Page 28 of Caught Stealing Your Heart
“No, he hasn’t. It happens, though,” Blaise said. “We need to talk to him. See where his head is at.”
Paisley chimed in. “Not tonight. Give him some time before saying anything. There’s no need in pressing the issue when it’s fresh.”
I wanted to speak up and agree with her, but I remained quiet. My thoughts and opinions weren’t meant to be said within the family, so I kept everything to myself. I’d talk to Banks whenever we were alone, if he wanted to be.
We all waited out front for him. I didn’t care anything about the flashing lights of the cameras nor the screams around us. My focus was making sure Banks was good, so I stayed put until he emerged from the facility with sunglasses on, and his hood over his head.
“Oh, he’s not okay,” Paisley muttered and sighed.
I turned toward her and interrogated, “What’s wrong with him, Paisley? He’s been like this for a few days.”
“He’ll talk when he’s ready. Banks is the type of person who needs to fully process his emotions before speaking on them which is why I don’t want our parents to pressure him tonight. Not that they will listen, but Banks will snap if they push him too far.”
“Like they’ve done in the past?”
“Precisely. Is everything okay between the two of you?”
“Honestly, I don’t know,” I admitted, sighing. “I thought so, but he’s been distant lately. I don’t like it.”
“I can tell. I know Banks very well. I’ve watched the way he interacts with you. I know y’all have an agreement or whatever, but he truly likes you. It’s obvious in all he does for and says about you.”
I wanted to pry. I needed Paisley to go into detail, but Banks walked up to us without acknowledging anyone, which was very unlike him. He briefly glanced at me. I offered him a smile, but Alyson opened her mouth and gained his attention.
Alyson held her arms out to him for a hug and questioned, “What happened out there today, son? You were not on you’re A game like usual.”
Banks shook his head and started toward the vehicle. To my surprise, Alyson followed behind him. She spat out question after question to his back. Blaise didn’t try to stop her either. He trekked behind her with his hands in his pockets, waiting for Banks to answer.
Paisley flitted her eyes upward to the dark sky. “Here we go.”
The tension in the air was growing thicker by the second. Banks’s head was lowered as he took verbal hits from Alyson. Fed up, I stomped around them and stood in front of Banks.
“That’s enough. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but get off his back. As we all could see, he had a rough game and doesn’t want to talk about it. Questioning him with every breath isn’t helping either.”
If looks could kill, I would’ve been six feet under. The last thing I wanted was to be on bad terms with any of his family, but I also wasn’t going to allow them to disrespect him either. If I had to be the bad guy for the next few months to protect him, then so be it. Deep down, if the shoe were on the other foot, I believed Banks would’ve done the same for me.
“And who do you think you’re talking to?” Alyson shot back with her hands on her hips.
I held my hands up in surrender. “Like I said before, I mean no disrespect, but leave him be.”
Finally, Blaise spoke up, “She’s right, Aly. Let’s allow Banks to take the night to rest and clear his head. We can talk to him tomorrow.”
Alyson looked me up and down before walking away. Paisley mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ before following behind her parents. I turned around to climb in the vehicle with Banks.
“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching out to touch his arm, but he pulled away.
“I’m good. Thank you for that, Leilani. If you didn’t say anything, she would’ve kept going on and on, and I don’t have the energy for it.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Banks.”
All he did was nod and gaze out the window until we were pulling up at the front of my house twenty minutes later.
“Call you later?” I asked in a hopeful tone.
“I’m tired, but I’ll get up with you for our next appearance.”
The abrupt rumble of thunder matched the way my emotions were stirring inside me. It was as if a switch had flicked off in Banks, and I didn’t know how to turn it back on. Maybe, just maybe, he was showing me who he was all along. Maybe, our contract was solid to do exactly what he approached me for from the beginning.
Still, I couldn’t help but to try.
