Page 199 of Dangerous Encore
4
Kit
My jeans arebuzzing.
Thatquickjolt.
Atext.
Piper left in a huff after lunch, said something about needing to clearherhead.
I still don't have a fucking clue wheresheis.
And my attempts to clear my head aren't goinganywhere.
I set my controller aside and pull my cell from mypocket.
Piper: I'm going to get dinner with Ethan and Violet. I'll be home late. You don't need towaitup.
Fuck, I can hear the coldness in hervoice.
See all that pain in herexpression.
I deserve every ounceofit.
ButI…
Fuck, I still don't know how tofixthis.
"Lockhart, what the hell?" Joel groans as his character knocks my character off a ledge. "Are you trying to set a new record for most losses inarow?"
Playing video games with Joel is supposed todistractme.
But it's notworking.
My thoughts are screamingyou can'tfixthis.
"It's not like I'm putting up a fight. Damn, I have a headache." He pushes himself off the couch, moves into the kitchen, pours a cup of coffee. "I misssleep."
A few years ago, Joel with a headache could only mean a hangover. Maybe a one-night stand with a particularly heavy drinkingwoman.
Now, he's getting up at the crack of dawn to changediapers.
He's a fuckingfather.
It'sweird.
It's weirder how much itsuitshim.
He runs a hand through his sandy hair. It's longer than usual. Like he's been too busy to bother to getitcut.
Fuck, I don't care aboutJoel'shair.
Am I really that desperate to not thinkaboutthis?
"You look tired," Itease.
"You look miserable." He takes a long sip of his coffee and lets out a heavy sigh. "It's been a while since that wasyournorm."
