Page 64 of Fierce-Hyde

“He held it in pretty well. But he had some harsh words for me before he took control. He thinks I self-sabotage myself.”

“I think you do,” Raina said. “It goes back to what I just said about your father. You’re almost afraid to let someone in. To even put yourself first towantto let someone in. You’re so used to helping others or doing for others that you’re the last one on the list.”

She flopped her head down on her arm and let out a little groan. “You’re right,” she said. It was muffled, but when she heard Raina laughing she knew her best friend heard it.

“Now that you know what you’re doing, you can fix it,” Raina said.

“It’s not that easy,” she said, lifting her head. “I mean, it helped talking it out with Hyde. But my mind always wants to goto something negative. Even after we worked it out I stayed the night. Which I hadn’t planned on.”

“And it’s nice to let go of any plan now and again,” Raina said.

“It was,” she said. “It was a great night. Then yesterday morning I’m lying in bed and staring at the ceiling and again, thinking about what I did.”

“You have to stop that,” Raina said.

“I’m trying. I really am. Hyde was great about it. I go take a shower while he’s making breakfast.”

“Strike three,” Raina said, interrupting.

“What?” she asked.

“Nope,” Raina said. “Not what I meant to say. How about you got the three cherries in the slot machine? Good job, close to his family, and he cooks.”

Tori burst out laughing. “Oh my. Yep, I thought that too. So silly when I just put those things on it.”

“It’s not that,” Raina said. “It’s something fun. You found those three things and they are simple, but at least he has them and you are opening your heart to more. What else happened?”

“I had nothing with me to spend the night. I washed my hair and I’m looking for a comb and I see this travel-sized leave-in conditioner.”

“And you think some other woman left it there?” Raina asked.

“Wouldn’t you?”

“Yes,” Raina said.

“There you go. But I was good and didn’t say a word. I walked to the kitchen, we had breakfast, he went to shower and then he came out with it in his hand and asked if I liked it.”

“He brought it up?” Raina asked. “I know you. You would have put it back where you found it.”

“I did. And I’m not sure how he knew I used it. But I said I did and he said that CeeCee gave it to him and bought him the shampoo with conditioner in it too. That when he moved back home he was just a mess and his hair was all dry and CeeCee told him to try those things. He couldn’t bring himself to try the sample conditioner but said he’d leave it there for me.”

“Which was nice of him to explain that without you even asking. Do you believe him?”

“I’d have no reason not to,” she said.

She sipped her coffee again and looked around the kitchen.

“Yet you’re skirting your eyes around so something else happened that you are doubting,” Raina said.

“We did the treasure hunt.”

“You’ve been wanting to do that,” Raina said excitedly.

“I have. It was my idea. We had fun. Then we went to the festival. When we were there we ran into an old high school friend of his and Ryder’s. The guy is a total toolbag. I’d say he was a meathead if I had to describe him. Big guy, good looking, missing a few screws that connect his brain and his mouth.”

Raina said. “What did he say that upset you?”

“Nothing to upset me, but just a reminder again. His name was Coop and he was going on about how he never expected Ryder or Hyde to settle down. He said a few things about Ryder and if Hyde had seen him.” She told the rest of the story to Raina.

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