Page 57 of Whisper of Love (Whisper Lake 1)

Kade had justfinished stocking sunscreen on the bottom shelf when he heard the back door slam. In the reflection on one of the displays he saw Ali walking down the aisle toward the front of the shop. She was humming, something he’d noticed she did a lot the past week. It was strange, most people hummed when they were happy, but he got the feeling that it was the opposite for Ali.

She’d been acting strange for days. Since they’d spent the night together, honestly. The real Ali was feisty, demanding, and competitive. This Ali said little but always said it with a sweet voice and a fake smile. This Ali reminded him of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Kade stood to let her know that he’d completed the final task on the list she’d given him a few days ago but when he opened his mouth no words came out.

The setting sun was streaming through the front window and it cast an ethereal mist around her as she walked toward him. Her dark blonde hair fell in soft waves around her face and he wanted to thread his fingers through it. Her skin glowed in the golden rays that bathed her. Her eyes were a translucent amber that captivated Kade in a way that nothing else did.

When those captivating eyes met his she jumped and her laptop flew out of her hands. “Ahh!”

On pure instinct, Kade reached out and grabbed it.

“What are you doing?!” she gasped.

“Stocking the sunscreen. And saving your laptop.”

With one hand still clutched to her chest she used the other to swat his arm. “You scared the shit out of me!”

That was the Ali he knew. Spunky. Fiery. Swatty.

He couldn’t help but grin down at her. “Sorry. I was just going to tell you that I finished the list.”

She blinked up at him, tried to regain her composure, and inhaled slowly. He saw her switch back.

“Thanks.” Reaching out she pulled the rescued computer from his arms. “For everything,” she said with her sweet alien-invaded Ali smile. And with that, she headed into her office.

“What’s going on with you?” he asked as he followed her inside.

Her tone was kind but impersonal as she answered him. “Just going to finish up here and then drop the boys’ stuff over at Ryder’s, they called to ask if they could spend the—”

“No. I mean, what’s going on with you? Why are you acting like…?” He paused. He wasn’t sure how to put her odd behavior into words.

She spun around to face him, her brow furrowed. “Acting like what?”

Seeing a glimpse of the real Ali gave him the incentive to say exactly what he was feeling. “Like a Stepford Wife.”

Her mouth fell open, but then it closed again.

“That’s what I mean.” He clarified. “Just say it. Ever since we had sex it’s like you’re scared to talk to me.”

“Oh. My. God.”

Anger radiated off of her as she set her laptop down on the desk beside her. She looked like she was about to rip him a new one and he had to fight the smile that threatened to show on his lips. He’d felt so off-balance this entire week not knowing what was going on in her head, what she was feeling.

He’d never felt as lost as he had these past few days, not even when he’d hit rock bottom. Because he’d always had her. Whether she knew it or not, she’d been a lighthouse in the storm of his life. And he didn’t know how to navigate without her.

“Do you honestly think that sleeping with you made me a…” She lifted her fingers in bunny ear quotes. “‘Stepford Wife?’”

“I don’t know if that’s what made you act like a Stepford Wife, but I honestly think that’s what you have been acting like since we had sex.”

“You are un-freaking-believable.” Her hands fisted at her sides and the fighter in him braced himself for a punch, but then she relaxed her shoulders and her fingers uncurled from her palms. In a measured tone she calmly stated, “I’ve been trying to be nice to you.”

“I don’t want you to try to be nice to me. I just want you to be real. I want the real Ali.”

“You want the real Ali?!” she asked through a forced laugh.

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I want, Kade?!”

“No. I don’t. I have no idea because you’re too busy being polite to tell me. And I hate it, Ali.”

“Well, guess what? It hasn’t been a walk in the park for me either.” She let out a harsh puff of air and started to walk around him.

“Wow.” He stepped to the side to get out of her way and made sure his tone conveyed just a touch of pity. “I never thought I’d see the day that Allison Walsh backed down from a fight.”

He knew he was taking a risk challenging her, but he felt like he had no other choice. He’d tried talking to her. Several times. He’d tried to give her space and time, but that only seemed to make it worse.

At this point, pissing her off was his last resort.

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