Page 52 of Redeeming Heart

I looked up when Brandon entered the kitchen.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” I asked, opening the boxes after grabbing two plates from the cupboard.

“Yeah, sure.” I caught him sneaking a look at the pizza and smiled to myself at how natural things were between us.

“I can sense your questions,” I said handing him a plate.

His grey eyes expressed so much but it was still hard to figure out what he was thinking.

“I don’t want to sound nosy or anything.” He expressed, watching me closely and I could feel his eyes brushing along my skin.

“You are not nosy when I give you the chance to ask your questions. I might not answer all of them but I won’t freak out.” I reasoned, grabbing a few slices of pizza and stepping away so he could grab himself some.

“Do you have to deal with your aunt like this every year?” He asked and his first question was something I didn’t expect.

“This would be the first,” I answered truthfully.

He looked at me surprised and I almost cracked a smile from feeling under pressure.

“I haven’t seen her since my mom passed away three years ago. I was in a bad place and pushed everyone away because I felt as if no one understood what I was going through. Including my aunt who at a time was like a best friend.” It felt weird that I could talk to him so easily.

“Your dad and Jonah’s mother?”

The end of my lips curved up into a smile at how he didn’t want to say it out loud.

“Getting married and yeah, I didn’t approve and I technically still don’t, but she has been good to him and Jonah needs a father after he was raised by a monster of a father.”

“What about you?” I arched an eyebrow—not fully understanding his question.

“What about me?” I asked.

“You talk about everyone else and how you understand their pain and despair but what about your own? How can people just accept that you pretend to be happy while you are bashing in the walls around you but nothing is happening?”

His question caught me completely off guard and I had no answer to his question. I sensed another presence in the room and when I lifted my gaze, I found my dad standing in the doorway staring at us.

His eyes told me that he overheard what Brandon said because guilt was written all over his face.

Brandon’s shoulders stiffened when he realized that my father overheard and he wanted to apologize but my father shook his head at him, and then excused himself.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean for that to come out. We barely know each other.” Brandon muttered and I could sense he was uncomfortable and mad at himself.

“Don’t apologize when you ask something close to the truth. You are the first person who recognizes my despair.” It was weird that he was this observant, but I let that thought slide because it felt good to know that I wasn’t that invisible to the world.

“I hope I didn’t cause any problems or discomfort between you and your father.” He seemed really worried.

I pulled up my shoulders.

“You really don’t have to be worried about it because it’s a usual thing at the Adams’ house.”

“Do you also test out dynamite in the basement? And have a wild animal as a pet?” I couldn’t control the laughter that snuck out when I caught his joke.

I know he was trying to lighten the mood and it was working.

“I believe our neighbors would have gotten the police involved a long time ago and probably had us arrested.”

We decided to join everyone in the living room and I was surprised to find my father sitting with us. He was not himself after what Brandon has said but he didn’t run to his study to hide away.

I had a feeling that it had to do with me having a guy over. I was even surprising myself that I was turning into this person. There was just something about him that made me feel calm and myself.

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