Page 53 of Easy Reunion
“Pink ones, if I remember correctly,” he murmurs, alluding to the fact he’s already seen me naked. Damn.
“No. No bringing up that night,” I warn him, forcing myself to slide out of the warmth of his arms. “Go, do what it is you do at work.” I point to the door.
The corner of one side of his mouth lifts before he backs away. I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been partially holding when he turns around. What scares me is when he says, “Isn’t it difficult protecting such a soft heart?”
I square my shoulders. “I’m strong enough.” I refuse to admit he’s right.
He nods. “I don’t doubt it. I was just thinking after all this time, maybe you might want some help.”
“If I find someone worthy of it, I’d hope they’d hand me theirs and they’d have mine. So, I’d still be carrying the burden of a heart, just not my own,” I say honestly.
What crosses over his face makes me glad we’re going to have this time getting to know each other. Because at that moment, I see pain, hatred, and anger mixed with love, passion, and hope.
What happened to you, Ry?I want to probe. But I hold it in. Instead, I ask, “So, I suppose I should answer one of your many texts?”
He whips out his phone. His fingers fly before I hear a ping in my purse. “Answer that one. I’ll talk to you later. I have to head back to work.” With a wink, he leaves me standing in the common room of Le Cadeau, wondering if I’m a fool for jumping on the spinning wheel again. Reaching into my bag, I pull out my phone.
There’s a text waiting from Ry. Unlocking my phone, I open it.
All it says is,Meet me at Cafe Du Monde tomorrow morning at 7:30. I’ll buy the beignets.
Part of me wonders if I am a fool because I respond with,You’ll buy the iced coffee, too.
Within seconds I get a single word back:Deal.
For just a second, I’m taken back to when Ry would ask if there was anything he could bring me when I’d be tutoring him. “A soda? A coffee? A bottle of water? We talked for over an hour, Kelsey, you have to get thirsty,” he protested.
“I don’t need you to buy things for me, Ry,” I told him.
“Then consider this something I want to do. Friends do nice things for one another. Now tell me what you want to drink?”
I told him water because I figured this way no one would realize the drink would be for me if he were seen with it.
What happened between the boy who wanted to nurture me that I fell for and… I don’t even let myself think of it knowing I’ll back out of coffee if I do. And for whatever it’s worth, Ry’s right. I need to trust him enough to talk honestly about my questions about the past.
And to believe his answers when he gives them to me.
Eventually.
When the time is right.
Because I want to get to know the man a little more before I determine if I’m going to hold him accountable for the acts of the boy.
