His protectiveness started out small. He would walk me to class, making sure no one got too close. Then he would glare at anyone who talked to me. Then it moved to him solving my problems for me. Going to the store. Keeping me at home.
At the time, I thought it was good.
When I snuck back to my apartment, I was planning on telling him the truth. But I couldn’t imagine him ever letting me stay if he knew who Theo was.
And I refused to leave.
“Hey,” he said as he finally moved around more on the couch. “Coffee smells good.”
It wasn’t going to be good. At least not to me. I was spoiled by The Reserved Bean.
“It’s almost done.” I grabbed a cup and gave him a smile as I prepared coffee for him.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked. “I would understand if you didn’t. Especially if you’re still here.”
He sounded more hopeful when he mentioned if I didn’t.
I knew he wanted me to move back, but I had to refuse.
“Mostly. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“I’d feel a lot better if you told me what happened.”
I opened my mouth to answer him. But nothing came out. I knew I needed to tell him the truth. But I also wanted to stay here so badly. I’d grown used to the freedom of living on my own, and while it hadn’t always been easy, I had been enjoying it.
“I saw someone who looked like someone from my past.” My chest tightened. “But it wasn’t. The more I think about it, the more that I realize I assumed.”
“Oh.” Joey blinked as he considered my words, and I handed him a cup of coffee, unable to look him in the eyes. “That had to be really scary. You’re sure that it wasn’t actually someone from your past?”
“Yeah, pretty sure.”
He hummed while he took a sip. “Maybe we shouldn’t risk it. I know you’ve enjoyed living out here, but it’s time to come home. I can get your room ready and?—”
“No, I’m not coming back. I’m fine here and I know I’m safe.” My guilt shifted ever so slightly. Instead of crushing me, it only felt heavy. If he was reacting this way to the simple thought that there was someone who looked similar to a person from my past here, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn’t let me stay if he knew the truth.
“What if you aren’t?”
“Then I’ll deal with it. But I want to live a life, and I think I can do that here.”
“Piper, it’s dangerous. Especially with how you react when people get close to you.”
My jaw tightened. He wasn’t wrong, but hearing it like this made me angry. I hated that I overreacted when people got close to me, but I would always do that if I never faced it. And Joey knew that. I had told him that time and time again before I moved.
“Joey, please. I’ve made actual progress since moving. I’m doing well.”
“You didn’t sound well on the phone.”
“That was a moment of weakness. I feel so much better now.”
“You’d said this had happened before.”
“Not exactly like this. Someone touched me and I overreacted. But that’s another thing I’m working on.”
“It’s been years. This might just be a permanent thing, and that’s okay. You can still stay with us.”
I had to take a deep breath to keep from snapping. I didn’t want to be angry.
“If I truly feel like I can’t do this, I will come back. But I think I can stay.”
