Page 74 of Space Oddities

Even with the both of us, it still takes a lot of heft to get my shoes inside.

“Finally.” Rose slumps back on the trailer’s couch. “Are we done yet?”

“Yes, so get up. No more lollygagging.” I pull her up off the cushions. “I just need to grab my computer bag, and we can get out of here.”

Rose stumbles forward and out the door. “My brother and Jules better not be getting frisky in the house when we show up or I’m gonna be pissed.” She grabs her phone from between her boobs. “I think Jules prides herself on grossing me out. If I text her you’re coming maybe she’ll rein in the PDA.” Glancing to her left, out the open garage door, she winces. “Well, hell.” She bites her lip as she looks up at me, still standing in the trailer doorway. “Don’t look now, but Captain America just arrived.”

Ian’s car rolls into the spot next to my trailer.

“Fuck.”

Rose’s eyebrows shoot up at my rarely used expletive.

“Rose?” Ian gets out, looking over the hood of his car at us. “What areyoudoing here?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rose glancing between us, probably looking to me for some clue on how to play this. But I just keep staring at Ian, memorizing his face, steeling myself for an early goodbye.

“So.” Rose elongates the word. “I’m gonna go.” She takes slow, backward steps out of the garage, eyes ping-ponging between Ian and me. “I’ll see you later?” Her question sounds hopeful, but hoping for what I’m not sure.

I just nod, eyes still on Ian.

“You’re leaving?” Ian slams the car door shut, walking around the back of his Audi. By his expression, he’s livid. “Now?”

“Bye!” Rose skedaddles, hustling down the drive toward her car parked at the curb.

Leaving me with a very angry, albeit very sexy, Captain America.

Nineteen

Retreat

Ian

I forcemyself to take a deep breath, but my fists clench at my sides as if by their own free will. “You agreed to talk about this when I got back.”

Trish looks drown, the wisps of her topknot falling forward over her face.

Another deep breath. All I want to do is hug her, tell her it’s okay, get her to sit down with me, try and gloss over this blip, but I can’t. No more managing. “Why are you running, Trish?”

“I’m not running.” She shrugs, looking smaller than usual in her sneakers. “It’s just time for me to go.”

“We both know that isn’t true. You can lie to yourself if you want, but don’t lie to me.”

She winces.

“And I’m not just talking about right this second. I mean from before. I want to know everything.” I take a step forward, only to stop when her shoulders jump. Deep breath. “Trish.” My voice is calm, controlled, the opposite of how I’m feeling. “Tell me why you move around so much. Why were you waiting with a shotgun loaded and ready when I knocked on your trailer door that day? What’s up with the private detective looking for you?”

Trish starts. “How doyouknow about the private detective?”

Shit. I forgot Jules told me that in confidence.

“I—”

Her eyes narrow. “Have you been asking around about me?”

“No.” I falter at the death glare she has aimed at me. “Well, just once. I just wanted—”

“You just, huh?” She jumps out of the trailer, landing on the garage floor and spinning to close and lock the trailer door. Hand still on the lock, she speaks to her feet. “You told me you wouldn’t do this. That you wouldn’t ask these questions.”

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