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Abbie tries to rush toward her. I catch her arm and turn her back to me. “Easy, baby. Everything is going to be fine. I promise you.”
“You can’t make that promise. Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.”
There’s a hint of agitation with that reprimand that I don’t miss. She’s been burned. She’s been made promises her ex didn’t keep. Maybe it even ties back to her MIA father. People have let her down. I won’t.
“I don’t make promises that I can’t keep. We’re going to be fine. Separately and together. You’ll see. And you’ll also see that I’m a man of my word, Abbie.”
She breathes out. “I’m sorry. You’ve given me every reason to trust you, Gabe, but people say things to comfort others and I don’t want everyone to keep telling me that it’s going to be okay. I hate fluff comfort. Words don’t fix problems.”
“No,” I say, aware that while she might not realize it, she’s allowing me to see her fears, to understand them, and that’s a massive step between us I won’t allow her to regret. “I’m not using words to comfort you. I’m using knowledge and trust. Reese’s knowledge and my trust in his skills. I want you to remember that as we move forward.”
I turn us toward the door and this time she catches my arm. “I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry that I judged you by everyone before you when we just talked about not letting our pasts dictate our present together.”
I drag her to me and kiss her. “Show me later when we’re finally alone.”
“I will,” she promises, her lips curving. “And I’ll be thinking of all the ways I can do that between now and then.”
“Now you’re just teasing me.”
“Yes,” she says. “I am.” Her voice softens. “And I like it.”
The way she says those final words, all soft and sweet, it’s clear she’s not talking about sex. She’s talking about us, about this, whatever is happening between us. “As do I,” I whisper, my fingers caressing her cheek, goosebumps lifting on her skin, a shiver following.
“Let’s get you inside and warm,” I say leading her back into the house where we join Carrie in the kitchen.
“Any other updates?” Abbie asks, settling on a barstool while I sit down on the one next to her and across from Carrie.
“The police want to question you both,” Carrie says. “Reese is coordinating his court schedule with them but I think it’s going to be a few days out.”
“An eternity to worry about how this is going to turn out,” Abbie whispers, staring down at her cold cup of coffee. “I can’t take it.”
I grab her cup, drawing her attention to mine. “A day gives them time to find answers and decide they don’t need us.” I sip from the mug. “And that’s cold.”
Carrie stands and takes it from me. “Let me warm that up for you.” The doorbell rings.
“That must be Reid,” Carrie says, setting the cup right back down in front of me. “That door automatically locks with some new security system Reese and Cat installed. I don’t think he has the code to get in yet.”
Wanting another chat with Reid alone, I push to my feet. “I’ll get it.” I wink at Abbie. “I love to see my cold-hearted bastard of a brother greet his dog with baby voices.” I don’t give her time to question my intentions, hurrying out of the room.
Once I’m at the door, I confirm it’s Reid and let the bastard in and sure enough, he does the baby voices as he greets Nikki. It’s like a show you never thought you’d see and get to see it on repeat. “Dexter likes me,” he says, tossing Nikki’s ball and watching her disappear into the other room. “I think he needs to move in with us.”
“Forget it, man. Dexter would rip your throat out if he got the chance,” I promise. “I’ve seen what you haven’t.”
Reid lowers his voice. “So he’s hiding behind the nice guy routine? Sounds familiar.”
I grimace. “You got something to say, say it.”
“You don’t have to play nice with me. I don’t have to play nice with you. If you’re getting serious about Abbie, you have to be honest with her. Are you prepared to do that?”
“Fuck man. You have to go there today?”
“Yeah, I do. The demon door has to be opened.”
“Shit man, you think I need to go commando with her before I’ve even asked her to move in with me? What the fuck, Reid?”
