Page 83 of The Truth of Our Secrets

“Turn the light off when you decide,” I say after a minute of him standing still. My voice can’t pull off indifference. Visions of picking him up and tying him to the bed dance in my head.

He doesn’t pull my sweats on but reaches over to flick the light off. The bed dips and I bury my face in Madyson’s neck with relief.

Emmet’s trying to get comfortable. Or maybe he’s self-conscious. I sit up and feel around for his face to kiss him.

His entire body relaxes when my lips find his. “It was a great day.” I palm his jaw. “I want more like this.”

“Me too,” he whispers.

We settle in, our arms and legs tangled together around Madyson, and I let sleep pull me under, thinking about a future with him.

Chapter twenty-nine

Madyson

“What’s that?” Jayce asks, sitting on the couch in the gallery’s workshop while I tear into the delivery I’ve been waiting for. This industrial space is the opposite of our apartment. There are workbenches, tools, and machines, but I designed a hangout area with a rug, couch, coffee table, and kitchenette.

My face must give me away because he suspiciously asks, “What did you do?”

“I swear I’m trying to help and not get involved. Just a little extra help from the sidelines.” I shrug, clutching the tool.

“Like anonymously covering Von’s shift in the gallery so he could go on a date night with Alec.” His fond expression holds no judgment. “To Brooklyn.” He rolls his eyes.

“Exactly like that. And don’t knock the show they went to. I’m taking you and Emmet there!”

I wipe the sweat from my forehead. “I’m not supposed to know, but I sort of accidentally saw a sculpture that Von’s making for Alec. He’s trying to anodize the metal to give it color, but the torches won’t work for the small scale he needs. So I bought this.” I hold up the tool.

“Is it too pushy?” I ask, placing it where Von will see it when he comes back from his call with Alec.

“They’ll never know unless you tell them,” he warns.

“That’s the point. Alec hasn’t told me about the night a decade ago when he helped me escape an assault. I can do this to help him and he never has to know.” It’s worth it if he’s happy.

When he assures me it’s fine, I pick up a vase to glaze.

I don’t think either of us wants to be home.

“Is it weird that I miss him?” I ask, my voice echoing off the concrete.

Jayce is slow to respond. I’d prefer he blurt out whatever’s on his mind. I want the truth, not the sanitized version of what he’s thinking.

“It’s probably weird, but I miss him too.” Jayce holds a tablet, watching players the team’s scouting. “We got attached so fast. I know you don’t want to hear this, but he’s young. He probably still wants to go out and party like a typical guy in his twenties living in the city that never sleeps.”

I sigh. He’s not wrong. Emmet has been old since elementary school, but that doesn’t mean he’s actually old and wants a life with two boring professionals with strange hours.

I work a bunch of nights when we’re doing showings, and Jayce has to travel. A big night out is dinner at an upscale restaurant. We used to hang out at Pink Titanium with Alec and his friends, but we rarely do that anymore.

“Well, that sucks.” I’m too rough with my vase and it shatters.

Jayce springs off the couch and picks up pieces while I stare at my mess. I really liked that vase.

“Don’t cut yourself,” he chides me when I bend to clean it up.

“I’m perfectly capable. I break stuff all the time and can’t rely on others to fix it for me.” My voice is harder than I intend, but I’m upset that Emmet isn’t coming over tonight.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay.” He kisses my forehead, and the tightness in my chest loosens. I’ve been snappish all day.

“Should I say something to him?” I don’t look at Jayce, knowing his answer.

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