Page 96 of Fragile Sanctuary

Thea placed her pot next to mine. “You’re used to keeping it casual?”

“Not exactly.” I’d dated before, had a handful of relationships. But this felt different. I realized something as I thought back to the guys I’d been with in any capacity. “I think I’ve always picked men I knew didn’t have the potential of forever.”

Thea moved back to the Gator but glanced my way. “That’s a hell of a thing to realize.”

I chuckled. “I’m more of a mess than I thought.”

She stilled. “We’re all a mess, Rho. We all have our baggage. It’s how we deal with it that counts.”

I forced myself to keep moving, to keep lifting and sorting as if that would help the realizations not hurt quite so much. “I think I’m scared of forever. Of anyone who could mean that much to me.”

Maybe I avoided reaching for forever the same way I avoided reading the ends of books. Because I knew that, sometimes, forever got ripped right out from under you.

“Duncan told me about the fire,” Thea said softly.

I fought off a twinge of annoyance at that. I hated people talkingabout what had happened to me behind my back—or in front of my face, for that matter. But I knew it wasn’t malicious. Duncan was likely trying to look out for me by giving Thea the information.

“That kind of loss and trauma messes with your head,” I admitted.

Thea was quiet for a minute. “Sometimes, it feels safer to just keep everyone out. Removes the potential to be hurt again.”

My movements slowed as I looked Thea’s way. Shadows swirled in her deep brown eyes. “Sometimes, it does,” I agreed.

She swallowed hard. “But it can be lonely.”

“Look a little happier, would you?” Duncan called, striding toward us, his camera raised.

Thea jolted, her spine snapping straight. “What are you doing?”

He frowned. “We’re updating the website. Needed a few shots of the grounds and the staff working.”

The blood drained from Thea’s face, turning her olive skin unnaturally pale. “Did you take any of me?”

“Sure. You and Rho unloading the shrubs. But you guys looked about as happy as a kid who didn’t get any ice cream.”

“Delete them,” she snapped. “You have to delete them right now.”

Confusion swept over Duncan’s face. “You look fine?—”

“Please,” she begged. “You can’t put me on the website or social media or anywhere else. Please.”

The panic in Thea’s voice had true worry settling deep. She was terrified.

I grabbed the camera from Duncan. “I’ll delete them. He’s not going to put your picture anywhere. Right, Dunc?”

“No,” he said, dropping his voice low. “We’ll make sure of it.”

Thea set the shrub she was holding down, and I didn’t miss the way her hands shook. “Thank you. I-I’m just going to grab some water.”

“Sure,” Duncan agreed quickly. “Why don’t you take your break? You’re due.”

Thea nodded but didn’t say a word as she hurried off.

I quickly deleted any photos of Thea, but there were only a couple. There were more of me.

Duncan muttered a curse. “She’s running from something.”

I handed his camera back. “Yeah.”

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