Page 45 of Guarding Over You
But he didn’t want her pulled into it. Not when he was hoping for more than it was on the surface.
“Hey.”
“Didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?”
“Yes. Was just lost in thought over work.”
“That’s it, nothing more?”
He hadn’t talked to her since Saturday night.
As much as he wanted to stay so he could have a moment alone when Gracie was in bed, he knew he’d earn more points by making her bedtime routine easier and excused himself.
He had to get up early anyway, but it wasn’t as if he was going to bed at nine and hadn’t.
He’d sent that text right away, got her reply thanking him with a little blushing smiley face. Silly, but he’d take it as a win and left it at that.
He’d never been one to get too far into a conversation with his fingers and wasn’t going to start now. Not when she was within shouting distance.
Maybe he was tempted to walk back and check on her, but that would border too much on guarding along with wishing.
The first he couldn’t let go of, the second he’d stopped believing in years ago.
“No, just work.”
“No more problems with your ex?”
“No communication since the last time, so no problems.”
“Did you let your attorney know about the note?”
She sighed and looked around, but no one was close by. “No. I don’t know if it’s him, so it’s best not to add more flames to the pot right now. If it boils over it’s only another mess for me to clean up. I’m kind of tired of it.”
He reached for her hand, they were between cars and he didn’t think anyone could see. “I’m good at chores. My mother even admits it.”
She laughed. Exactly what he was going for. “Glad to know that. But I don’t want to drag anyone else into my problems.”
Which was what he thought was happening. It was too late in his eyes. He was already there.
“I don’t consider them problems. And everyone has them. Don’t think you’re alone.”
“Please. Do you have some ex out there making your life hell?”
He laughed, though it wasn’t even close to a cheerful sound. “Nope. But I had one who made my life that way when we were together. She might still haunt me and keep me shackled in her own way.”
The words were out before he could stop them, and the flicker of surprise in Arden’s eyes made him want to reel them back in.
Too late.
It was the kind of truth that slipped out only when someone got under your skin and Arden was crawling in inch by intoxicating inch.
Her exhale was low and rough. “Hate to say I’m glad I’m not the only one. Not that I’d wish that on anyone.”
“You got through it,” he said softly.
She gave a small, uneven smile. “Not fully.”
“Aregetting through,” he corrected.
