Page 168 of Dark Endures

“What is that for?” Mindy follows me back into the closet.

“I need to move something into my new apartment.”

“Huh?” She tips her head to the side.

“You’re well enough now that I can’t justify sleeping with you as taking care of you. So, I need to move out until we’re married.”

“But—”

“No, buts. Until we’re married, I’ll sleep in my own apartment, and you’ll sleep in yours.” Which was mine. It gives me some comfort knowing that every night she’s sleeping in my bed…and equal amounts of torment.

“That makes no sense. What if we never get married?”

My heart clenches. “Then that’s something we’ll just have to deal with.” It’s not going to happen. I’m going to make her mine.

There’s a knock on the front door.

Weird. Something must be up.

Mindy gives me an eyebrow raise.

“Work never ends.” I walk to the front door, and she heads into the closet.

“Is your phone broken?” Canyon asks.

“Hello to you, too. It’s perfectly fine.” I pull it out of my pocket and find a blank screen. Oh! “I turned it off because there was no service at the wedding venue.” I hold up a finger, asking him to wait a second. “Mindy, turn your phone back on.”

Her head pokes out of the closet. “Oh. Thanks. I forgot all about it.”

A million messages pop up. I go away for a weekend, and the world falls apart. “Did someone die?” I ask semi-jokingly.

Canyon’s face gets all serious.

Someone died.

Someone died while I was away.

Take a breath. They need you to hold it together.

“Maddox.” Mindy steps out of the closet. “I’ve got to run out and meet my brother.”

She actually told me before leaving. Progress. “Okay. I’ll get one of the guys to drive you.”

“No.” She slings her purse over her shoulder and walks up to me. “I’ll take a cab. I just don’t want you to worry.”

A protest wants to come out. But part of a relationship is give and take. She’s told me where she’s going and who she’s with. “Okay. Call me if you're going to be late.”

“I will, but he probably can’t stay long. He has a baby to get back home to.” She stands there staring at me, waiting. “Oh fine, I’ll do it myself.” She pushes up on her tiptoes and kisses me.

A soft, sweet kiss that’s more of a tease than anything else.

“Bye.” She rushes out the door.

“Mindy was waiting for you to kiss her. It’s customary for people who are in a relationship to kiss each other when they separate for a short time.”

“I know that.” Now.

“So that means you two are officially together.” Canyon’s grinning like a fool.

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