Page 127 of Override

"Fine."

Nobody says anything.

Which is somehow worse.

I don't have to look up to know they're all staring at me.

Waiting.

Judging.

Wheels is the first one to crack. "That answer felt emotionally unavailable."

I don't even look at him. "Thank you, Dr. Phil."

"You're welcome."

Rachel hides a smile behind her coffee mug while Matt doesn't even bother lifting his eyes from the file in front of him.

"Leave him alone."

"Why?" Wheels asks, pointing across the table at me. "Watching him panic has become my favorite hobby."

I lean back in my chair with a sigh.

I hate this family.

An hour later everyone has drifted into smaller conversations. Bullet is outside taking a call. Matt and Rachel are in the kitchen. Sloane showed up somewhere in the middle of the briefing and immediately started stealing everyone's food. Which apparently nobody has the authority to stop.

I find myself standing on the back deck staring out into the dark. Thinking. Which is always a mistake.

The sliding door opens. Then closes. A second later Wheels appears beside me. Beer in hand. Entirely too cheerful for a man his age. Neither of us says anything at first.

Eventually Wheels bumps his shoulder into mine. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"The thing where you think so hard you look constipated."

I stare at him. "That's offensive."

"It's accurate."

Unfortunately, it is. I sigh.

Wheels waits. Not pushing. Just waiting. Which means he's serious.

That realization alone is concerning.

For a while we stand there in silence.

Then he asks quietly, "You like her?"

The question hangs between us. I should deny it. I don't.

"Yeah." The word surprises even me.

Because it's the first time I've said it out loud. Wheels nods slowly. Like he'd already known.