Page 255 of Show Me

“You did not.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

His expression softens. “I guess I got used to taking care of things for you.”

The laughter fades. The words settle between us. Not heavy. Just true.

And for the first time since everything fell apart... Being with him doesn’t feel fragile anymore.

It feels unfinished.

Chapter One Hundred Forty-One

Xavier

The rhythm of the shop is back. Compressors hum outside while Travis argues with Lewis over measurements. Dad stands behind them, arms crossed while shaking his head. But the tension is gone with Ruby’s return.

I'm halfway through checking a shipment when I notice she’s gone quiet. She’s sitting at the desk, one hand pressed against her stomach.

I set the clipboard down. “Hey.” She looks up. “You, okay?”

“Yeah.” Too quick. She swallows hard. “I’m fine.” No, she isn’t. She pushes back from the desk. “I need a minute.”

She stands and goes pale. I cross the room before she can argue, grasping her upper arm. “You gonna let me help?”

“I’m fine.”

“You were going to hit the floor.”

A weak glare. Better.

She lets me guide her toward the bathroom. The door barely shuts before she’s leaning over the sink. I pull her hair back, rubbing slow circles across her back until it passes.

When she straightens, I hand her a damp paper towel. “Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

She leans against the counter with a sigh. “I thought if I ignored it, it’d stop.”

“That working?”

Another tired glare.

“Just so you know. I tried that with the phones, and it didn’t work there either.” I kick the toilet lid down and tip my head toward it. “Sit.”

She rolls her eyes at my attempt at levity. “I can stand.”

“You almost proved otherwise.”

She sighs dramatically but sits.

“I’ll be right back.” It’s the women’s restroom, so that she can sit there all day, and no one will bother her.

“You don’t have to–“

“I know.”