Quadruple Duty
Page 108
“Maybe not right then and there, but the next day. Or on the ride out to the house. Or during that first week, before we all—”
“I know,” I said again. “I know… and you’re right.” I felt guilty. I felt shitty. “It was all on me,” I admitted. “I just… I guess…”
“You were afraid,” she offered.
“Terrified,” I said. “Terrified of losing you.”
“I’m a lot stronger than you give me credit for, Kyle. You could’ve told me. Maybe I would’ve understood.”
“Maybe,” I pointed out. “See that? Even you said it. Maybe.”
There was a long silence as we both sat there for a moment, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. She still looked mad. But she looked… softer than before.
Thank God.
“I wish you would’ve said something Kyle.”
“Hey,” I said. “Remember when we first hooked up? I warned you it was stalker-ish.”
She ignored me. “You could’ve, you know.”
Her face still held sadness. I felt shitty all over again. “I know…”
We stared at each other through another bout of silence. It was broad daylight there. I could see sunshine spilling in through the windows behind her.
“Ryan’s there now?”
“Yes.”
I nodded. “And how’s it going with Brigg—”
“Things with Jason are good,” she said pointedly. “We’re all okay here. Even after… the stuff that happened.”
I bit my lip in frustration. I wanted to be there so badly! To put my arm around her, to make everything right. And to fix our problem too.
“How’s Dakota?” she asked.
I tried to smile. “He’s… Dakota.”
“Okay.”
“We miss you, Sammara. The both of us. We talk about you every day.”
Through the tiny screen I saw her body language change. Her shoulders slumped. She’d let go of something, and I could only hope it was something negative.
“I miss you too,” she finally said.
Now I did smile. She even almost smiled back.
“I have to go,” she said. “But keep safe. The both of you. Tell Dakota too, okay?”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “I will.”
I saw her nod again. She glanced down, to reach for the button.
“Sammara wait. Can I talk to Briggs?”
She looked over her shoulder. Nodded.