Page 35 of Hearts on the Mend

“Leave it to you, Hellcat,” he whispers against my ear. His fingers flex, pressing against my stomach.

I lean back in his arms, lost in his stormy eyes, in the frown on his face. But he’s not in a rush to drop me, and I can’t seem to get my feet to move.

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

“Then get out your list. Looks like we need to fix the porch.”

“And buy a wine opener,” Jack says, laughing.

Chapter 11

Nolan

With Ethan and Jack’s help, I managed to chop and stack enough wood that we can finally fire up the woodstove in the kitchen. And with Izzy and Sloane’s help, the girls cleaned out the living room so we can tear up the old shag rug, and they started steaming off the layers of old wallpaper in the hallway.

Progress.

I’d be happier about it if all four of them weren’t giving me shit all afternoon. Especially my brothers. Ethan and Jack treated me like I was something that would break.

But I’m fine.

I’m in fucking therapy, for Christ’s sake. It’s good.

Now the house is quiet, and Cassie is upstairs.

There’s this weird buffer zone like no-man’s-land stretching between us. But even I can tell we’re thinking of something to break it with, with the tension in the air.

Joke’s on her because I’m stubborn as hell. I won’t cave first. It’s her rule that we have separate spaces. She wants to break it, she needs to come to me.

The pain tonight is enough to make me scream, but I focus on what I can control. Tylenol isn’t going to do much for the breakthrough pain, but I flushed the last few pain pills I had before moving in. Didn’t feel safe to have that in the house with Ruby.

I’m sitting at the kitchen table, my back turned toward the hallway, when I hear Cassie pad down the hall in those silly otter slippers. She insists they were a Christmas present.

“Sorry,” she says.

“For?”

“Didn’t know you were here.”

“I can leave.” I move to stand, but her hand slips over my shoulder, gently pushing me back in my seat. A casual touch, lightning quick. Searing. The aftershocks send a shiver down my spine as she moves to the cupboard, pushes to her toes, and reaches up for a box of brownies.

“Thought I’d bake something.”

“Hmm.” It’s all I can say.

Her hair is tossed up in a messy bun with a hot-pink scrunchie. A big smiley face on the back of her oversized sweatshirt that mocks me with “Be Kind To Your Mind” in big bold letters.

“Your brothers are nice.” More rattling as she digs out a pan and bowl, then tosses a whisk onto the counter. “And Izzy and Sloane are great. Have you known them long?”

“Sloane basically grew up with us. Met Izzy when I was home last.”

“When was that?” As soon as Cassie asks, she must realize the answer. She tries hiding a grin, but it’s too late.

“Last winter.”

Cassie swallows, her cheeks pinker than they were a moment ago, then runs the scissors through the brownie batter box. “You’re lucky to have them close. I miss my brother. He’s out west chasing his crazy dream of the rodeo. He’s a bronc rider.”

“Tough gig.” I tap my fingers over the tabletop, searching for something to keep my hands busy instead of watching Cassie dance around the kitchen as she gathers eggs and oil.