “That’s okay. I don’t know why I haven’t told anyone I’m helping her.”
“Maybe for the same reason you don’t want your family to see you grieving.”
“Maybe.” He nods. “When did you become so observant?”
I shrug. “Always been this way.”
He pins me with a look. “Ry baby, now you’re bragging. Didn’t take you for an arrogant type.”
“And you’re a questionable roommate.”
His brows jump to his hairline, his mouth forming a little O.
“What?” I tease. “I thought we were stating the obvious.”
A slow grin spreads across his face. It’s sinful how handsome he looks. “If we’re stating the obvious, I’ll point out just how obsessedyou are withArcane. Now I know why you went with blue highlights.”
Warmth courses through my veins. This man noticed a detail no one else has. Without looking away, hoping he can’t tell how flustered I am, I shrug. “Yes, and they look great on me.”
He leans back. His gaze on me is intense, his biceps bulging as he crosses his arms. “They do. They make your blue eyes pop. Let me guess—Powder is your favorite. The little sister, just like you.”
Rather than feel annoyed about being called the little sister again, I’m practically giddy. Another detail he’s noticed. “Yes and no at the same time.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll get it once you’ve seen a few more episodes.”
He straightens and picks up his coffee. “Perfect,” he says. Then, his tone turns serious, almost concerned. “Do you have plans tonight?”
My heart thuds against my breastbone. No, he isn’t asking me out on a date, but my body sure thinks he is. “Erm, not really.”
