waiting for him, she walks quickly in my direction, her eyes holding mine before she ascends the steps to wrap me in a hug. I glance over her head and nod in Lincoln’s direction, letting him know I have her. He climbs back in and the car pulls away, the silence of the early evening wrapping around Adeline and me where we stand.
“I did it,” she says against my chest, her body tugging away just enough to glance up at me.
“You did. I’m proud of you. The added pinky reference was a nice touch.”
Her grin is pure mischief, the twinkle in her gaze stunning.
Stepping back, I grip her shoulders and say, “I have a surprise for you.”
That’s when I see it again, the hope in her expression. It stabs me in the gut every time because I know I’ll smother the light inside of her, that I’ll rip the rug out from beneath a set of feet that have just found their balance again.
I want to hope she’ll forgive me, but after years of seeing the world for what it is, I know better than to believe in fairy tales and happy endings.
“Come on, monster. Let me show you what I’ve done.”
Opening the door, I let her walk in ahead of me, damn near colliding with her back when she stops in place. The expression on Adeline’s face is one I can’t interpret.
I’d expected happiness.
Gratitude, maybe, or surprise.
Instead, it looks like someone ran over her puppy...twice. Backing up again to be sure to make the scene more grotesque.
“You don’t like it.”
She blinks, looking at me and back at the room before stepping through to look into all the individual rooms leading from the foyer.
“When did you do this?”
There’s sorrow in her voice, the sound of it tugging my brows together.
“Today. I can have it all returned. I just thought this would be better than sleeping on the floor.”
“No, it’s not the furniture. Everything is beautiful, it’s just-“
Her voice trails off, and I stand there like a jackass with my hands tucked in my pockets.
Another glance around before she spins back to me. “Are you planning on leaving once this is all over?”
How the fuck do I dance around this question? Same way I always do, I guess. Tell a half-truth and hope she doesn’t dig any deeper.
Breathing out, I lock my stare with hers. “It’s not my intention to, no.”
Because it will be her choice in the end. And knowing what I know, the choice will be one I’ll have to live with.
“Are you sure? Because I-“
Looking away, she takes a few steps into her father’s office, her body going still as she stares at the desk.
“I don’t think I can handle it if you leave. Not after everything.”
It’s safer to keep my distance, to give her the space she’ll need when I finally spill the truth of how I know her.
“I’m not a good person, Adeline. I never lied to you about that. You should want me to leave when you’re safe again.”
Her hand brushes over the surface of the desk.
Fucking hell. Why did she lead me in here of all places? Right into the heart of the crime I’d committed against her.
Fingers shaking, she touches the back of the leather chair as she rounds the desk, pain so evident in her expression that I want to kill the man that put it there.
Me.
“There are ghosts in this house, you know? I guess I should tell you that since you’ll be staying here. My father-“
Her voice chokes up, a shake of her head as she straightens her shoulders searching for the strength the memory she’s reliving has stolen.
“My father killed himself in this room.”
Eyes lifting, she asks, “Do you know my dad killed himself? Did you know me then?”
And...shit. This conversation has careened straight down Fucked Up Lane after turning the corner at Ari is a Lying Asshole Trail.
I give her another half-truth. “You told me about your father in the cemetery.”
A nod of her head, the half-truth enough to suffice. Adeline slaps at a tear and gives me a shy smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump directly into the most depressing conversation of all time. It’s just hard...coming back here is hard.”
Reaching out, I grab her hand and pull her from the room. “I think I have something that will cheer you up.”
“You do?” Blue eyes lift to mine glimmering with the tears she fights back.
“Yes. I recorded Grant’s reaction to your news broadcast. I thought you might