Page 75 of What We Keep
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” She blinked, her lips swollen from our kiss. “Our office is the first place they call when there are stranded whales, and my boss is out of town, and some?—”
I shook my head. “You don’t need to explain. I just missed you, and when I couldn’t get ahold of you and saw your text…” I gestured toward the dark ocean inlet. “I was a little worried.”
“I know, but the whale’s fine, her calf is fine, and everybody’s safe.”
I cleared my throat. “Next time, can you text me before you drive out into the darkness?”
She smiled sheepishly. “I will. I wasn’t thinking. It’s been… Well, should we drive home now?” she asked softly.
“Yes.” With my emotions spinning inside, I needed something to focus on and slow my thoughts down.
“We can talk on the way,” she said with a little laugh when I leaned close to give her another kiss.
“We can.” I was reluctant to even drop my hand away from her, but there was only one way to drive. Driving wasn’t going to work with me leaning across the console and kissing her over and over again.
Once I started driving, with the beam of lights on the road ahead of us as we wound through the turn upon turn of Turnagain Arm, I spoke, “I know I overstepped by interfering with Brad. I just?—”
“It’s okay. I overreacted. I could have handled it myself, but I appreciate what you were doing. Brad is a jerk, and he can be pushy. And to be honest, him hearing it from you and knowing that you could be a real nuisance to him is probably best.”
“I know you can handle it yourself,” I replied gruffly. I reached over, squeezing her knee.
When I turned my hand over, she laced her fingers in mine. Just being able to touch her soothed the rampage of emotions and desire coursing through me.
“Sometimes I can be overprotective,” I said with a chuckle.
She squeezed my hand, and I was relieved when she giggled. “As long as you understand that I can take care of myself.”
“Sweetheart, I know you can take care of yourself.”
I took a breath, feeling the tension bundled inside me ease slightly. “How long were you with Brad?”
“You don’t need to worry about Brad at all,” she said quickly.
“I know that. I’m just curious.”
“Are you jealous?” When I slid my gaze to hers, her eyes were wide with disbelief.
I bit my lip, wanting to fib, but this was Elsa. This was us. “Maybe a smidge. Don’t worry. It wasn’t like I thought you still had a thing for the guy, but I was like, what the fuck? Who is this guy?”
Elsa sighed, the sound deep and heartfelt. “I haven’t had the best judgment in men. Present company excluded.”
“Oh, so I’m a good choice?” I teased lightly, trying to ignore the doubts that so often clamored in my mind. Not specifically about Elsa, but about whether I could be everything she needed and deserved.
“Definitely.” She twisted her lips with an eye roll before shaking her head. “You knew my childhood, Haven. I just… I never felt like I fit in. And that’s saying something when you’re from Alaska, you know?”
“I know. I get it.”
“My dad let my mom down a lot, even though he loved her. My therapist said I might have some issues with feeling emotionally abandoned because of how he died, and that he could’ve tried to help himself, but he didn’t. She said that sometimes that plays out in feeling like you might literally be abandoned. Unconsciously, I found men who weren’t like my dad at all. Like, had their life together. All the traditional trappings, financial success, regular job, all that.” Elsa circled her hand in the air. “And quirky guys like my dad are a better fit for me. I guess? But you’re not like my dad either.”
I chuckled. “Uh, no, I don’t think so.”
“When you stepped in with Brad, all my reactions kicked in, so I panicked.” She paused. “I hate admitting the next part.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Elsa
Haven stroked his thumb over the back of my hand and down along the edge of my wrist. His touch was soothing yet also distracting. But then, Haven distracted me all the time.
