Page 164 of Rewind It Back

I’m about to get out of the hot tub to go find her inside, when, through the back-door slider, I spot her marching through my house, straight towards me. She opens the back door, and the force in which she does tells me something is wrong.

“Rio DeLuca.”

Oh, she’s pissed.At me, it seems.

She stops at the base of the stairs that lead up to the hot tub, arms crossed and hip cocked out with attitude.

“Hi, baby.” My tone is cautious. “I missed you.”

She simply raises a brow, as if she’s expecting me to explain myself.

“So much?”

“What the hell, Rio?”

I stretch my arms out wide on the ledge of the hot tub. “I’m going to need you to be a little more specific.”

“Do you want to explain to me why I went online to make a loan payment, only to find that it’s fully paid off? In fact, both of my loans are.”

I should probably be concerned that she’s clearly upset, but I really enjoy it when she’s feisty like this. She also looks so fucking cute, fully bundled up in her wool trench coat and beanie pulled down over her ears, only allowing about an inch of the ends of her hair to peek out.

“Hallie, let’s go inside and we can talk about this. It’s freezing out.”

“No.”

Her quick defiance is fucking hot, so I stay seated, tracing the rim of my glass with my fingertip. “Then get your ass in here.”

She seems thoroughly unimpressed with the idea of joining me and judging by the way she doesn’t move to do that either, I know she’s not going to give up until I give her an answer.

“Fine.” I take a long swig of my drink. “I get that you feel prideful when it comes to money, especially towards me. But we aren’t on opposite teams anymore, baby, so put down the armor.”

I watch as her shoulders loosen an inch.

“I had every intention to pay them off the morning after we got back from seeing your dad, but I didn’t want you to think I was trying to buy your forgiveness. Because I wasn’t. I’m still not. But, Hal, if I was around when your dad got sick in the first place, the way I should’ve been, I would’ve taken care of the financial aspect anyway. You know that. And I think that’s why you were so against my help before.”

Her features begin to soften, and it’s the confirmation to know I’m right.

“I would’ve told me to fuck off too,” I continue, and I watch as a spark of a smile lifts on her lips. “But this isn’t me swooping in like some kind of knight in shining armor, trying to save you. To be frank, I fucked up that opportunity years ago and I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Rio,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “I need you to stop apologizing.”

I allow that request to sink in. I know she doesn’t want to hear it because she’s long forgiven me, but it’s different from my perspective.

“You should know I’m partly doing this for me,” I continue. “I’m trying to forgive myself for past mistakes I made, and watching you work as hard as you’re having to work isn’t helping that. I feel guilty when I sit at the bar and watch you serve drinks all night. I feel guilty when you get home after two in the morning, knowing that in a few hours you’re going to have to wake up to do it all over again. So, while yes, I paid them off so you won’t have to worry about them anymore, I also paid them off for me.”

Her stance shifts, softening from the defensive mode she was in.

“Because Ishould’vebeen there, Hallie. I should’ve been there to take care of it then, so I’m taking care of it now. And I need you to let me.”

Once again, I stretch my arms up over the ledge, taking up the entire corner of the hot tub. Absent-mindedly, I swipe some of the condensation off my whiskey glass as I wait for her answer, but we both know I’m not backing down when it comes to this. There’s no compromise in this situation.

She hesitates for a long while before she finally says, “Okay.”

I give her a single nod in agreement. “Now get in here.”

She exhales a disbelieving laugh. “You’re out of your mind. It’s too cold out.”

“I’ll keep you warm.” I bring the whiskey to my lips. “Take your goddamn clothes off.”

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