“What can I do to help?”
Rhett lets out a weak chuckle. “Get me another beer?”
“I think you’ve had enough of that,” I tell him on a sigh. “How about I get you into the shower and?—”
“NoWesley,” Rhett sneers. “I asked forbeer, nothelp. So if you can’t get that for me, then fuck off.”
I wipe a hand down my tired face. “Come on, let me?—”
Rhett yanks his arm away from his face and weakly lifts his head off the floor to glare at me with bloodshot eyes. “Get.Lost. Wes!”
I attempt to hold his gaze but Rhett is the first to look away, the fight draining from his face as his pallor turns green.
“Alright,” I say grimly. “I’ll leave you be, but… You can’t keep going like this. You’ll end up killing yourself.”
“I’ve been dead for a long time,” he gasps out as he pushes himself up off the floor only to throw himself at the toilet and vomit.
With a lingering glance, I step out of the bathroom and shut the door behind me, leaving Rhett to suffer whatever demons haunt him, alone.
It’s late.The sky overhead has been dark for hours. The light from the fire stretches but not far enough to keep the shadows of the woods from reaching me. The same woods Blair is wandering through right now. She’s been gone since five, it’s now close to ten.
I’ve casually checked the trail cameras out in the woods. Not to spy, but to make sure she’s safe. I checked about thirty minutes ago and noted she was on her way back. Since then, I’ve sat here and waited, keeping the fire going so that she can warm up when she returns.
Blair appears a few minutes later, emerging from the woods on cat-like feet. I wouldn’t even have noticed her dark shape if I hadn’t been staring in that direction, waiting for her to emerge.
She doesn’t seem surprised to see me. I wonder how long she’s been lingering at the treeline waiting for me to head inside before realizing that I wasn’t going anywhere. It’s clear she doesn’t want to talk, judging by the guarded expression as she draws closer to the firepit.
I smile at her. “You were out late, I was getting worried.”
“Sorry,” she mutters, pausing a few feet away. “I’m going to shower and head to bed.”
“There are leftovers in the refrigerator, in case you’re hungry. But before you go,” I add quickly as she turns to head for the cabin. “Sit with me for a few minutes?”
Blair hesitates. She glances at the cabin, then to me, then back to the cabin once more. With a sigh, she comes over to joinme—taking a seat beside me. Leaning down, I grab the thermos by my feet and hand it to her. She takes it with a furrowed brow.
“Hot chocolate,” I explain.
She takes it, twists off the top, and uses it as a cup as she pours herself a drink. It’s not until after she takes a sip that I say, “I figured it would be a nice pick-me up for you.”
Blair’s attention slips to the flames crackling in front of us as she takes another sip. I study her profile, drinking in her beautifully slender neck, the stubborn set of her chin, and grim expression she can’t hide. There’s a hardness etched into her features that’s been growing over the passing days. It comes in the form of tension lingering around her mouth and eyes. Her posture has been more rigid and she’s turned inwards to deal with whatever problem she’s facing.
It’s that internal strength and drive that makes her stunning. But what Blair doesn’t understand is that she doesn’thaveto be strong all the time. She’s put on a brave face but I know she’s upset. I’m not sure if it’s about the hitman who got too close the other day, or if it has to do with Santi and Rhett who have seemed to shove her between them as a shield to avoid dealing with their unresolved issues.
Either way, it’s time to step in and help shoulder some of her stress.
Finally breaking the silence between us, I say, “I’d ask if you’re okay but I have a feeling you’ll just lie to me.”
Blair tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear then looks at me from the corner of her eye. “Lie to you?”
“It wouldn’t be malicious, of course. You’d do it to brush me off. You’ll tell me you’re okay or that you’re fine,” I explain with a smile. “And when you do, I’ll call you on your bullshit. After that, you’ll either cave and tell me what’s wrong or you’ll pull a Rhett and go hide in your room. So, I’ll skip all that if you don’t mindand instead, tell you a little about myself. My past specifically, if that’s okay?”
A small smile pulls at her lips as she nods.
“Wonderful.” I clap my hands together and lean all the way back in my Adirondack chair. A wave of melancholy hits me but I breathe through it. “I want to tell you about my daughter, Tonya, and my wife, Valorie.”
Blair flinches hard as she turns to face me completely. “Yourwife? Wes, we?—”
“Let me explain,” I tell her calmly.
