Page 67 of What We Keep
“Get the hell out of here,” Haven spoke to Brad dismissively.
When I glanced between the men, the contrast couldn’t have been more stark. While Brad was handsome, it was polished and calculated. Haven was everything he wasn’t. Brad used an attitude and superficial confidence to make it seem as if he was assured. Haven was the real deal. He was in shape, not because he worked out, but because his life demanded it. His strength was rugged and assured because his life demanded that too. He fought fires. He led hikes through the wilderness. He was all rugged and pure man. None of it an affectation. All of it deeply real.
Even in this brief interaction, it was clear that Brad knew there was no sense in trying to make it seem like anything else. It was like watching two male dogs circle each other, and Brad ran off with his tail between his legs. He held his hands up, taking a step back. “Whoa, buddy. Back off.”
Haven eyed him steadily. I could practically hear a silent growl in his throat. “I don’t know what the fuck you want, but?—”
Then Brad tried to go and be stupid. “Don’t overdo it, tough guy.”
Haven didn’t even move. “I’m a lawyer. I’ll bury you in lawsuits if you don’t get off my property right now.”
I often forgot that detail about Haven. He didn’t talk about it much.
Brad was quiet for a few beats. Haven moved, taking one step in his direction. Brad blanched. “Calm the fuck down, man. I’m out of here.”
I didn’t realize my eyes were welling up with tears until Brad was climbing into his car, and Haven turned to face me.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
I blinked. I felt like even more of an idiot because I should have handled this myself. I didn’t need some guy swooping in to straighten it all out for me. Yet it only made me love Haven more. He had no idea what a mess I was.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, and I couldn’t. All I could do was turn, shake my head, and tighten my arms around my waist. “I have to go.”
“Elsa, wait!” Haven called as I turned.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Haven
I jogged down the steps, catching up to Elsa in a few strides. She spun back.
“I just need some time to myself. It’s fine, I promise. I’m fine,” she insisted.
It was all I could do not to reach for her arm, but I just chased off a guy who grabbed her arm, so I wasn’t about to do that. I watched quietly as she turned and hurried away. One of the goats had gotten loose and trotted over to her, headbutting her in the knee. She leaned down to pet Dolly before walking off.
I stood there, looking toward that vehicle that just left, shiny and black. Maybe a little dusty from the drive down our road, but that was it.
Cole’s voice reached me. “What’s up?” he asked as he approached.
I pondered Brad, Elsa’s ex. I didn’t know what the hell to think about that. We hadn’t defined anything, but I knew my feelings. I sensed Elsa had no idea how much she meant to me.
Over the following days, it became clear that whatever happened with that guy built a wall between Elsa and me. Oh, she didn’t stay out of our nights. We were still tangled up in the sheets every night, but I could feel the distance. When we were skin to skin, her heart was barricaded away.
As usual, I was so busy I barely had time to breathe, much less ask her what the hell was going on.
“What’s wrong with you?” Tommy asked one morning.
“What do you mean?”
He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Well, ever since that day that guy came, you’ve been weird. You’re not as nice as you were with Elsa. What happened?”
He wasn’t wrong on that count.
I tried to talk to Elsa a few times, but she didn’t let any conversation go past the surface. A few days passed, and I stopped in at Firehouse Café with Jude to check on Janet and see how things were going after the fire upstairs. A hint of smoke lingered in the lower part of the café.
Luna glanced up as she handed me a donut. “For you.”
“I didn’t order one.”
