Page 69 of Double Fault

Behind me, she clears her throat. “Unless you need me to do something with Maddie right now, I’m going to shower.”

My heart stutters. Fuck, I’m an idiot, standing in her space, staring at nothing. “Oh, yeah. Right. Shower. You should do that.”

She arches a brow. “Do I smell?”

“No,” I say too quickly and speed walk out of the room. “Enjoy your shower.” The whole way downstairs, I berate myself for imagining her wet and naked.

In the kitchen, I stop in front of the full wall of windows that overlooks the well-maintained garden beyond, thankful the guy I pay to take care of it is doing his job.

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I turn to the fully stocked refrigerator, grateful for the opportunity to cook. During the season, we eat out far more than I like, so when I’m at home in Texas or here, I make meals as often as I can. Annie did the majority of the cooking when she was alive, but when she got sick, I took over and realized how much I actually enjoy it.

My housekeeper picked up ingredients for several meals, including fajitas, so I pull what I need out and get to work.

I need the distraction.

Being in Sabrina’s proximity so much has made it virtually impossible to get her out of my head.

“Promise me,”Annie whispers in my head.“Promise me you’ll love again. You deserve that, Noah.”Her hand was cool against my cheek, wiping my tears away.

“No,”I told her.

She smiled softly.“One day you’ll meet someone, I know you will, and it’s okay. Loving someone else doesn’t mean you’ve loved me any less.”

Selfless until the very end.

This time I have to wipe my own tears away.

At the sound of feet on the stairs, I shut myself in the pantry and focus on my breathing, trying to get control of my emotions. I don’t want either of them seeing me like this.

My plan is thwarted, though, when the door swings open and reveals a confused Maddie.

“Why are you in the pantry? Are youcrying?”

“I’m fine.” I clear my throat and sniff, then squat down on her level, taking her hands in mine. “I was thinking about Mommy, and I got sad.”

“Oh.” She touches my cheek gently, her hazel eyes full of sympathy and pain. “Can we be sad together?”

My heart catches, and new tears threaten to fall. “Yeah, we can be sad together.”

I pull her into my arms and settle on the floor, where we stay, just hugging, for a good long while. I’ll finish cooking later.

“Sabrina,” Maddie calls out, peeping over the back of the couch. “Come watch the movie with us.”

The woman I can’t stop thinking about sways like she’s trying to decide between staying and fleeing. She twists the cap off the water bottle she came down to get, then puts it back on. Her legs are bare, and her tank is so thin it’s impossible not to notice her puckered nipples beneath it.

“Why aren’t you in bed, missy?”

“Dad said I could stay up and watch a movie. We do this sometimes.”

Sabrina shifts her weight from foot to foot but doesn’t come closer. “And you want me to join? You don’t want to spend time with just your dad?”

Maddie giggles like the idea of her wanting to do anything one-on-one with me is preposterous. “If I did, then I wouldn’t have asked.”

With her lip caught between her teeth, Sabrina glances at the stairs.

“You’re welcome to join us,” I tell her, thinking that maybe it’s my permission she’s waiting for. “But we understand if you want to go to bed.”

Maddie pouts at that, but I want to give Sabrina an out in case she needs it.

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