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She let out a frustrated noise because she had no clue what was wrong. But she was starting to feel anxious, and if she didn’t do something about it, then it was going to turn into a panic attack.
Brick slid his arm through the rungs towards her.
He didn’t resist as she grabbed his hand and sucked his fingers into her mouth. That was better.
And as she suckled on his fingers, he read to her in his deep, gravelly voice.
Sleep came surprisingly easy.
Xavier moved around the grocery store in a tired haze.
After two delays with his flights, he’d gotten home late last night. His parents had tried all sorts of things to get him to stay. He was starting to think Reuben was right. That his mother faked an illness to get him to come see them. And then they’d hatched some plot to lure him there by dangling poor Yvonne in front of him.
Now, he was headed out to check on Juliet. It had been too late to go there last night, but he wanted to bring her something. Flowers. She liked flowers.
“Xavier? You okay?” He looked over to find Ed staring at him in concern. “I said your name and you didn’t reply.
Shit. “Yeah. Sorry. Hi.”
“Been at the hospital?”
“No, I went to see my parents for a few nights and got back late last night.”
“Hi, Xavier,” Georgie said with a smile as she walked towards them. “I haven’t seen you for a few days.”
“I’ve been out of town.”
She turned to Ed. “Sorry that took so long, I got stopped by three different people who wanted to know who the guy with Juliet in the Wishing Well was last night. People around here sure do love gossip.”
“Small town living,” Ed replied. “Most people here live for gossip. And a guy laying claim to one of our own is big news. Even bigger news when it’s the town’s sweetest, quietest, gentlest resident.”
Xavier felt like his world narrowed around him. Like everything else turned blurry. His heart raced, palms grew sweaty.
“What happened?”
Ed gave him a curious look. “You didn’t hear already?”
“Hear what?”
“Guess if you got home late, you wouldn’t have,” Ed said.
“Heard what?” he asked between clenched teeth. If someone didn’t start talking, he was going to lose it.
Ed crossed his arms over his chest and Georgie sent her fiancée a strange look. Yeah, he was drawing this out. And Xavier had a fair idea why.
“You snooze, you lose,” Ed told him.
Georgie’s sharp gaze turned to him as she caught on to what he was saying.
“Are you saying that Juliet has a . . . has a . . .”
“Boyfriend?” Ed supplied helpfully.
“I don’t know if I’d call him her boyfriend,” Georgie said doubtfully.
Hope filled him. So, it wasn’t like that?
“He’s not the type of guy you could label a boyfriend,” she added. “More like a man. He’s Juliet’s man.”
