She squeezed my hand, eyes warm and understanding. Honestly, there was no conceivable way she could understand shit because I’d told her so little. That was always my problem. Hold it just long enough that it pressed the seams of my skin to bursting.
I’d done it with my mom leaving.
I’d done it with Paige showing up.
And now I was doing it with Aiden.
All the big things, the changes that I hadn’t seen coming, the pieces that made me who I was. And now, I knew, he was part of that. Even if he may not be able to say the same.
Neither one of us spoke for a moment after Paige left us alone.
“I’ll probably take a day or two off work,” I said quietly.
His brows lowered.
“I’ll go crazy sitting at home.”
Aiden sighed, briefly moving his gaze to the car where Logan and Paige weren’t even pretending not to watch us. “I’d feel better if you took the whole week. Definitely no teaching.”
“I’ve already got my classes covered.” I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt because I had nothing to do with my hands. “If I take this whole week off, that means I miss most of the next two weeks.”
He tilted his head. “Why?”
“My sister’s wedding. It’s on the calendar.” I sighed. “And the—” My voice cut off because it wasn’t like I owned the self-defense class. But it was important to me. To him, too.
I saw in his face that he wanted to ask, in the way he opened his mouth, in the searching way he watched me. But no words came out, and the searching stopped when he turned his attention to the car again.
Standing in the silence with him no longer felt tolerable, and that realization could so easily turn to frustration, to anger, if I let it.
He wanted me. I knew he did.
“Thank you, Aiden,” I said.
His jaw clenched. And nothing.
Right.
“You’re welcome.”
There was so much I wanted to scream at him in the wake of that. In the wake of those bullshit, politely spoken phrases. I wanted the Aiden who sat in the dark with me. But instead, I chose to protect what was left of my energy after a really draining twenty-four hours, and I walked to the car with my head high.
Once I was buckled in, Paige turned around and gave me a look.
“Holy shit, girl, you and I are going to talk when we get home.”
Logan sighed, pulling the gear shift so he could back the vehicle out of the driveway. “I don’t have to be a part of that conversation, do I?”
“No,” Paige and I answered in unison.
“Excellent.” He caught my eye in the rearview mirror and winked. “Ready to go home?”
I sank back against the seat and sighed. “You have no idea.”
Chapter Twenty-Two Isabel
“Please?”
“No.”
“Paige, I’m so bored.” I pushed my lip out, but all she did was roll her eyes. I’d never pouted in my life, but this seemed as good a time as any. “I have been doing nothing for the last three days. You can’t keep me here. You heard the Wolves’ chiro, he said if I feel fine, I can do light desk work. Kelly texted me that the schedule is a mess.”
She finished putting away the groceries. “Yeah, I also heard him say you needed to be careful because of how out of whack your hip was. He said ice and stretch and rest, nothing strenuous for a few days.”
“It’s been a few days.”
“He was here yesterday, Iz.”
My breath came out in an angry puff, moving into the family room so I could sit on the couch. Emmett tossed me a controller, and I shook my head. “No thanks, bud, I’ve played enough video games to last me for ten years.”
“You know,” Paige said from the kitchen, “this just shows how badly you need to find a hobby. Only workaholics freak out after three days off.”
“I have hobbies.”
She laughed. “Name one.”
“I—” My jaw set mulishly when nothing sprang to mind. “I love hanging out with my family. And … sports. I love sports.”
“That doesn’t count, Iz.” She pulled a box of Pop-Tarts out of the paper bag. “Admit it or I won’t toss you one of these.”
“That’s emotional warfare,” I told her. “And I’m not admitting anything. There is nothing wrong with loving my job and wanting to be there. I’ve always been like this. It doesn’t mean I don’t have hobbies.”
“Falling out of trees to rescue your hot boss's daughter doesn’t count, kid.”
Eyes wide, I gestured at Emmett.
“He’s not listening,” Paige said.
“Yes, I am.” He hit buttons on the controller. “You think Mr. Hennessy is hot?”
I gave Paige a look. “Answer that carefully.”
The only way I could describe her smile was pure evil. “My, my, someone sounds possessive. You never did tell me what happened.”
“Nothing happened.” Again, I pointed at Emmett.
“Liar,” she mouthed.
“So, the wedding,” I said. “Getting close, huh?”
“What an inconspicuous subject change.” But Paige smiled as she glanced down at her watch. “I actually have to go. I’m meeting Molly at her and Noah’s place to go over the last details for the rehearsal dinner. If you’re so bored, you could come.”
I tilted my head to Emmett. “What about him?”
“I’m going to my friend's house,” he said, eyes still glued to the TV. “His mom is picking me up in a little bit.”
My wheels started turning immediately. “Nah, you go ahead,” I told Paige. “I might nap.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, so I yawned for effect.
“Okay.”
“Still nothing from … her?” I asked.
Even after so many years, I didn’t love saying Brooke’s name, and Paige knew it.
Paige shook her head. “Not yet.” Paige knew about my phone call with Molly, but I still hated feeling like I wasn’t sure what to expect. “I wouldn’t worry about it. If she was going to come, she would’ve sent in her RSVP.”
I laughed humorlessly. “You guys give her more credit for manners than I do.”
Paige walked around and dropped a kiss on the top
