Page 67 of Delicate Escape

“Are you okay?” He turned to see what I’d been looking at, but when I followed his line of sight, no one was there.

“Fine. I just thought I saw…” I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Jumping at shadows.”

Shep reached across the table and linked his fingers with mine. “Might be that way until you get used to this sort of thing.”

I nodded, looking over his shoulder. That was always the problem. I never knew when my mind was playing tricks on me and when it was right and telling me to run.

26

SHEP

My phone dinged justas I pulled to a stop in front of Thea’s house. Glancing down at the screen, I saw that one of my siblings had changed the name of the chat toPlease Return to Sender. I grinned as I shook my head.

Cope

Shep, what in the actual fuck? You’re moving in with a WOMAN? These are the things you inform your brother about.

A few days had passed since Thea invited me to stay. I’d wanted to give her time to back out or change her mind, but she hadn’t. So, here I was, with all my essential belongings in the back of my truck and everything else in storage.

Me

Chill. Not that kind of moving in.

But that wasn’t exactly right either. I wasn’t sure what Thea and I were. Not only friends but not more than that either. We were in some sort of in-between. But I’d take that over anything else any day of the week.

Kye

Why do I find it hard to believe that you’re moving into a random broken-down house in the middle of nowhere but have zero interest in the woman who lives there?

Me

Her house isn’t broken down. And even if it was, it’d be a hell of a lot better than living with you.

Kye

You built my house, asshole.

I chuckled to myself, and my fingers flew over the keyboard.

Me

Your house, I love. It’s you residing in it that’s the problem.

Rhodes

Children, play nice.

Cope

You all suck. You never keep me in the loop.

Fallon

Then maybe you should come home once in a blue moon. I swear I’m going to forget what you even look like.

Kye

Just find one of those billboards a few towns over. What are you selling now? Boner pills or tube socks?

---