Page 122 of Ruin

“Are you happy?” she asks me out of left field.

I don’t have to think about this because I know the answer. “Yes.”

“Then, that’s all I care about. You’re smart. You always have been. You don’t make decisions lightly. I know you thought this through in a hundred different ways before deciding to give him another chance. And, no matter how much I would love to kick his ass for hurting you all those years ago, I also know from what you told me that he had his reasons. Right or wrong, he did what he thought he had to. He hurts you again, and I’ll bury him.” She grins, making me laugh. “But he loves you. I see the way he looks at you, same way he’s always looked at you—like you’re his entire world. And he’s a great father to Gigi. So, to answer your question, no, I don’t think you’re crazy.”

“That was quite a speech.” I grin, the unease I felt before quickly ebbing away.

“I know. I impress myself with my awesomeness at times.” She flashes a smile at me. “You want some breakfast?”

I don’t get a chance to respond to her question as my cell phone starts to ring on the counter, interrupting us.

“It’s Zeus,” I say, seeing his name on the display. Butterflies swoop from my stomach and up into my chest, making me feel giddy.

I’m ridiculous. I’ve known Zeus forever. We have a child together. It’s not like this is a new relationship. Still, it somehow feels new.

Aunt Elle gives me a knowing smile and heads for the door, coffee in hand. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“Hey,” I answer on a smile. “I haven’t changed my mind about us, if that’s what you’re calling to check on.”

There’s a brief pause.

Then, he says, “I’m outside. Can you come to the door?”

“My door?” I say stupidly.

“Yeah. I…need to talk to you.”

Well, if that doesn’t make me nervous, nothing will.

“Okay. I’m coming.”

I hang up my cell, slipping it into the pocket of my pajamas. I walk quickly and quietly to the front door, my stomach churning with nerves. A hundred scenarios as to why he’s here at this time in the morning are flashing through my mind. The main thought being that he’s here to tell me he’s leaving, which is stupid. I know he loves me and is here to stay.

He said that before, remember? the scared voice in my head reminds me.

I unlock the door and open it.

Zeus is standing on the porch, close to the steps. He’s wearing running shorts and a tank. His skin is covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

He doesn’t make a move to come over, and that has me even more worried.

“You want to come in?” I ask.

He shakes his head.

He doesn’t want to come in. That’s not a good sign.

I step out onto the porch and shut the door behind me. The wood is cold beneath my bare feet. I wrap my arms around myself, warding off the chill I feel.

“You ran here?” I ask, referring to his clothes.

“Yeah. I needed to burn off some energy.”

His eyes quickly move off me. Like he’s afraid to look at me. That means he’s keeping something from me. And he’s restlessly moving his hands, clenching his fists in and out, which means he’s agitated. Those have always been his tells. In this moment, I hate that I know him so well.

“What’s going on?” I curse the tremor in my voice.

The sound of me speaking brings his eyes back to mine. I expect them to be closed off, like they always are when he doesn’t want me to know what’s going on with him.