Page 29 of Love Finds Home

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell him, never taking my eyes off Elle.

“Fuck. You can lie to yourself, asshole, but it’s written all over your damn face. You need to stay away from that.”

“Why? Do you know something?”

His lips curl up in a wicked grin, the one that scares small children and the elderly. “Do you not want to stay away? I thought that was your M.O.”

“I don’t know what the fuck I want,” I quietly admit to him. “And before you give me any shit, can you stay away from Ginny?”

“Fuck you, motherfucker,” he’s quick to return.

“So let’s just not, okay?”

“If you say so. But when you need the inevitable guy talk, I’m here.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I tip my chin in his direction. “Same applies to you, ya know.”

This is why Joker is one of my best friends. He calls me on my bullshit, but he also lets me keep that bullshit. I can call him on his, too, and at the end of the day, we know that we have each other’s back, and if anything happens, we will be there for each other. Today is just one example. Something happened to Lottie, and the troops rallied.

Once everybody has comfortably gotten their drink on, I watch Elle disappear down the hall and I can’t help but follow. Is it a good idea? Hell, no. It’s not even a great idea. But I do it anyway. And when I catch her at the very end of the hall with her back pressed into the wall and her head tilted up, blowing out a deep breath with her eyes closed, I decide it might be an alright idea. When I get closer, I see her hands balled into fists.

“Elle,” I call out, making her jump. “Hey, it’s just me.”

“Fuck, Ranger. You scared the fuck out of me.”

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to. What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Tink.” I smirk at her.

She returns the smirk with one of her own. “Been a long day.”

I nod my head in agreement. “Are you doing okay?”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”

That’s just it. I don’t want to worry about her, but I do. I can’t seem to help it. I don’t know if it’s because she’s Tiny’s sister and Tiny is one of my best friends and therefore I have to watch her, or if it’s because it’s her. I lean against the wall next to Elle in the same pose, keeping my face forward, looking out to the bar’s main room.

“You know, I’ve been thinking.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” She gives me a humorless laugh.

“Probably not,” I agree.

“What, good sir, have you been thinking upon?”

“Well, now I’m thinking how shitty your accent is.” I chuckle.

She knocks her shoulder into mine, a small smile on her face.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking I probably need to apologize to you.”

“Why?”

“For what happened a couple of weeks ago.”

“What happened?” She slides her eyes my way.

---