“Thank you?” Her brow crinkles.
I nod. “Yes. Thank you. I shouldn’t be pushing you away, giving you a hard time, especially since you’re not going anywhere. I just . . . I didn’t want you wasting your time. I want you to be happy, to move on to what you want in your life. Staying here, helping me, it’s holding you back, and I don’t want to be the reason you’re being held back. That’s why I was trying to push you away. But I realize, despite how hard I try, you’re loyal to your core and you’re not going anywhere until you feel like I can handle things on my own.”
Her eyes dash away and her foot toes the ground. “Yeah, well, if I murder you in the process, that’s not on me.”
I chuckle and take a risk by reaching out with my good hand and pressing my palm to her cheek.
She doesn’t shake me away, but she doesn’t lean into my touch either like she used to. I still take it as a win.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I’m sorry for making things so difficult on you when you’re just trying to help me.”
Her eyes meet mine.
“And I’m really appreciative of you helping me out. I know it’s the last thing you want to be doing, especially after, well, after everything. But I am grateful. Thank you, Coraline.”
Her lips rub together and she almost seems confused as she looks back at me. Like she can’t quite tell if I’m being serious or not. Well, I’m dead fucking serious, and she needs to know that.
I drag my thumb over her cheek and repeat, “Thank you.”
Her eyes search mine.
Her fists flex at her sides.
And she worries her lower lip.
If only I could read what’s going on in her head. If only I could see those thoughts, I would be at such an advantage.
“You’re, uh, you’re welcome,” she says, taking a step back. She points at the shortbread and says, “I’m taking that up to my room. I don’t think you deserve any of it.”
I hold back my laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of eating your shortbread.”
“And the flowers. I’m taking those up to my room as well. You don’t deserve to look at them.”
“Punishment well received. No flower gazing for me.”
She points at me now. “And none of that charming shit. Got it? I’m still very mad at you, Pike. You . . . you broke my heart.”
And just like that, I’m brought back to reality. For a split second, I believed that maybe that sassy attitude was coming back and we could share in some repartee, but the droop in her shoulders and the defeat in her voice slices me open.
She’s right.
I broke her heart.
And some flowers and shortbread aren’t going to fix that.
“I know,” I say, looking down at the floor. “And I realize that you being here has nothing to do with anything other than my injuries. Believe me, I get that. And when you leave, the fact of the matter is, we’re going our separate ways. But I just want you to know, I’m grateful.”
“Okay. As long as you’re aware. We’re done, Pike.”
Hearing her say it fucking stings, but I also know that, deep down in that beautiful soul of hers, we’re not done.
To protect her heart, she’s saying we’re done.
But there’s still something there.
There has to be.
“I understand,” I say, even though, in the back of my head, I know there’s no chance in hell I’m going to give up on her.
“Okay.” She looks around the townhouse. “Did you clean?”
“Attempted to. I, uh, I tried to make your bed, but just ended up flopping around on the mattress instead.” I blow out a heavy breath. “I’m in an extreme amount of pain right now.”
She rolls her eyes and takes me by the arm. “Seriously, stop trying to do things, or else you’ll never heal and I’ll never be able to leave.”
Well, if that’s the case . . .
“I wanted to show you how thankful I am.”
She doesn’t say anything, but continues to guide me to the couch. She then helps me down and asks, “Have you taken your medication?”
“Yeah.” I yawn. “Sorry, tired.”
“Probably best that you lie down.” She grabs the folded blanket from the arm of the chair and drapes it over me as I situate my leg in its cast up on a stack of pillows.
Once I’m settled, I look up at her and say, “Thank you.”
She takes a step back and clasps her hands together. “I don’t expect you to say thank you every time, Pike. Probably be best if we don’t really talk. Let’s just go through the motions and then we can move on.”