Page 58 of The Secrets We Built Together

"Leave them alone," Dex chided, bouncing Amelia in his arms. "They're figuring it out."

"Figuring what out?" I asked, too quickly.

Dex just grinned, turning his attention back to Amelia. Booker smiled enigmatically and changed the subject to the rehabilitation center's progress.

As they talked, I found myself watching Xander—the animated way he described his plans, the genuine excitement in his eyes when he talked about helping people. It struck me that this was the most alive I'd seen him, discussing something he truly cared about.

We finished our shopping and said goodbye to Booker and Dex, who promised to stop by later in the week. As we walked toward the car, our hands automatically found each other again.

"I think we were pretty convincing," Xander said, sounding pleased.

"Mmm," I agreed. "The town seems to be buying it."

"Carol certainly did. And half the town seemed to be watching from Mabel's jam stand."

We reached the car, and Xander began loading our purchases while I secured Amelia in her car seat. When I turned back, he was watching me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"We make a good team," he said quietly.

The words hung between us, weighted with unspoken meaning. I nodded, not trusting my voice.

As I rounded the car to the passenger side, Xander reached out without thinking and took my hand. We both froze, suddenly aware that there was no one around to perform for.

"Force of habit," he said quickly, letting go.

"Right," I agreed, ignoring the strange sense of loss I felt when his fingers slipped from mine. "Just... practicing."

Back at the cottage, we moved around each other in the kitchen, putting away our market finds. The easy rhythm we'd fallen into at the market had followed us home, and weworked in companionable silence, passing items back and forth, anticipating each other's needs without speaking.

As I handed Xander the last bag of vegetables for the refrigerator, our fingers brushed. A small, innocuous touch—the kind that had happened countless times throughout the day. But this time, neither of us pulled away immediately. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, the pretense fell away, leaving something raw and honest in its place.

Amelia broke the spell, babbling from her bouncy chair. We both stepped back, the moment evaporating like morning dew under the sun.

"I'll get her a bottle," Xander said, already turning away.

"I'll start dinner," I replied, equally eager for the distraction.

That night, after Amelia was asleep, I sat on the porch swing, relaxing in the twilight. Xander came out with two mugs of tea, offering one to me before sitting at the opposite end of the swing.

"Successful first public appearance," he said, blowing on his tea.

"Very," I agreed. "Though I noticed you broke rule number four."

He looked confused. "Which was?"

"This arrangement is about Amelia. Nothing more." I set my mug aside, not wanting to break the news that I detested the contents. "That whole thing with Ethan felt a little more... territorial than necessary."

Xander had the grace to look embarrassed. "I might have gotten carried away."

"You think?"

He shrugged, staring into his mug. "He was looking at you like... anyway, it won't happen again."

"I don't mind," I said softly, surprising myself with the admission. "It made it more convincing."

His eyes met mine across the swing. "We should add another rule."

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