"Bullshit.
It matters.
It matters a lot."
I was furious for him.
Furious that a mother hadn't done her job and stood by her child.
Furious that the child had been Gideon.
"I bet it hurts like f**king hell, too."
His gaze lowered to my face.
"Look at you, so pissed off and upset.
I shouldn't have said anything."
"You should've said something earlier."
The tension in his shoulders eased and his mouth curved ruefully.
"I haven't told you anything."
"Gideon - " "And of course you believe me, angel.
You've had to sleep in a bed with me."
I grabbed his face in my hands and stared hard up into his eyes.
"I.
Believe.
You."
His face contorted with pain for a split second before he picked me up in a bear hug.
"Eva."
I slung my legs around his waist and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
"I believe you."
* * *
When we got back to the house, Gideon went into the kitchen to open a bottle of wine and I perused the bookshelves in the living room, smiling when I came across the first book in the series I'd told him about, the one where'd I'd picked up his nickname, ace.
We sprawled on the couch and I read to him while he played absently with my hair.
He was in a pensive mood after our walk, his mind seemingly far from me.
I didn't resent that.
We'd given each other a lot to think about over the last couple of days.When the tide came in, it did indeed rush up under the house, which sounded amazing and looked even more so.
We stepped out onto the deck and watched it ebb and flow, turning the house into an island in the surf.