Page 37 of From the Ashes

He looks like he’s running away, and I fight the urge to intervene. Walker is a grown-ass man. Surely, he knows what he’s doing, but it doesn’t mean I don’t wonder what’s going through his mind, what he’s running from, or what his final destination is.

I grab the drill and walk back to Knox, holding it in my outstretched hand.

“You mind doing it?” he asks. “I can’t let go of the screw and I can’t drill left-handed.”

I nod and give the drill’s trigger a little test squeeze before throwing another quick glance over my shoulder to monitor Walker’s progress. He’s almost to the entrance of the parking lot and he shows no signs of slowing down.

“Fuck!Phoenix,watch what you’re doing!”

Knox’s voice startles me and I look down to see his fingertip bleeding.

“Oh, shit, Knox. My bad.”

“Yeah, that’syourbad,” he grumbles. “You almost took my fucking finger off.”

“Maybe you’d better take this.” I hold it out again and he takes it this time. I rest my head against the temporary structure, letting it fall to the right so I can steal one more look at the man about to walk out of my life forever. Again.

“So, Cassie’s right, then?” Knox asks over the sound of the drill. “There’s history there?”

“What is up with Cassie discussing my sex life with everyone?” I snap, my defensiveness making me totally obvious.

“You’re the one bringing up sex. I just said history. Besides, aren’t you straight?”

Well, fuck.

“It’s complicated,” I answer, not meeting his eyes. I know Knox won’t care if I’m attracted to guys, but I can see how he’d be a little miffed since I’m the second in our group to come out with this revelation. “But since we’re on the topic,” I try, changing the subject back to him. “You and Cass seem to be getting awfully close this trip.” Begrudgingly, I throw another glance over my shoulder to see Walker getting farther away, my heart pounding harder with each step of his. The overwhelming feeling of loss beginning to grow unbearable.

“You watch your mouth,” Knox admonishes. “Don’t even insinuate it. Cassie is family to us all. Besides, she’s seeing someone in Miami.”

This takes me by surprise.

“She is? She didn’t mention it.” The words are barely out of my mouth before Knox is narrowing his eyes at me.

“You’ve been a little preoccupied ever since she showed up, and I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that kid you keep watching has something to do with it.”

“He’s not a kid. He’s twenty-six,” I say immediately. Still. Fucking. Defensive.

“Whatever. You gonna go talk to him?”

“I don’t have anything to say to him.” I pout like a fucking toddler.

“Then why do you keep looking at him like he’s the answer to all your problems?”

I scoff. “He’s not theanswerto them. He’s the fuckingcauseof them.”

“All the more reason to talk.” Knox shrugs, refusing to drop it. “Cassie’s not the only one worried about you, you know. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’ve been pulling away from us recently.”

“Let it go,” I warn, tired of telling people to drop it.

“I would, buuuuuut,” he draws out the word and I know I’m not going to like what happens next. “That’s not really what friends are for, Phoe.” Before I can stop him, he sticks his finger and thumb in his mouth and lets out an ear-splitting whistle. My body betrays me when I turn to see if Walker stopped, right as Knox yells, “Hey, DeVille! You got a second?”

“Knox, what thefuckare you doing?” I growl.

“Relax, I just want to talk to the kid.”

“He’snota kid,” I say immediately, earning a raised brow from my friend.

“You sure are concerned about what he is and what he isn’t for someone you claim to have nothing to say to.”