It was exactly the right thing to say and Frankie saw Roxy’s cheeks flush.
“Don’t get all soppy on me.” But she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “All right. If you’re sure. I don’t have much stuff, anyway.”
“I can clear out some of my things.” It made perfect sense.
Roxy needed somewhere safe to stay and it wasn’t as if she was using the apartment much.
In the last three weeks she’d only been inside it to water her plants and pick up fresh clothes.
Matt held out his hand to Roxy. “Give me the keys to your apartment and a list of things you need. I’ll pick them up so that you don’t have to go back there.”
“I’ll go with you.” But Roxy looked exhausted and the bruise on her head was turning an ugly shade of blue.
“I’ll go with Matt,” Frankie suggested. “You and Mia stay here with James.”
Clearing Roxy’s tiny apartment took less than an hour, and on the way home Matt stopped at the store to pick up a few things he thought she might need. Doing something practical helped to cool the anger simmering inside him.
Frankie sent the occasional questioning glance in his direction as she filled a shopping cart with food. “Are you okay?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re worried about Roxy. You want to remove Eddy’s head from his shoulders.”
Matt forced a smile. “Hopefully he won’t come near her again, and even if he tries to he won’t find her. It was generous of you to offer to let her use your apartment.” The gesture had surprised him. After all the conversations they’d had on the topic, he hadn’t expected it.
He pushed the cart to the checkout and started unloading it.
“Hey, it’s your apartment. You’re the generous one. Don’t buy that—” she removed a little girl’s outfit and two dolls “—you’ll offend her.”
“How will buying a few things for Mia offend her?”
“Because this is tough on Roxy. She needs to do it herself as much as she can.”
Matt dragged his hand over the back of his neck. “I’m being overprotective again?”
“I love that side of you. And I suspect it will help Roxy to know her friends have her back. But I think we should be a little subtle, that’s all. She’s trying to be independent. We don’t want her to misinterpret what we’re doing and take it as a sign that we don’t think she can cope.”
“Good point.” He put the outfit and one of the dolls back on the shelves. “What makes you so smart?”
“I was born that way.”
“You were born sexy, too.” And he couldn’t keep his hands off her. Ignoring the fact that they were in a public place, he leaned across and kissed her. “I know you didn’t want to move in with me. Tell me honestly—are you freaking out?”
“A little bit.” She gave a half smile and he eased away, pleased that she hadn’t lied to him but wishing her answer had been different.
“You’ve been sleeping in my apartment every night since we got back from Puffin Island.”
“I know. But this feels—” she shrugged “—I can’t explain.”
“As if the door has closed? No escape?” He didn’t need her to explain, because he understood. And the fact that she still didn’t trust what they had hurt more than it should have. Telling himself it wasn’t personal, he paid for the items and loaded them into bags. “You can escape anytime you like, Frankie. You can stay with Eva on a temporary basis if you’d rather.”
Why the hell had he suggested that? The last thing he wanted her to do was move out.
She touched his arm gently. “I’ve upset you.”
“No. Do I wish you’d move everything you own into my apartment? Yes. But I don’t want you to feel trapped. I know this is a big deal for you, and I want you to know you’re as free to leave today as you were yesterday.” He kept it easy and casual, ignoring the fact that all he wanted to do was drag her back to his apartment and keep her there. “But I’m pleased we were able to help Roxy. That was a good thing you did.”
“You’re the one doing it.” She helped him bag the items. “You’ve spent a lot of money, Matt.”