Page 35 of All Our Secrets

I pointed down the hallway and whispered. “I think Theodore’s parents are getting the wrong idea. It seems like they don’t want you here…. Or am I wrong?”

His brows furrowed and his forehead crinkled before he let all his tension out with a sigh. “They probably don’t want people to gossip. Fenkin is a small town.” He grunted. “You’re the one who wants me to leave. Don’t project that onto them.”

My heartbeat thundered in my ears. “Yeah, well, barging into my room was the last straw.”

“Will you be fine alone?” The scarred parts of his face stretched slightly as his gaze flickered over me. I squeezed my hands into fists when the urge to reach out and touch the burns that didn’t exist anymore overwhelmed me. They were just scars, but they still looked painful. My fingers didn’t seem to understand. I had the oddest instinct to soothe.

My mouth opened, then closed. For some reason, the answer was obvious, but it refused to come out so easily. “…I’m not alone.”

“You know what I meant.”

“You saw the security cameras being installed.”

Silas dragged his fingers through his hair. “You’ll call me if you need me?”

“I won’t need—”

He closed his eyes and gritted out. “Peyton.”

My skin tingled. Before I answered, Rosie yelled my name, and I left the room.

Chapter Fifteen:

the same king

Theodore

Seeing Peyton’s blush as she rushed from our bedroom felt like a knife to my chest. King had been in there with her. It reminded me of a conversation Peyton and I had years ago, when we first began dating…

“If you met this King guy, do you think you’d date him?”

Her response was quick. “Yeah.”

The rapid-fire answer actually made my stomach twist.

I’d never struggled with finding women to take home, but my interests in Peyton were more than getting in her pants. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. Her honesty was usually a breath of fresh air, but today it felt like walking on glass shards barefoot. This King of hers had stopped all contact with her. She was sad, so of course she’d think their relationship was more beautiful than it was. My grip tightened on the glass as a wave of guilt settled in my gut. It was quickly drowned out by a flash of jealousy twisting inside my chest, growing, festering.

“What about me?” I grumbled.

“What about you?”

“Am I chopped liver?”

She laughed lightly. “I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so honest.”

“Yeah, well, this dude probably lives in his mother’s basement. He’s likely a total creep.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it. He lives in Kentucky too.”

I stiffened. “Did you move here because of him?”

“God no. But knowing King lived in the state helped make it easier to take the teaching position. I wanted a fresh start and maybe… to meet King in the process.”

“The odds of you meeting him at random are close to none,” I lied as I took another swig of my beer. “I need more alcohol if I have to listen to my dream girl ramble on about her best guy friend.”

“We’re not friends anymore. Besides, you brought it up.” Her eyes sparkled under the lights in the bar as she leaned into my arm. “Dream girl? Am I really?”

I focused on her lips. “I’ll make you forget everyone before me.”

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