He gestured around. “You’re packing, right? I can get you some movers. Take care of the lease.”
Her lips formed a silent O, but she was nodding inside. He undoubtedly thought that she was getting ready to send her stuff over to his place. “I’m not moving. I’ve just been busy, which is why I haven’t finished unpacking.”
“Oh.” Shane glanced at the couch.
She sighed. Since he wasn’t going to leave until he’d said his piece, she might as well humor him…for now. The key was to win the war, not the minor skirmishes along the way “It’s clean if you want to sit down. Just push my stuff to the side.” She slipped into the kitchen and put the plates in the dishwasher, which was already full. She dumped some detergent in and started a cycle.
He moved her notebooks over to the table and sat down. “So. You still have things to do?”
She blinked.
“You left me a note saying you have stuff to do. I was wondering how much longer you’re going to be ‘doing things’.”
She leaned against the dining table. It hurt to look at him, but at the same time she couldn’t look away without feeling like her heart would split in half. How could she love a man who didn’t trust her?
Shane stood in front of her locker, his stance stiff. Girding her loins, she glared at him, then cleared her throat. When he didn’t move away, she said, “What do you want?”
He shoved a box at her. “Here.”
“What’s that?” She looked down and gasped. It was the latest Nikon, with every cool feature she could dream of. She’d been salivating over it except she could never afford something that expensive.
“A new camera.” He pushed it toward her. “For you.”
She took a step back. “Jeez, Shane, no. I can’t accept that. Take it back.”
“You can take it,” he said, shuffling his feet. “I broke yours.”
“You know how much that thing costs? Mine was old. Not worth nearly that much.”
“I’m sure it was new and worth quite a bit when you bought it.”
She crossed her arms. “Look, I’m not taking this overpriced camera just to make you feel better.”
He blinked, the tension leaving his jaw. “You…don’t want it?”
“This isn’t about me or the camera.” Before he could respond, she raised a hand. “Forget it. I didn’t tell my parents, so you won’t be called into the principal’s office or get into trouble, okay?”
He shook his head, looking a bit mulish. “It’s not okay. I’m not doing this to bribe you.” He swallowed, then tilted his chin until he was gazing straight into her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
His voice was so low she’d thought she’d imagined it. The muscles in his jaw flexed as she gaped at him. “Did you say something?”
“I’m sorry,” he said more loudly, the set of his shoulders growing tight. He didn’t try to add “if you felt offended” or “if you felt hurt.” Just a simple apology, and he kept his eyes on hers even as a dark flush suffused his cheeks.
He was honestly, genuinely sorry.
She chewed her lower lip, debating what to do as she studied him. Her dad often said that what separated the men from the boys was that a man knew when he was wrong. And what separated cowards from the brave was the latter were able to acknowledge that they were wrong out loud.
Shane had always been like that—doing his best to rise above his circumstances. That was the reason she’d opened her heart to him all those years ago, and that was why she still loved him despite everything.
“I honestly don’t know.” She sighed, feeling empty and aching. “There are things that need to be resolved if we’re going to stay together.”
“What are they?”
“They’re—” Her phone buzzed. She glanced over, debating whether to ignore it or take it.
What if it was the investigator? She’d asked him to contact her immediately with whatever information he found.
“They’re…?” Shane prompted.