Page 58 of Wood Riddance
I shook my head with a huff. Dammit. If she was crazy enough to think I did this on purpose, then there was no reasoning with her.
“Are you shitting me? That plane is all I have in this world, and I’m terrified it’ll be damaged out there.” I threw an arm out in the direction of the runway. “This is the last place I want to be. But I’ve had training, and I know it’s better to stay cool and assess the situation than it is to freak out and shriek like a banshee.”
She had yet to sit on the bench. She stood a couple of yards from me with her arms crossed over her chest and her feet planted wide. Our headlamps were pointing directly at one another, and the light illuminated the way her chest rose and fell with each angry breath.
Sure, this situation wasn’t ideal, but we had shelter and a satellite phone and snacks. It could be so much worse. Hell, I’d lived through a lot worse.
“You can shit-talk me and yell all you want. Won’t change the fact that we’re stuck here until this passes.”
Her face was stony and her body was rigid, sending me a clear message to go away. But I was a stubborn bastard and couldn’t stop myself.
“Sit down and eat your snack. Let’s make the best of this.”
“We don’t have to speak” was her response.
“True,” I said with a dip of my chin. “But it will make this more pleasant. Let’s get to know each other.”
She scoffed and took a step back. “I already know everything I need to know about you.”
Rolling my shoulders, I worked out the tightness in my neck. If I was going to go ten rounds with She-Ra, I needed to loosen up.
“Former military, so you’ve got good posture and crave discipline. But you’ve got some lingering authority issues, hence the long hair and tats.”
She wasn’t wrong on that front.
“Daddy issues, clearly. And you’re an adrenaline junky. You hate standing still and get itchy when you feel stuck. You’re always looking for the next adventure, the next challenge.” She cocked a knowing brow and took a step closer. “I’ll bet you don’t read or watch TV to relax. That probably makes you feel twitchy. I’d wager that you physically exhaust yourself for fun.”
My heart tripped, and my chest went tight. Damn. Was I that easy to read? Or could she see me in a way that no one ever had? I felt more exposed and raw listening to her than I had in years.
“You’re a devoted father. But when it comes to women, you’re a commitment-phobe. Probably the casual hookup type. You get bored easily, and you’re always ready to move on to the next shiny object that catches your attention.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I sat up straight, holding back the well of indignation rising up in me. “I never date and I never hook up. I’m looking for something real and special,” I confessed, averting my focus to the floor between us. “And since that’s impossible to find, I’m good with being alone.”
My admission was met with silence, so I mustered my resolve and dragged my gaze back to her face.
For a moment, just a fraction of a second, I swore understanding swam in her eyes, but in an instant, the look had morphed back into one of hatred. In that tiny window, though, when her guard was down, it almost looked like there was a little bit of relief mingled with the understanding. Like she’d realized her assumption was wrong. And maybe she was happy about it.
I saw her too. I saw the tough, angry facade she showed the world. And I saw the thoughtful, loving woman underneath. The one who went out of her way to care for every member of her crew. Who doted on that feral dog. Who’d defended Merry and me when no one else would.
I stood, and the dusty old air shifted around us. “But by all means, continue to believe what you want. You’re clearly great at that.”
She crossed her arms, one of her tells. Her vulnerability was peeking through.
“Let me say this first, though. I see you too, She-Ra. And I’ll never be able to express my true appreciation for what you did at the diner. Not only did you stand up for Merry and me, but you gave my little girl some much-needed hope. You reminded her that there are people on our side.” Blowing out a breath, I stuck my hands in my pockets and rocked back on my heels. “And you did something I haven’t been able to do. You showed her what it means to stand up and do the right thing. Even when it’s hard or inconvenient. Even when you’re alone.” Keeping my attention fixed on her, I paused, hoping the gravity behind my words would really sink in.
“As her father, I am so grateful to you.”
Adele huffed dismissively. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t,” I urged. “It was so much. I know you did it for her, not for me.”
She nodded.
“But I’m still blown away by you. Because, as much as you want to hide it, you’ve got a big, squishy heart and a protective streak a mile wide.”
I took a step closer, and her eyes widened in response. Every cell in my body was screaming at me to touch her, but I restrained myself. I kept my hands stuffed in my pockets and gritted my teeth to ignore the impulse.
“I can’t fight it,” I murmured, ducking my head and watching her. “My attraction to you. I know you hate my guts. I know you’d love nothing more than to disembowel me, but I can’t help it.”
