Page 123 of Unspoken Words
“Yes. Definitely,” Connor said, smiling.
I inched toward the door and held it open, hinting it was now time for him to leave.
“Say hi to Raelene and Curtis for me,” Mum added. “Tell them to drop by for a coffee sometime.”
“Will do.”
“Lovely.” Mum turned to Byron. “Byron, dear, would you mind helping me dish up the pie? I hope you like apricot.”
He didn’t, but I was sure he’d pretend to.
“Of course, Mrs Mitchell.” He held his hand back out to Connor. “It was good to finally meet you, Saxon.”
“Connor,” Connor said, correcting him with an arrogant shake.
“Yes, sorry. Connor.”
“It was good to meet you too. Enjoy the pie.”
Mum linked arms with Byron and practically whisked him away, and when they were both gone from sight, I turned to Connor, punched him on the arm, and shoved him out the door.
“Ow!” he shrieked, laughing. “What was that for?”
“Youknowwhat that was for.”
Rubbing his arm, he smirked and nodded toward the hallway. “He’s … er … nice.”
“He is.” I placed my hands on my hips. “He’sverynice.”
“I don’t like him.”
“I don’t care.”
Our eyes held together, steadfast, and I knew, just as much as he did, that what we were saying was pointless and, yet, we said it anyway to prove a pointless point.
We were hopeless and stubborn; we were each other’s strength and weakness.
Sighing, his shoulders slumped, all silly playfulness now gone. “Have a good night, Ellie.”
Connor leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on my cheek, his featherlight touch sweet, swift, and heartbreaking. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t tell him all the things I wanted him to know because, deep down, I knew he knew them already.
So I watched him walk to his truck and drive away, and then I went back inside and closed the door behind me, jumping out of my skin when Byron stepped from the shadows of the hallway.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I forced a smile and took his hands in mine. “Yes, of course.”
“You know him.”
“Huh?”
“Saxon,” he said, gesturing toward the front door, his deep earthy eyes searching mine. “You know him. Your family knows him.”
“Yes. Connor and I are friends, we grew up together.”
It wasn’t a lie.
At least, not entirely.
