Page 72 of Resisting my Roommate

But ishefinally ready to move on? I’m not sure if he can, the memory of his raw heartache the day he found me in the nursery still fresh in my mind.

“I went through something similar with Callum,” Parker continues. “He swore off love after being betrayed pretty badly. Made it clear he could never give me anything more than a no-strings fling. I took a risk and told him I wanted more after realizing I’d fallen in love with him, even though I fought it. Now I can’t picture my life without him in it.”

“And if Jude rejects me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “If he can’t give me more?”

Parker gives me an understanding look. “It’s a risk you have to take.”

I’m no stranger to rejection by any means. All my life, I’ve been rejected and tossed aside. First, by my mom. Then my dad. Most recently, by Carson.

But the idea of Jude rejecting me stings worse than I thought possible. With him, I’ve finally found a place where I belong.

A place to call home.

The idea of losing all of that guts me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

JUDE

“What’s going on here?” Abbey remarks as she walks into the house after getting home from her book club meeting. “I thought you were going to work late in the brewhouse.”

“I was.” I wipe my hands on a dishtowel and turn toward her, pulling her against me. “But I hated the idea of you being all alone in my bed with no one to keep you warm.” I feather my lips against hers.

At one point, I spent all my free time in the brewhouse. I didn’t want to be home any more than necessary. The memories that lingered in this place were too painful to bear.

Then Abbey walked into my life.

Now, I’m able to find a modicum of comfort within the walls of my house.

Thanks to Abbey.

“Remind me never to give you a day off again. I don’t care if it’s for book club. I love having you nearby.”

She smiles, but there’s tension behind it. It’s not her usual carefree, enigmatic smile that sends my pulse racing.

“What are you making?” She pushes out of my hold. “It smells delicious.”

I try not to read too much into her demeanor, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s going on. She’s been distracted all day. I want to call her out on it, press her about what’s bothering her, but I’m not sure we have that kind of relationship. Actually, Iknowwe don’t. Or we’re not supposed to.

Lately, I’ve been questioning who we are to each other more and more. Who Iwantto be to her.

“Pork tenderloin. Is that okay?”

She stands on her tiptoes and drapes an arm along my neck, her playful side returning. “You spoil me. You’re going to make it hard to—” She stops short, inhaling a sharp breath.

That unsettled feeling intensifies, my stomach hardening. “To what?”

She parts her lips, her eyes searching mine as she struggles to find the right words.

“I’m going to make it hard to…what, Abbey?” I prod, my pulse increasing with every second she remains silent.

Finally, she blows out a long breath and steps out of my embrace. “Someone came into the taproom yesterday.”

“Who?”

“An old friend from my time in the Peace Corps.”

“Okay…,” I draw out, unsure where this is going. Why she kept this from me.

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