Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
He was my type of romantic. We both enjoyed having fresh flowers on the kitchen table at home; we liked to surprise each other with little gifts and deliveries. Like when he worked late, I’d sometimes send over food to his office. We wrote cheesy notes. Something I knew we’d had in common with Tate and Kingsley.
I spoke on autopilot, telling Reese about all the little things that’d brightened my day. The emotions followed. I couldn’t hold back the tears just as I had never been able to hold back the niggling worry about Walker and me not being on the same page.
When we were good, we were fucking perfect. But when shit was bad, it was apocalypse-worthy.
“I reckon that’s a good spot for my next question,” Reese said. He loosened his hold on me and touched my cheek. “When did the problems start?”
I blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand over my face. “Hard to say. So much happened at once. But in the beginning, I was too in love to worry. Like, he always preferred quiet nights in. I enjoy going out. So we compromised a lot, and it wasn’t an issue at all. It never is in a new relationship, right? Because you’re walking around on fluffy pink clouds with a deliciously sore asshole.”
Reese laughed and shook his head.
I scratched my nose. “It’s the truth.” I shrugged. “Either way, the biggest changes came when his mom died and I opened my restaurant. I don’t think he was fully prepared for how long my hours would be. All of a sudden, I worked more than he did.”
“Makes sense.” Reese nodded slowly. “And maybe you weren’t fully prepared for how Walker reacted to his mother’s passing.”
Fuck no, I wasn’t. But…the way he phrased that… His tone…
“Has Walker said anything?” I had to ask.
“Not recently,” he replied. “But back then—and that made sense too. I know you did a lot for him with the funeral. So does Walker, for the record. He was just absolute shit at showin’ it at the time.”
I frowned. “So what did he say?”
“That it might’ve been difficult for you to relate,” he said. “That you lost your patience after a while and possibly put an expiration date on grief—because you and your ma were never close. Which—let’s face it, River and I know what that’s like. We didn’t mourn our mother the way most would. That was the woman who couldn’t understand her own sons’ brotherhood. She didn’t get how linked we were.”
I nodded slowly and dropped my stare again. He probably had a point. I did remember being uncomfortable with how intense Walker’s grief had been. Dean’s too, for that matter. And it just went on and on and fucking on…
I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck.
“You grew up brushing things off, Macklin. You had to pick yourself up off the ground, just like Riv and me. And that can make us…I don’t know, a little hardened. Maybe a bit dismissive too.”
He was right, wasn’t he?
It wasn’t like I’d ever told Walker to get over it already—or anything remotely similar—but Reese was correct about the patience. About six or seven months after Walker’s mom had died, I’d struggled to understand when, out of the blue, he was struck by grief and “needed a moment.”
“Let me put it this way,” Reese said. “It’s been four years since the death of your marriage. Innit time to move on?”
I looked to him sharply, instantly irritated, only to find a soft, infuriating little smirk on his lips.
“Or maybe you only count it as two years.” He nudged me. “Y’all relapsed more than an ’80s rock star on heroin.”
I scowled at him.
“Quit it,” he chuckled. “I’m only putting things into perspective for you.”
“I get it,” I muttered, still annoyed. “I know I have to talk to him. I just…don’t know how. Seeing him again—anything can happen, Reese. Fucking anything.”
Walker and I had gone through this before. Post-breakup meetups that resulted in everything from instant argument to hatefucking each other’s brains out. I’d collapsed in his arms, sobbing how much I missed him, and I’d stood there stiffly, not knowing what to say at all.
“That a problem?” Reese grinned lazily. “It’s part of why we’re hosting your little reunion far away from civilization.”
Christ. “So he’s really on his way to Florida right now. He’s coming here.”
He checked his watch. “He’s already landed. I’m guessing he’s renting a boat right around now.”
Holy fuck. Of course, he was renting a boat.
Nausea slithered upward again, and I had to swallow repeatedly.
I side-eyed Reese as a thought struck. “I will murder you if you throw me off the boat to hash it out with him on an uninhabited island no one’s heard of.”
He barked out a laugh and draped an arm around me. “Tempting—but no. The other reason we’re doing this far away from people is that Riv and I missed out on our first Game last summer. We met Shay after The Hunt. Remember?”