I watched his eyes trail down to the necklace I clung to and watched in horror as I knew he was putting each of the pieces together. I hadn’t missed the way he glanced jealously at the initial on the chain earlier in the day, but now, I could see him unraveling the mistaken assumption he made.

“You can’t tell them,” I pleaded.

He stared blankly at me.

“Please, Stone,” I begged.

“Support systems are important,” he started.

“I don’t need facts and analysis right now,” I snapped. I hadn’t meant to come out so harshly, but I watched him take each word like a bullet to the chest. I paused, barely able to catch my breath.

“Deep breath,” he reminded me gently.

I tried to inhale deeply and let it out in one slow motion.

“What do you need, Len?”

And in that moment, I was certain he would’ve given me anything I wanted.

“I just need to go home,” I sighed, already shoving every emotion I felt back into the box I kept them locked in.

He nodded and headed for the door to go back inside. I worried for a moment that he completely misunderstood what I was saying. My feet refused to move, and I waited while a few minutes passed.

Stone reappeared, carrying my purse I left inside. “I let them know your stomach wasn’t feeling so well, and that I would be taking you home to rest.”

I was still shaking. All I could manage was a curt nod. Stone wrapped an arm around me and led me back to the car.

The warmth of his body radiated with me tucked into his side. I imagined how comforting it would be to get used to it, a thought I barely allowed myself to even consider.

If he knew the truth, he would never touch me.

He’d stare at me with that same look I saw the day I told Jake.

All he’d done was protect me, stand up for me. It wasn’t fair to make the assumption. I knew that; I knew it wasn’t rational. Yet, every time I found myself wanting to give in, to see if I wasn’t imagining every small touch or glance he gave, I found myself right back in that moment and remembered the pain. It wasn’t a chance I was willing to take.

If Winston Beck broke my heart, I’d never recover.

14. Stone

14

STONE

I drove back to the rental, the drive completely silent. Len tucked her knees into her chest in the passenger seat and wrapped her arms around them. Her dress fell completely back, exposing more of her skin, but I kept my eyes glued to the road, knowing she didn’t realize.

It wasn’t hard to piece together what she had lost.