Page 84 of Unsure in Love

“I don’t mind.” Throwing all previous unease and reservations about getting too close to and having a man in my domain, I cupped his face to study him a little closer. It could have been my imagination, but I think he leaned into my touch. “Have you eaten?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve eaten a proper meal in a couple of days.”

“Then I’m making you something. I don’t care what time it is.” Although my culinary skills weren’t the best, I wanted to take care of him.

“It’s okay, I can’t eat anything right now. But some tea will do me good.”

“You got it.”

I pulled away and took a step back. Damian watched me with a wariness that made me frown.

“I’d like to talk to you after if you don’t mind,” he said. “Or maybe it’s too late…” He rubbed the back of his neck.

He wasn’t the type to get uncomfortable over something as simple as talking. I eyed him with suspicion. In less than a minute, I went from feeling relieved to confused.

He’d lost his father and was grieving, but did he really come all the way here to tell me something else? Maybe that he wanted to end things—whatever there was between us. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but it was something… something special.

Blowing out a quiet breath and already bracing myself for the worst, I forced out a smile. “We can talk. I’ll be right back.”

I walked away with stiff shoulders. Why did I expect him to want someone like me? A woman with so much emotional baggage that I sometimes drove myself crazy.

Out of his sight, my shoulders sagged. I was stupid to get my hopes up when I saw him on my porch. Of course, Damian took some time to think and concluded I was more trouble than I was worth. He’d run from me like Dad ran from Mom. My mind raced a mile a minute as I moved around the kitchen, preparing tea.

For the first time, I wasn’t too proud to admit that I needed someone. I needed Damian, and he was probably about to tell me he no longer wanted to be a part of my life—not the way I’d come to want him.

I didn’t think he’d abandon his child, but maybe he couldn't deal with me. Before I walked back to the living room, I squared my shoulders, bracing myself for a hard conversation and possible heartbreak.

Damian had his head resting on the back of the couch, and his eyes were closed. I got a moment to admire him. This could be the last time I had him in my space like this. Co-parenting from a distance was going to be rough. Stifling a sigh, I projected an unbothered facade.

“Hey.”

He looked up and smiled. “Hey.”

I handed him the steaming mug and sat across from him. If he was going to tell me he was no longer interested in me, I didn’t want to get too close. Damian watched me as he sipped.

“This is good, especially after neglecting my stomach for days,” he murmured.

A pang of guilt struck me. I’d been so wrapped up in self-pity about not hearing from him when he’d been busy mourning. Thinking about that message I left him, telling him to greet his father for me, made me cringe on the inside.

“I’m sorry about the messages I left…” I closed my eyes briefly. “I was just…” Feeling so insecure, it was maddening.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“So you listened to them all.” I looked away. “Great.” If only the floor would open up and swallow me whole.

Damian’s lips twitched. It was slight, but I caught it.

I cleared my throat. “How’s Aunt Lucia doing?” She must be devastated.

“She’s doing better than I thought. All along I thought I’d be the one to help hold her together when Dad…” He sighed. “But she’s been the strong one, keeping me together. I thought I was ready, but when it happened, I completely lost it.”

My heart ached at his faraway look and the despair in his voice. “No one can ever be ready for that kind of loss,” I said.

He rubbed his eyes and went back to drinking. After a while, he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I was out of it for a while, dealing with the funeral and everything. I just got around to your messages when I got off the plane.”

“It's fine. When I didn’t hear from you…” My face got hot. Maybe now wasn’t the time to share how terrified I’d been. “I wish you had called. I would have made it out for the funeral.”

He paused, our gazes locking. “I wasn’t sure you wanted me to.”

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