Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
“Me. I say that. And you’re not using it to avoid the question.”
“What question, Hat-girl?”
“Are you canoodling?”
Kane’s voice floats through the open window.
“Nope,” I admit after a second. “We’re not even on the same floor of the house right now.”
“Oh. Crap,” she says. “Do you want to talk?”
“Would you let me not talk about it?” I get up and flop down on the bed.
“I’d tell you that I love you and respect your privacy and that you have every right not to talk to me about it,” she says reasonably. “But then I would ignore you for three days straight while eating Ben and Jerry’s.”
“Cookie dough?”
“Obviously. Only the best in this house. Now spill! What happened with that creepy stalker dude? And what’s going on with Hunky McHunkster?”
“Please never call him that again,” I say.
“Only if you talk. How can I be your moral support if you won’t let me?”
I chew my lip, deciding not to tell her too much about the stalker situation.
She’ll just worry, and then she’ll probably tell Ethan.
Then he’ll show up here and make a scene. Nobody needs my brother dropping in with his worries and adding to the mess.
I also don’t need my brother sending Holden to turn this place into a fortress or drag me home. I’m not sure the fabric of the universe can handle two tight-lipped strongman egos in the same room.
“We reported the guy I saw to the police. No big deal,” I say. “And Kane, he’s…”
“Margot, did you sleep together?”
My breath stops.
“How did you know?”
“I knew it!” she crows. “You just seemed like you really liked him. I figured you wouldn’t hold back. I mean, I get it. I looked him up, remember?”
“Did you Google him again today?”
“Not since we last spoke. Why?”
“We have a problem,” I say slowly. “News leaked that he’s here with me, and now our names are linked.”
“Linked like dating linked?”
“Yeah. But also, now he’s here and everyone’s all worked up about it. He thinks he’s ruined our time together and potentially dragged me through the mud.”
“Huh? Does he know you’re a Blackthorn?” she asks carefully.
“Yes. And I’ve told him that I’ve been through the rumor mill and walked away alive. But he—”
“He still feels guilty?”
“Right.” I pull the duvet over me miserably. “Things got stressful. He basically said we’re a giant mistake. Point-blank to my face.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, ouch.”
“Maybe he was just upset?”
I scowl at the ceiling.
“Maybe. I mean, that’s possible. He popped off because he was pissed and he didn’t mean it. But he said it, Hattie. Sometimes, people are more honest when they’re mad.”
“Oh, God.”
“It shouldn’t bother me so much. I don’t even know him that well. Not enough to get worked up over this.”
“Mm, okay. There’s no time limit on feelings. Are you sure about that? How well do you know him?”
Definitely well.
Despite our short time together, I know him like the back of my hand.
I know he’s a generous handyman. A selfless grouch. A very conflicted ego.
I know he can cook like a stove god, he has a fraught relationship with his ex, and he’s a top ten finalist for father of the year.
I know he handles his son’s overactive imagination gracefully and fusses over his little girl fitting in.
I know he came here because he wanted to heal them. He wanted a badly needed mental break from his family taking too many kicks to the gut.
He wanted shelter.
And I know that even though this thing with us is temporary, even though he tries not to care too much, he’ll shelter me too.
But still—still, I want to lie.
I want to tell Hattie I barely know him because that means he barely knows me, and somehow that would make this emotional derangement over him less embarrassing.
Only, that’s so brutally honest the lie stalls in my lungs.
“What am I supposed to do?” I whisper. “He doesn’t open up. He’s kinda stuck on his ex, I think, and he won’t give his heart a chance.”
Hattie purrs her sympathy.
“Oh, that’s a tough one. I dunno, maybe the only thing you can do is put some distance between you? Let him work it out. Give him space. You can’t do much else.”
Wise, unwanted words.
“Yeah,” I say once I’ve gotten my voice back. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Will you be okay, though? Do you need me to fly up there?”
“No!” I clear my throat, catching myself. “No, it’s fine. I’m not sure I’ll stick around much longer anyway. You know me. I’m always okay.”
“You always pretend you’re okay,” she says seriously. “Just call me if you need me, m’kay? Anytime. I’ll always pick up for you.”
“I love you.”
“Love you more.” She blows a kiss through the line and I disconnect, fighting the lump in my throat. My eyes sting.
Space, space.
Oh my God, just give him space.
Exactly what I was afraid she’d say.