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“Right. Um…well, I leave tomorrow, so…”

“We’ll look at them when you get home.”

I forced a weak smile, then zipped his bag and tossed it on the ground. “I’m going to get ready for bed.”

“Sure, I’ll be in after I lock up.”

As soon as he was gone, I went through my bedtime routine, getting done as quickly as possible so I could get to bed before he did. Hopefully, I’d be asleep and we wouldn’t have to say another word to each other. I just didn’t have it in me to deal with anymore tonight.

Even if he just wanted to make up.

I needed some space, and this trip would give me exactly that, along with time to enjoy the holidays without worrying about him walking through the door and ruining it for us.

Thankfully, I was under the covers minutes before he came in, and when I heard him stop at the foot of the bed, I pretended I was already asleep. I held my breath as he stood there, most likely staring at me.

There was once a time that I used to dream of him watching me as I slept. Back then, he was my Prince Charming, and one day, he was going to rescue me.

That was before I really got to know him and understood how cynical he could be.

But he was also sweet, and every time I started to doubt if he could truly be what I needed, he proved that he would do anything for his family. I didn’t want to have those negative thoughts, but the way he freaked out when he found out I was pregnant really did a number on me, and every once in a while, I wondered how long it would be before the other shoe dropped.

Which was pretty much how I was feeling right now.

Finally, he headed into the bathroom and took a shower, giving me a few minutes to calm down before he came to bed. By the time the bathroom door opened, I was nearly asleep.

So, when he slipped into bed and pulled me into his arms, I sank into his touch and drifted off to sleep.

7

EDU

“What the fuck did I tell you?”

I pulled my head out of the back of the station wagon and frowned as Oliver came charging at me. “Uh…are you talking to me?”

His nostrils flared in anger. “Am I looking at anyone else?”

I spun and checked out the garage, finding myself suddenly alone. “I guess not.”

“Do you remember what I told you when you came looking for Harper after you broke her fucking heart?”

Well, shit. I hadn’t expected any of this to get back to him, but now that it had, I couldn’t say I was surprised he was here. “Yeah, I remember.”

“I told you that if you ever broke her heart again, I would put you in the fucking ground.”

I suddenly wished for spectators of some kind. It’s not that I couldn’t defend myself against Oliver. He was strong, but there was no way he would actually be able to take me. Still, I didn’t want to be responsible for Oliver getting hurt.

“Look, I⁠—”

“I don’t want to fucking hear it!” he snapped. “You broke her heart once, and it nearly destroyed her.”

I swallowed hard at his words. I still had nightmares about waking up and finding her gone. Those three months she left me were the worst of my life, and sometimes it felt like it would happen all over again.

“You promised me you would make her happy, and I trusted you.”

“I know.”

“Whatever the hell is going on with you, fix it.”