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I sit up, wiping at my eyes. “I thought you were spending the night?”
“I remembered that I have to do something.”
Reaching out, I tangle my fingers in hers. “What could be so important?”
“I just have to go home.”
Her words hit me at the same time she releases my grip, and the combination pulls me out of any lingering sleep. “Do you feel okay? Do you need the pain reliever?”
“I’m fine,” she whispers.
I extend my hand to the side of the bed and turn on the small lamp.
She looks away, the bright light paling her skin, but the shine had already reflected off the tears tracking down her cheeks. “Woah, babe. What is it?”
“I… I don’t want to leave, but I have to.”
She heads for the door, and I immediately scramble off the bed, catching her before she can open it. “Why? Or let me drive you somewhere? It’s two a.m.”
“I’ll be fine.”
I cup her cheeks with both hands, making her look at me. The soft glow from the desk lamp isn’t as harsh over here, but it’s obvious there’s something wrong. “Talk to me.”
“I want to be here with you. Really here with you.” More tears track down her face. “I want to be so present that I’m not worrying about other stuff, but I can’t,” she grinds out, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes. “I haven’t been able to sleep. I’ve been sitting here, listening to you and wishing I could do that, too. Let you wrap your arms around me and keep me away from everything, but that’s not my life, Cade. It isn’t.”
I bring her in for a hug. I have no idea what she’s talking about, but her shoulders shake in my embrace, so clearly, she’s distraught about something. “You’re okay,” I tell her. “Relax.”
“I have to go now before he gets more mad.”
My hackles rise. I grip her closer, my protective instincts kicking in.Who’s going to be mad at my girl? A he? No, I don’t think so. Not going to happen.“If you need to be somewhere, let me drive you.”
Her shoulders sag. “Do you also have something else for me to wear?” she asks, tugging at the dress. I rummage through my closet and reach for some sweats for her to pull on. The hoodie dwarfs her, but at least she’ll be warm.
“This is a bad idea.”
My fingers clench my car keys, the bite of the ridges cutting into me.Nothing about us is a bad idea.
Charley is already opening the door, frantic, so I follow after. Our footsteps echo in the empty stairwell, and we push through the exit door, the night air creating a wind tunnel that feathers her hair around her face.
She nibbles her lip, checking her phone again.
“Who’s going to be mad at you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” she says, returning her phone to her pocket.
“I am worried about it because you’re my girlfriend. We’re in this together, and it sounds like you’ve been worried about something and not telling me. That’s what I’m here for.”
“I’ve been dealing with it my whole life. I don’t need any help with it now.”
Her foot jumps up and down while we wait for the car to warm up. The anxiety she’s throwing squeezes my stomach. “You’re killing me.”
Without looking, she reaches over and grabs my hand. “It’s not me. Not really.”
Then why aren’t we cuddled up in bed right now? This whole night has been perfect until this moment. I wanted to wake up with her in my arms, kiss her good morning, and take her to Richie’s for breakfast.
“Tell me where to go.” I gesture toward the empty roads. The Christmas decorations still light the street, but because no one is around, they look sad. Forlorn.
“Take a left on the next block,” she instructs. “Then a right.” She points toward the road I saw her walking down before.