“Henri asked if he needed to do any damage control,” Abbott says with a snort as he drives away. “It’s like he knows us or something.”
I can’t help the giggle that escapes, and Cassidy shakes her head as she squeezes my hand.
“When did you get so damn fierce?” she asks under her breath. “I bite my tongue around them because a part of me wants to be accepted. However, they’re never going to let me live my life, so why should I wait around for something that’ll never happen?”
“Life is too short to make yourself small,” Bell murmurs. “Winter and I have done it too often.”
“Shi, did you seriously tase my mother?” Cassidy asks, amused.
“I’d do it again!” he yells, making me giggle. “It was either that or break her neck. As far as I’m concerned, I was a perfect gentleman.”
“I think you’re right,” Abbott says. “I doubt your parents will ever mention it either, Cass.”
Soon, we’re home and we get out of the car to head inside. My feet hurt, and I’m ready for bed.
“Wait a second,” Cassidy murmurs once we’re on the stairs.
Abbott glances over his shoulder before nodding and going inside to give us some privacy.
“I felt a connection to you the second I saw you,” she says softly. “Before I realized what it all meant, I just knew you were important to me. I know I’ve mentioned that before, but I wanted to tell you that I’m falling in love with you too. I haven’t said it before because I didn’t want to scare you.”
“I surprised Ansel when I told your mother I loved you,” I say shyly. “I tend to hold a lot in until it gets so big it explodes. I should have told you before her.”
“Nah,” she says, chuckling. “I think it made the perfect impact.”
Taking my face in her hands, she gives me the sweetest kiss before beginning to walk upstairs with me. I get a slight itchbetween my shoulder blades that reminds me of being watched, and I look around to see why I’m feeling this way.
Abbott took the long way home the way he usually does, and the street is empty. Shaking it off, I walk inside of the house, watching as Cassidy locks the door behind us and sets the alarm.
I’m safe. We’re fine.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
WINTER
“Bell,”I sigh, picking up the rugs off the floor to start sweeping. “It’s gross in here. Will you help me clean?”
We originally came upstairs so Bellamy could finish the mural and then napped, but now I feel out of sorts. It’s that weird feeling between being overheated and unsettled. As if I slept for too long, and now I feel like I woke up in an alternate universe.
While the mural is perfect, the rest of my nest feels wrong. It’s uncomfortable, and I need to fix it. I’m just not sure how yet.
So, we’re cleaning.
“Yes, I’ll help you,” he says, standing smoothly to take the rug from me. Bellamy easily rolls them up before taking the broom from me to clean. Shiloh had these rugs delivered by his employees as promised, and I love them, just not where they’re currently at. I follow behind him with the dust pan, and then he begins to clean the bathroom while I mop.
Even after that, it still doesn’t feel right. Bell calmly helps me place the rugs where I want them, not complaining when I change their position several times.
“Better,” I mutter, pursing my lip as I glance at the bed.
“Strip it?” he suggests, following my lead.
It’s been a full day since the charity event, and I’ve just been cranky. There’s no real reason why. My clothes feel too tight, and I hate all of it, which means I’m wearing an oversized shirt that belongs to Abbott at the moment.
“Yes,” I decide. “I want the colors flipped so that the brighter ones are underneath it. Then I want our blanket we knitted thrown over it, but so that it’s on a diagonal.”
“Okay,” Bell says slowly. “Let’s try it.”
