Page 53 of Flare

“What? No! Jesus, Kip. Nothing happened.”

Kip booted my shin.

“Will you stop that?”

“No, he won’t.” Hunter leaned on the doorway wearing a smug smile. “You’re driving everyone crazy.”

I fired Kip a blistering glare. “You called Hunter?”

He huffed. “Of course I did. Did you think I was gonna tackle you alone?”

I slumped in my seat and threw my hands in the air. “Is this an intervention? Cos I’m gonna need a fuckton of alcohol if it is.”

“Calm down.” Hunter patted my shoulder. “Kip was just worried about you. We all are. Especially with this Gloria thing.”

I threw Kip a withering glare. “You told himbeforeme?”

He held his thumb and finger barely apart, looking anything but apologetic.

Hunter stepped in, “You’re not sleeping, you’re stressing, you’re trying to do everything yourself, and you won’t let anyone help. And then there’s Beck.”

“Beck’s none of your business, either of you.” I was beginning to wish I’d never rung Hunter that night.

“Youare my business. You’re my best friend, Rhys. You’re going to start accepting help. Andwe’regonna work out what to do about Gloria.”

Fucking hell.

“Kip says he can manage on his own tomorrow, and I’ve offered to pick up the garments he says are ready across town.Youneed to recharge, which meansnowork.”

“But I ca—”

“The world won’t burn if you take a weekend off, Rhys. And as foreign as I know the idea is for you, how about trying to have some fun. That’s when you do your best work, right?”

I couldn’t argue with that. My entire collection had come to me during an afternoon sailing on a friend’s boat in the Bay of Islands. “Fine. Fine. Not that I seem to have a choice.”

Hunter nodded, satisfied.

But Kip still looked worried. “Look, I know it’s none of my business what happened with you and Beck, but I’ve never seen you interested in any guy like that. It was... nice, to see you finally excited about someone.”

Fuck.I raised a cross brow at Hunter, blaming him for getting me in this mess and hoping he’d shut it down.

He shook his head as if I’d disappointed him somehow and then pushed to his feet. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch, and Kip can get back to work.”

I was really, really fucking tempted. But when I caught the sting in Kip’s expression at being shut out, I couldn’t do it. “No, I think it’s about time Kip knew.” I turned to face Kip’s puzzled gaze. “Could you close the store and come back?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

He left and Hunter reached for my hand. “I’m proud of you. He’s one of the good guys. It’s the right thing to do.”

“I know.” But that didn’t stop a wave of nausea from barrelling up my throat.

“I’ll get us all another coffee.” Hunter gathered the cups and walked them to the sink.

Half an hour later and I’d vomited the whole sorry story of my assault to Kip who sat there wide-eyed and slack-jawed, fury flashing in his eyes.

I held up my hand. “No commentary, please. I just wanted you to know.”

Kip grimaced. “Fine. But I might break a few things later if that’s okay with you?”

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