“I’ve thought long and hard about writing a blog and creating training resources. Believe it or not, that was one of the first things that I remembered, that I wanted to write a blog before the accident.”
“If that’s what you want to do, then you should definitely do it. I think you’ve learned in your little twenty-five years that this life is short, and tomorrow isn’t promised. Follow your dreams. I’ve got you.”
“I just don’t want to rush a decision.”
“All right, don’t. But I’m here for you.”
“Yeah. I guess I’ll just pray on it.”
“You do that.”
I laughed. “You thought you were slick. I heard that little comment you made about my age. In my little twenty-five years. You’re not that much older than me.”
He glanced at me as he cut into his French toast. “Are we on that again?” His voice was deep and suspicious.
“Yes, we are. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking after we kissed last night. You’re usually at work or at the gym. When you’re not in either of those places, you’re with me. You can’t possibly be dating, and I know that’s because of me. Am I right?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, it does. You keep making this all about you being too old for me, and you’re not. I think we want the same things in life—and in a relationship.”
“You want to be married with kids eventually. I’m a bit too old not to be married with kids already.”
There was something in his voice that told me not to press the issue. So, I didn’t. I only replied, “Not too old. But whatever. You’re fine, and I know you’ll be a fine silver fox.”
He grumbled and rolled his eyes at me. “Already with the jokes, huh?”
“Just speaking it as I see it.”
We continued making small talk over breakfast. When I had finished my meal, and he was almost finished with his, I returned to the conversation.
“Deuce, about last night. I owe you an apology for the way that I behaved. I did not mean to overstep my boundaries or invade your privacy.”
“You didn’t overstep any boundaries or invade my privacy, Sevyn. You were actually the balm that I needed. I wasn’t offended at all. How did you even hear me?”
“I was in the laundry room, and I?—”
“What did I tell you about trying to carry that basket without me?”
“I wasn’t. I was just getting a blanket out of there.”
“And it couldn’t wait for me?”
I stared into his eyes. “Deuce, eventually, I’ll have to get used to doing things for myself again. The sooner the better.”
He searched my gaze for a while before he turned back and spooned the last of his oatmeal into his mouth.
“Anyway, I was in the laundry room when I heard a banging sound. I tried to ignore it at first, thinking maybe you were hanging something on the wall. But it kept on, and I realized thatit was coming from the bathroom. I didn’t know if something was wrong or not, but I was determined to be there for you the way you had been for me.”
I slid off the barstool to take my plate to the sink. Deuce stood abruptly, catching me off guard. He grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. I felt good in his arms again, but I couldn’t help but think about last night. I hadn’t necessarily felt rejected, but in the aftermath, I was starting to.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was feeling either. There were days when all I could think about was Ethan.
“Thank you for being what I needed last night.” Deuce muttered against the top of my head after he kissed me on it.
I looked up at him and smiled. “I couldn’t help but be there for you, Deuce. You’re such a good person, and you deserve to have someone there for you. Why don’t you have a woman?”
I could tell by the distant look in his eyes that he was shutting me out. In the months that I had been here, I knew that he wasn’t involved with anyone. No woman ever came over other than Amani, on the few occasions that she did, along with his sister-in-law, Varasia.
