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Opening the pantry, I step in and start pulling out containers.
“Are you all right?” His deep voice rolls across my skin like a heat wave. I turn slowly, my gaze meeting his. I momentarily get lost in those deep brown irises.
“Yes and no. I’m embarrassed that I fell. I can’t believe I did that. But I’ll be okay.”
“Accidents happen. Just be glad you didn’t get hurt.”
I scoot by him and empty my arms. Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, coconut, and chocolate chips cover the counter.
“Where did…” I trail off, moving to the opposite side of the kitchen to grab the containers of pecans and walnuts. “Brown sugar!” I move back to the pantry and grab the jar of brown sugar, the bottle of vanilla, and a bottle of maple syrup.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting?—”
“I appreciate you’re worry, but asking me if I’m okay after I’ve already told you I was is only serving to piss me off. I don’t want to sound ungrateful here; cause I’m not. You and your team are wonderful. I just want to put the last half hour or so behind me. Pretend it didn’t happen and bake some dang cookies for you all. Is that too much to ask?”
I am being a bitch right now. He’s concerned, I appreciate that, but I need to get myself back together, and I can’t do that with him watching me. I feel raw right now. Seeing Carter does that. I was sure after everything had been settled, I’d never have to deal with him in any way.
How had he found me; that’s what I want to know. I feel heat rolling down my cheeks as my mind races through the memories. Carter had used my husband; the big man with a heart of gold saw no wrong in his childhood friend. More like a leech that held on for dear life. He’d swindled money and property out of Barney. But no more. He would not come back into this family.
Warm hands grip my shoulders, and I turn to find Ian there, his brows pinched. Silently, he turns me around and wraps his arms around me. The warmth of him, the safety I am swamped with is too much. A sob rips through me.
He holds me silently, while I cry into his chest.
Chapter 4
Ian
I’ve seen women upset before, but this—this is akin to devastation. Or utter heartbreak. I’m not sure and either way, I don’t know how to help or what I can even do.
This isn’t how I saw my morning starting. Coming in, ready to get the new plans laid out and the outside garden started derailed. And now we’re on the back burner.
Walking in to find Tori on the floor, unconscious and unresponsive, had been a literal kick in the gut. Panic rolled through me along with anger and a feeling—I wasn’t quite sure what any of this meant. No, that’s a lie. I’d started having feelings toward this beautiful human and to see her like that, it broke something inside of me.
Then to have that asshole Carter push his way inside, like he belonged here, boasting that he was a friend. He rubbed me the wrong way from the moment he opened his mouth. His tune changed when Tori came around.
Calling her his own nickname, even after seeing how upset she was getting, made me want to punch him in his arrogant face. If it hadn’t been for Mack, that’s exactly what would have happened too.
The hurt and anger she felt at finding him here, in her home, was all over her face. She masked it well—but we all saw it. They boys had thankfully stepped in to escort the worm out of the house. I could only pray, for his sake, that he heeded the warning she gave him. If he knew what was good for him, he’d stay gone.
If not, I’d make sure I showed him out myself. Whether he was able to come back in after that wasn’t really up to the same part of me.
With everyone else going out to see about their work, I set off after Tori.
Watching her in the kitchen, doing her best to pretend to be okay; it’s hard. I let her fuss and pretend she was in control until the tears started rolling down her cheeks. I finally give in, letting myself be the one to comfort her. I wrap my arms around her, encapsulating us into a bubble of safety, letting her release the building emotions as she needs to.
If she needed to scream, she could do it at me. If she needed a punching bag—well, I’d have taken that too. Anything to help her.
Her body shakes in my arms.
“I’m here. I’ve got you.” I hug her a little tighter, showing her that I mean it. “You’re safe here.”
Her fists ball into my shirt as she fights to get a hold on herself. I don’t care. She should do whatever it is she wants.
“I’m sorry,” she says, trying to pull back. I give in, but only enough so she can look up at me.
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Tori, not one damn thing.”
There’s been something growing between us since our first meeting. That day I’d left the meeting with a need to know more about this fun, quirky woman. I wanted it all. She’d been full of light-hearted banter and sass. She knew what she wanted and what she could do to get it. I’d been run over by her. It was—to date—one of the most invigorating days of my life.
