He frowned, his eyes gazing off into the distance.
“I regret Juniper in a way, yes. Mostly because I think I had a lot more interest in her than she had in me. I wish that when I’d made that decision to protect her, to take that man’s life, that I would’ve known her true feelings. Maybe that would’ve made me react differently in the heat of the moment.” He paused. “That guy was as good as dead anyway. He had a piece of glass embedded in his heart. I just helped him along a bit faster.”
I snorted. “Don’t do that for me, please. I’d regret not having you here more than I’d be appreciative that you saved me from something like that.”
He curled his arm around my shoulders and rested his head against my own.
“Don’t get hurt, and we won’t even have to contemplate it,” he countered.
I didn’t like that he wouldn’t give me a promise.
I also didn’t like that he said it in such a way that made it sound like it was final, and that we wouldn’t be discussing the matter any further.
“Your friends.” I decided to change the subject. “Are they coming over here tomorrow, or are we going to them?”
His finger found a lock of my hair, and he started to twirl his finger around it as he spoke.
“We’ll probably have to go to them. It’d be easier on them, anyway, with the new baby and all.” He paused. “I think I’m more terrified of seeing them than I was of seeing my own parents.”
I leaned my head up to stare at his face in profile. I studied his nose, and the dark beard that covered the lower half of his face. The hair that was above his eyes, making bushy eyebrows that likely would’ve looked ridiculous on anyone that wasn’t him.
“Why?” I asked.
He sighed. “I’ve been a coward these last few months. Doing shit that I never should’ve done. Avoiding anything and anyone that had to do with my old life like the plague. I just… I’ve got no excuse. I just didn’t want to see them. Honestly, I’m kind of pissed that none of them confronted me on Juniper. Do you know how many freakin’ times I heard, ‘I never liked her’ or ‘she always struck me as a bitch’?”
My brows rose. “Really?”
“Really,” he confirmed. “Ashe and Ford, who we’re going to see tomorrow, were my best friends. And both of them made a comment like that when they heard that Juniper didn’t want to see me anymore. Neither one of them ever said a word. I guess I was just… hurt. Why would they not say anything? If the situation was reversed, you damn well better bet your ass that I would’ve said something. I was seconds away from asking Juniper to move in with me. Would they have said something then?”
I felt a distinct anger ignite in my belly, as well as a sadness that felt pretty awful.
I didn’t like that they hadn’t told him.
But then again, if I’d been around, would I have wanted to tell him something that I thought should be obvious?
I honestly didn’t know.
“Do you…” I hesitated. “Would you have taken that information and done something with it? Or would you have gotten pissed at the messenger and never spoken to him or her again?”
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll never know.” He paused. “But I would’ve had that niggle of doubt. I would’ve been able to look at it a little more rationally once I’d had time to calm down. Not to mention, the people that felt that way were some of my closest friends and family. I wouldn’t have been able to tune them all out if they’d all spoken up.”
He did have a point.
“What would you say, right now, if someone told you that I was like they were thinking Juniper was?” I asked curiously. “What would you do?”
He sighed. “I’d tell them all to go fuck themselves, drive us home, and not come back until they weren’t all dumbasses.”
I burst out laughing. “God, I really freakin’ love you.”
Then I immediately wanted to shoot myself.
Son of a bitch!
My mouth!
When I stiffened, he noticed, and then pulled me into his arms, his eyes taking in my face as he said, “You didn’t want to admit that again?”
I drew in a deep breath. “I didn’t want to pressure you. You just opened up about how your family all hated the last girl you brought home. I didn’t… I feel like maybe it’s a little soon for you.”
“Is it too soon for you?” he countered.
I licked my lips, then slowly shook my head. “No.”
“Then don’t assume it’s too soon for me. I’ve gotten over her. I’ve been over her. The only reason we’re talking about this right now is because you asked. And there’s never going to be a single thing that I won’t tell you.” He tilted his head sideways, both of his hands finding either cheek and pulling my face in close to his. Then, with barely an inch between us, he said, “And I love you, too.”