Page 108 of Cross the Line
‘I’m still not happy about you two . . . being together.’ He has to force out the last couple of words. ‘But there’s nothing I can do about it. Or that I’mgoingto do about it.’
Some of the tension eases from my shoulders.
‘You’re not going to make me break up with him?’ I try to go for light-hearted, but in reality, my tone is a little too serious for it to be taken that way.
‘You’re an adult, Wills. You can do what you want.’ He finally turns his head to look at me, his dark-brown eyes solemn. ‘But I’m like this because I don’t want to see you get hurt. I don’t care how old you get, I’ll always want to protect you. I failed you when it came to Jeremy, and I don’t ever want that to happen again. Not that I think Dev is anything like him, but I figured it was safer to keep you away altogether.’ He exhales a short, unamused laugh. ‘Looks like I failed there too.’
My heart aches at his words. He’s been trying to keep me safe in some way or another since day one. But he can’t always break my fall, and that clearly bothers him. He’s tried his best, though. That’s more than I could have asked from him.
‘You can’t protect me from everything, Oak,’ I tell him softly. I make my way over to the edge of the bed and sit beside his knees. We’re not quite touching, but close. ‘Sometimes I have to get hurt. That’s just life. Especially mine. But I don’t think Dev will hurt me, and I never want to hurt him either.’
Here I’ve been blaming myself for tearing apart Oakley’s friend group, and all the while, it looks as though he’s been beating himself up over not protecting me from them. But I’ve begun to accept that it wasn’t my fault, and I need him to realize it’s not his either.
‘I know,’ he says a few seconds later. It’s grudging, but it’s something. ‘Won’t stop me from trying to protect you, though.’
I bump his knee with my elbow. ‘Feel free to tone it down a little.’
He lifts his head enough to shoot me a narrow-eyed look, but his upper lip twitches, like he’s trying not to smile. ‘Just don’t fuck yourself up too badly.’
I snort. ‘I’ll do my best.’ Across the room, my laptop dings with a new email. From the preview on the screen, it looks like it’s from D’Ambrosi. Probably the welcome package Reid mentioned they’d be sending. ‘Hey, did Dev tell you about my new job?’
‘New job?’ This time, he sits up. ‘Didn’t your contract with him just end?’
‘Yep. But he helped line up a new one. I’ll be working with Reid Coleman and D’Ambrosi starting at the end of the break. I signed the contracts earlier.’
He blinks a couple of times, almost speechless, I think, but then he’s grinning. ‘Holy shit, Wills. Congratulations.’
‘Thanks.’ I mirror his expression. ‘This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t pushed me to work for Dev.’
‘You wouldn’t be dating him either,’ Oakley mutters, but the delight on his face doesn’t dim. ‘I may hate your guts right now, but I’m proud of you. That shit you did for Dev wasn’t easy, and it looks like it made an impression on more than just him. Takes talent.’
I give a mock bow. ‘I did my best.’
My brother rolls his eyes at my dramatics before shoving up from the bed and striding for the door, our heart-to-heart over.
‘Now get your ass up,’ he calls over his shoulder. ‘Chava made breakfast. And if you want French toast, you better get down there before Dev eats it all.’
——
Chava deserves an award for saving me a piece of French toast because Oakley was right – Dev is a carb fiend when left to his own devices.
‘Come on, you know you don’t want to eat all of that,’ he wheedles from the other side of the table, his fork poised over my plate. ‘You should eat more protein anyway. Go ahead and finish off that omelette instead.’
I knock his fork away with my own, the clang echoing through the dining room. ‘Don’t you dare.’ I shoot a glare at Mark next. ‘You created this monster.’
Mark puts his hands up in front of him, but he doesn’t look remotely sorry. ‘This is his one week to eat whatever he wants. I’m not stopping him until Friday, so either get used to it or get out.’
In that case . . .
I scoot my chair away from the table and grab my plate, taking in Dev’s disappointed face and my brother’s snicker as I do. ‘I’m going to keep Chava company in the kitchen. Eat somebody else’s food.’
‘But you’re my girlfriend,’ Dev calls to my retreating back. ‘You’re supposed to share!’
I’m glad to be turned away from him so he can’t see the smile I’m fighting. I’m pleased and relieved by how well he and my brother are getting along despite the changes that last night brought. Oakley’s going to need time to adjust, and yet he’s sitting beside Dev, laughing. I don’t know whether to believe his words or his actions, so for now, I’m taking this as a win.
In the kitchen, I settle at the breakfast bar where I can watch Chava at the stove and eat my food in peace. He shoots me a knowing look over his shoulder, like he’s not surprised to find me in here with him, but before he can say anything, a pair of arms slide around my shoulders.
‘I’ll buy you all the macarons you want if you let me eat that,’ Dev murmurs against my ear.
