Page 63 of All My Heart

“Right,” Luna said. “Do you still want me to help install the wood wall in the bedroom?”

“Of course.”

Luna nodded. “I'll get started on it tomorrow. The pieces were delivered.”

“I'll work on tiling.” This didn't feel the same. We weren't working together as a team. Instead, we'd each have our own projects. I didn't like it. But I couldn't figure out how to get us back on track. If that was even possible at this point.

Luna smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. “I'll stay out of your way. I know how important it is for you to bond with your brother again.”

“You can still help. I know you wanted to learn how to do it.”

Luna nodded, her fingers gripping the wine glass. “Yeah, that would be good.”

There was something between us, a distance that wasn't there before. “Is everything okay?”

Luna winced. “I was just surprised to see your brother. I wasn't prepared for that.”

I chuckled. “And we were naked.”

If they found out, my family would rib me about it. But I could see how Luna would be more upset. She didn't want to meet my family naked. But we weren't long-term. So it wasn't the same as if I was bringing her home to meet my family.

Teddy's suggestion that I bring her to the farm was in the back of my head, but when I tried to say the words out loud, I couldn't. That wasn't the kind of relationship we had. I wanted to keep the family and farm separate from her and the cabin.

Luna stood and walked toward the door. “I should get to bed. I have to do some work for my dad tomorrow, then the wall.”

I stood to follow her, my heart in my throat. “You don't have to work on my cabin if you're busy with other things.”

“I want to finish what I started. It's important to me.” Luna opened the door.

I softened. “Of course.”

Then I was maneuvered out the door and onto the porch before I realized what was happening.

“Have a good night, Axel.” Luna shut the door.

What just happened? We hadn't spent an evening apart since that first night. Maybe this was her way of creating distance to protect herself.

I could respect her decision to do that. I'd had a lot of the same thoughts.

The cabin felt emptier without her in it. If I wanted to use a bathroom tonight, I'd need to get the toilet installed. Good thing it was delivered. At least I could use the sink in the kitchen. The next step would be the shower. I wasn't sure if I could use Luna's anymore.

I grabbed the toilet from the box in the garage and carried it inside. I got to work installing it, which was easier than removal. When I was done, I wiped the sweat from my brow. I kind of wanted to take a shower. But we had a lot of tile to do first.

I texted Teddy and asked if he could start tomorrow. When he said yes, I changed for bed and picked up one of my books I hadn't read since I saw Luna naked in her hot tub that first night.

The lights at her place were off. I shouldn't be feeling the loss, but I was. We weren't states apart, but we might as well be.

Did it make sense to make things right before she left? I didn't want to end things on bad terms. It hurt not to see her for one night. How would it feel when she was gone?

I rubbed the ache in my chest. Luna was just shocked that my family infiltrated our bubble. She'd come around. She had to.

I couldn't imagine her living here and us not being close. If she wanted to break things off sooner, then I'd have to respect her decision. Even though it would suck.

I read until my eyes hurt, but I couldn't fall asleep. I'd gotten used to having Luna in bed with me. I hadn't had trouble falling asleep with her next to me. I tossed and turned, knowing I had to get used to not having her. She wasn't mine and never would be.

The next day, I got up early, went for a run, then washed up in the kitchen sink. I needed to get this bathroom done. I called Teddy and told him to come over any time. Then I piled the boxes of tile Luna had chosen for the bathroom outside the room.

She picked larger gray slate tiles for the walls. I thought it looked both modern and masculine. The bathroom colors would be grey and white with navy blue accents. The accents apparently being the towels.

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