Beckett held up a hand in defeat. “All right. Normal. And that means having me for your roommate?”
“Yes.” It was more complicated than that. It meant withstanding a strange man in my space, one who set my nerves on edge.
“Okay…” He let the word trail off. “We need a code word.”
“A code word?” I croaked.
“A word that you can say, and I’ll freeze and then back off. If I do anything that scares you or makes you nervous, just say…oh, hell, I don’t know. Say ‘purple elephant,’ and I’ll be totally under your control.”
The corner of my mouth twitched. “Purple elephant?”
He shrugged, a faint blush tingeing his cheeks. “I was trying to think of something you probably wouldn’t say in daily life.”
“Purple elephant,” I whispered.
Beckett froze and took two more steps back. “See?”
“Thank you.” I spoke the words softly but poured all my gratitude into them—for this man who showed me such kindness.
Beckett smiled. “Here’s to roommates and code words.”
My smile faltered as I remembered the last person I’d shared a code word with. My mom had left me to burn in my father’s fire, knowing I’d have no escape, with nothing but a locket and a letter full of trite apologies. The images that flashed in my mind were the reminder I needed: Appreciate the kindness but never let yourself rely on it because it will likely disappear one day.
4
BECKETT
Hayes appeared in my bedroom doorway. “You need a hand loading up?”
I motioned to the two duffle bags on the bed. “Don’t think so.”
“Always forget that a nomad lifestyle means you only have three pairs of socks.”
“Hey, I’ve got at least five pairs in here.”
Hayes chuckled. “Want me to follow you over? Make sure you know where everything is?”
I straightened and turned towards him. “Hovering for a reason, baby brother?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and then squeezed it. “Addie’s different from other women you’re used to.”
Anger lit in me at his words. “You could’ve warned me there was a history of abuse there.”
“She told you?” he asked incredulously.
I glared at Hayes. “No. It was an educated guess until you confirmed it.” The way Addie’s hands had flown to cover her face flashed in my mind. “You should’ve told me. I was walking into a minefield, and I didn’t even know it.”
Hayes winced. “Sorry. But it wasn’t my story to tell. A lot of Addie’s choices have been taken away over the years. I didn’t want to be the one to take away more.”
“Hell, you have a lot of nerve making a reasonable point.”
“How dare I.”
“Damn straight.” I zipped my duffle with more force than necessary.
Hayes leaned against the doorframe. “I think it’ll be good for her to have you there.”
I turned towards Hayes, studying his face and looking for any insight into what he was thinking. “And why’s that?”