I drop my eyes from Misty and Harley when he turns as if to look in this direction.
“The man is just trying to figure out how to be human again, I think,” Apollo says. “You shouldn’t want him to rush that.”
I open my mouth to form my rebuttal, but he’s already walking away. I’m back on my feet, ready to chase after Apollo because I need to make sure he doesn’t think that I’m pining after Harley. I mean, honestly, I think I am, but I don’t want others knowing that fact. It’s bad enough that Boomer can read me like a book.
Harley has ended his conversation with Misty and for some reason, despite already speaking to me when he handed over Aria, he’s walking back in this direction.
Like a deer caught in the headlights, looking for an escape, I stand in the middle of the room frozen as he approaches.
His smile is easy, not forced like it was too often a month ago.
I blink up at him and he doesn’t say a word before lifting his hand and brushing a strand of hair off my face. I resist leaning into his touch, desperate to feel some connection, but reading the wrong things in his behaviors has only failed me in the past. I don’t want to stay in this vicious cycle.
“I miss you,” he says, his voice soft.
My heart pounds, and I have to take a long moment before speaking to remind it that we aren’t doing this again with him.
My head keeps jumping back to what Apollo just said. He isn’t seeing anyone else, and he’s trying to find normal.
“You were only across the room for a few minutes.”
His grin is quick and easy once again, a natural reaction not a forced one. I find that my lips curl up into a smile as well.
“I was hoping I could convince you to watch Aria at the house while we’re gone this time?”
The hope I fought against but still managed to build inside of me crashes down around our feet.
“I think that may help the problem you had last time when we were away.”
I nod. What he’s saying makes sense. Aria was extra fussy the last time Harley left for work, and this is his solution, a way of making things easier for me.
“I can do that.”
“I was thinking Landon and Rick could stay there, so you’re more comfortable.”
Feel safe, is what he really means.
“I doubt they’ll both fit on the couch,” I mutter.
“Rick on the couch and Landon in the guest bed,” he suggests, and I deflate even further.
That soft smile still on his face tells me that he thinks there’s something going on between Landon and me. What hurts more than him thinking this is that it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. He’s fine suggesting I share a bed in his home with another man whereas I stay up all night when I know he’s going out with the guys.
He may be finding his new normal, and it’s becoming clear that other than watching his daughter while he has fun, I’m not a part of it.
“I’m not sleeping with Landon,” I say, managing to straighten my spine.
He chuckles, his fingers reaching out to brush more hair off my face. I move out of his way. I’d lose it right now if he touched me again.
“I should hope not. It would make me asking you out on a date when I got back a little awkward.”
“A d-date,” I sputter. “But you just suggested—”
“I was thinking you could sleep in my bed, Ali. Rick on the couch, and Landon in the guest bedroom.”
“They’re fighting right now,” I say stupidly because Rick and Landon’s on-again, off-again best friendship is not where my focus needs to be right now.
“Again?” he asks, shaking his head.
“Yeah.”
“So maybe just Rick then,” he suggests.
Needing to test where he’s at in his head right now, I can’t help but ask, “I figured Landon would be a better fit.”
“I’d worry less if Rick was the one staying with you.”
I know exactly why Rick is his number one pick. The man just recently came out to his dad. Detective Colton Matthews just blinked at him at the news. Rick seemed heartbroken until his dad said he’d known since the guy was in high school. He was just waiting for Rick to say the words.
“Whichever,” I say with a shrug, hoping he goes back to the date idea he mentioned.
My eyes flutter closed when he lowers his head, but his mouth flutters on my cheek instead of on my lips where I wanted it to land.
“See you tonight, Ali,” he whispers before pulling away.
“Tonight?” I manage before he can walk away from me. “You guys don’t leave until tomorrow.”
I learned this from Boomer just minutes ago.
“We’ll be leaving super early. It’ll be less stressful if you were already there.” He winks at me and walks away.