Page 39 of Reckless

Not hurried.

Just certain.

Piper trails off mid-conversation with Marley as Ghost stops in front of her.

She tips her head, waiting. Ghost doesn’t say anything. For a second, neither of them do, but then he lifts his hands.

I blink.

Once.

Twice.

My brain doesn’t catch up straightaway.

And then Ghost signs.

Not one awkward gesture. Not fingerspelling a name he’d memorized five minutes ago.

Actual. Fucking. Sign language.

Proper ASL.

Careful and confident, like he’s practiced it.

His hands move with quiet confidence, careful enough that I can see the concentration in every movement, but smooth enough to tell me this isn’t the first time he’s done it.

‘Welcome to Las Vegas. It’s good to finally meet you.’

Somewhere beside me, Marley makes a tiny sound under her breath.

I don’t look at her.

I can’t.

The room disappears, and I stare at him because this isn’t possible.

Ghost doesn’t know sign language.

Except, he does!

Somewhere over the last few weeks, while I’ve been busy convincing myself I knew exactly who this man was, he’d gone away and learned an entirely new language.

And he’d never said a word.

I don’t think anyone else in the room understands why I can’t stop staring at him.

I barely understand it myself.

The room doesn’t go silent.

It shifts.

One conversation trails off. Someone stops halfway through lifting a beer. Even Deek goes quiet for long enough to notice Ghost’s hands moving.

The entire clubhouse seems to lean in without anyone meaning to, including me.

Piper looks at him.