Page 225 of What We Brave
One word more than he needs. One word fewer than he wants.
I can feel it — the restraint. The careful way he doesn't askwhy are you thereorwhen are you coming backoris everything okay.He promised not to push. And Blake keeps his promises, even the ones that cost him.
I put the phone face-down on the nightstand.
The fridge hums. A car passes outside. Someone in the apartment above me is watching television — muffled laugh track bleeding through the ceiling.
This is the sound of the life I'd be choosing.
I roll onto my side. Close my eyes.
41
BLAKE
Ihear the front door at 6:12 AM.
I know the time because the clock's right there and I've been staring at it for two hours. Could've been in the workshop. Could've done something useful. Instead I'm here, lying in the dark like an asshole, not thinking about the text she sent last night.
Staying at my place tonight. Goodnight
My place.
I sent backGoodnight, Laineand put the phone down and didn't pick it up again, even though I wanted to beg her to come back.
Footsteps in the hallway. Quiet. Careful. Avoiding the board near the bathroom that creaks.
She knows which boards creak. She knows this house better than she knows that damn apartment.
My door's open. Always is now.
She appears in the doorway. Yesterday's clothes. Hair wrecked. Eyes puffy. She looks at me looking at her and doesn't say anything.
I lift the blanket.
She crosses the room and climbs in. Cold feet against my calves,cold fingers gripping my shirt, forehead against my collarbone. I pull the blanket over her and hold on.
She's trembling.
What happened? What's wrong? Are you okay?
I don't ask. She'll tell me or she won't.
"It doesn't fit anymore," she says into my chest.
Don't move. Don't react. Let her talk.
"The apartment. I went back and it just—" A tired sound. Not quite a laugh. "Cold sheets. Empty fridge. I kept reaching across the bed and there was nobody there."
My arm tightens. Can't help it. This bed is too fucking lonely without her. It's bad enough she's with Reid half the time. I don't want to lose her to her apartment too.
"I don't want to go back there, Blake."
"Thank fuck," I say.
Real eloquent, Moore.
She raises her eyes, the corner of her mouth tipped up. Red-rimmed eyes, searching my face for something.
