Page 118 of The Sound Of Silence

“I just stopped by to say hello. Where were you just now?” he says, his gaze tracking me as he saunters my way, like the hunter stalking his prey.Oh God, was Jesse right?

He comes to a stop barely an inch in front of me, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Where was I?” I ask in confusion. Confusion that thickens when he laughs.

“I meant up here.” He reaches out and points to my head, the tip of his finger lingering on my skin. “You didn’t hear me come in.”

“Sorry, I was brainstorming something for work,” I lie. He doesn’t need to know my business. In fact, I don’t even know why I’m apologizing.He snuck into my shop.

“Right.”He doesn’t believe me.“It’s nice to see you smile.”

I gulp back the negative words that were about to come out of my mouth and smile again. That was actually a nice thing to say. Doesn’t mean I’m not still a little on edge, but the spine tingling has settled.

“Thank you.”

“It’s been a strange week, huh?”

I huff out a laugh because that’s the understatement of the century.

“It has, and I’m sorry I never really answered you.”

“There’s still time. We’re heading home tomorrow, and…”

He keeps talking but it fades to background noise when I notice Tate peering through the window.

The darkness casts a shadow over his features, but from the little light there is, I can just make out the edge of his lips turned down into a frown.

Are they friends? Or is he looking at me?

The only person I’ve heard Alex mention was his uncle. I assumed he was visiting family.

“…so, what do you say?”

Shit! “Pardon?” I haven’t heard a word.

Something akin to anger flashes across his face, but it’s so fast, there’s a possibility I imagined it. And when a sympathetic smile appears, I’m even more convinced.

“Is everything okay?” he says, squeezing my arm as he glances over his shoulder. “You went back into your head.”

If he notices Tate, he doesn’t say anything, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. He’s clearly there. Staring. It feels like something that warrants a comment.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize again. “I just have a lot going on,” I lie.Again. And then because I seem to have turned into a woman who can’t keep her mouth shut, I blurt, “Do you know Tate?”

Alex glances around, before his gaze rests back on mine, giving nothing away.

“I do,” he admits, his voice lacking emotion. “And this may ruin my chances but…” He curls his lips into a comedic grimace. “We met in jail,” he says with a laugh, as though he’s joking. But I’m pretty sure he’s not. “We were in for the night, accused of being drunk and disorderly.”

“Okay. And were you?” I ask with a forced grin, my eyes briefly flashing Tate’s way.

Alex laughs out loud and squeezes my arm, a little harder this time. “We were.” He smiles, saying the words proudly, like it’s a badge of honor, and while it’s sort of a relief that it wasn’t anything worse, it’s alsonota relief.

“Well, it’s nice you found each other. Anyway, I’ve got a long night ahead, and—”

“Say no more. You’re busy. I get it.” He holds his hands up and takes a step back. I’m so relieved I bend down in some ridiculous half curtsy, half wave kind of thing, before turning to walk him to the door.

I’ve barely taken a step when he grabs my shoulder, pulling me to a stop, his fingers sinking into my skin as he turns me to face him.

“Wait. The date?”

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