Page 36 of Where the Stars Heal

Picking up her burger, she takes the smallest bite known to mankind before dropping it on her plate in an exaggeratedway. One side of her mouth curves as she leans back in the booth, eyes locked on mine, and gestures to me.

“Happy?” she answers, her tone teasing. “Now talk.”

I chuckle quietly as my heart picks up speed. Two can play at this game. I take a slow bite, this time dragging out each chew like it’s my last meal. The defiant eye roll she gives me sends a rush of heat to my core. She knows I’m riling her up. The seconds turn into minutes, and when I finish, I pick up my milkshake, taking a long sip, humming when the coldness runs down my throat.

She huffs, picking up a fry, and I stifle a laugh at the frustration she’s trying to keep a hold of. I could do this all day with her.

“Asher,” she snaps at me.

“Yes, sweetheart?” I smirk.

“You’re infuriating, did you know that?”

“I’ve been told a time or two that I can push people’s buttons,” I say, leaning forward, my arms resting on the table. “Am I pushing your buttons, sweetheart?”

I’m fucking with her, and I can’t help but get a kick out of it. Teasing Halle is just too much fun. The little reactions she gives me, the way her eyes narrow and her arms fold over her chest, her little huffs, and the twitch of her lips when she’s fighting back a smile, are becoming addictive.She’sbecoming my addiction.

Her eyes grow tired the longer we stare at one another, morphing back into that sad gray I’ve become so used to seeing. She sinks back in the booth, waiting for me to explain myself. The air around us shifts as the playfulness flickers and dies out.

“Look,” I begin, pushing my plate aside, my tone more gentle now, “I’m sorry for earlier. I’m sorry for how I reacted to you finding that photo and for shutting you out all day.”

She doesn’t say anything and nerves begin to swim in my stomach, because I know I screwed up. I wanted today to be all about Halle letting go and having fun, but instead, I let my past get in the way, and I made her feel like a burden when I’ve come to learn that she’s not.

Taking her silence as a sign that she’s listening, I keep going, knocking my foot with hers under the table. Goosebumps rise on her arms, and I’d like to think that reaction is from my touch and not the cool A/C pumping through the diner.

“I’m not going to sit here and defend myself.” I meet her gaze, holding it. “That’s not how I work. I handled my shit badly this morning, and instead of talking to you about it first, I waited for you to speak up.”

Pausing for a second, I watch her expression soften and take in a shuddering breath.

“Because I know you have questions, and I know you worry about overstepping or getting everything wrong. But Halle, I need you to know something.” I lean over and link my pinkie finger with hers, the same way I did on the swings, my voice steady but still gentle. “You are strong. You have a voice, and your voice matters. You don’t have to be scared to use it.”

By the time I’ve finished speaking, Halle’s long forgotten about her food, and the silence between us grows heavy. Her eyes begin to well with tears, but she blinks quickly, trying to keep her emotions in check. I give her a moment to process everything I just said.

Unlinking our fingers, I lean back in the booth and wait for her. I can feel my heart hammering against my ribs as I spin my lip ring between my teeth. Maybe she’s never had anyone in her corner before, and that’s why she can’t seeherself. But I’m here now, and I can see her strength. I just need her to see it too.

Her chest rises and falls quickly, and her eyes zero in on my lip ring, a faint smile tugging at my lips at the way she fixates on it. Her gaze snaps to mine, and I watch heat rise to her cheeks, turning them a pretty shade of pink. Seeing her flustered sends a rush through me. She’s too smart, too stunning, and good to be holding herself back, to be keeping herself locked behind her walls.

“How…” Her voice is just a whisper, and I give her a reassuring smile.

I watch her take in a deep breath as she sits up straighter. Her chin tilts slightly, and my smile widens.There she is.

“How do you do that?” she asks, her tone louder now.

“Do what?” I raise one brow at her.

“See through me.” She leans forward, head tilting to the side slightly. “You see my anxiety, my panic attacks, when no one else can. How?”

My lips purse, and I take in a shaky breath. If I want to know her story, her past, then I have to give her a little of mine. Even if it makes me feel sick. Will she see me differently knowing my demons? What haunts me at night?

“That photo you found,” I start, but my voice trails off as the words die in my throat. I glance around the diner as I try to get my thoughts together. The last time I spoke about him was with Hunter when he made me come clean about everything. He accepted me, no questions asked, no judgment, and it’s only now that I realize I want the same from her.

I look back at Halle and find her eyes still on me. The look she gives me is full of understanding as she waits. Thepull between us feels stronger, and the urge to let her in overpowers me.

“Was of me and my cousin Aiden.” I pause for a moment, feeling the words getting stuck in my throat before I force them out. “It’s not easy to talk about him. We were like brothers,” I admit, glancing down for a second to steady myself. “He died a long time ago now.”

Halle sucks in a breath and something flashes in her eyes, sympathy, maybe, or understanding. My chest tightens, but I continue.

“I have nightmares, you know. It’s all that I have left from that time, but there were panic attacks once, too. So yeah, sweetheart. I see you because I was there, too.”

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