Page 11 of The Bright Side of Brooding
Summer Applegate stood pressed up against her door, her hands in front of her. A man, back to us, hand above her, blocked her from view partially with his head ducked like he was speaking to her.
Alarm shot through me right as Rob started jogging.
“Summer, hey!” he shouted as we both jogged. “Summer!”
At first, neither the woman in question nor the man harassing her seemed to hear him, so he shouted again.
We were at the path leading to her door when her eyes jumped to Rob, then me. Finally, Rob reached the doorstep and pulled the guy away from her with a hand on his shoulder.
“What the hell?” the man said, immediately irate.
Summer’s eyes welled with tears, but they didn’t spill over. She blinked rapidly, her chest rising and falling. She wore no coat and slippers on her feet. She had sweatpants and a T-shirt on—she obviously hadn’t planned on being outside long. This revelation made the man’s choice to block the door even more suspect.
“You okay?” I said low, stepping onto the porch but careful not to get to close. Though we’d met and interacted, I didn’t want to assume she’d be comfortable with me in her space. At six foot three and two-fifteen, I was something of an imposing figure.
She nodded, lips pressed hard together.
“Get gone, man. Don’t come back. Don’t let me hear about you coming back.” Rob shoved the idiot down the path, and he scrambled off to his car without another word. Rob turned and stomped back up to Summer. “Come here,” he said and pulled her into a hug.
Something slipped through me—ugly, and not worth my time. I shoved it away without another thought, inspecting the woman as she closed her eyes tight in Rob’s arms.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she pulled back and looked at him, then flickered to me before settling back with Rob.
“Just finished up with Masters—I told you he trains me, didn’t I? The more pressing question is, who was that idiot?” He dropped his dark head, bringing his face close to hers.
Up to this point, I’d assumed they were just friends. Seeing him with her now, I wondered. How else would he know where she lived, after all?
“He works at the clinic. I’m shocked he came here and even more that he felt like he could box me in and talk to me like that. He was about to get my knee to his crotch, so I guess thanks for saving me from smashing whatever poor excuse for family jewels he had.”
I wanted to laugh at her stark delivery but clenched my jaw to stave it off. Very unexpected, but this was not the time. Still, that fire lit something in me—or maybe it burned away the irritation her obstinate disregard for my first letter had caused. In the ashes stood a woman, scared, but not cowed. She didn’t need me or Rob.
And the oddest thought hit.I wish she needed me.
I mentally reared back. Where had that come from?
Later, when I reviewed all of this, I’d roll my eyes at the ridiculous train of thought. Where had the desire for someone to need me come from in my lonely, broken heart?Gee, I wonder.Apparently, all I needed was a pretty nice-ish girl in distress, and I got ideas. Pathetic.
“You should report this to your manager or whatever the process is with the clinic. And we should call the MPs.”
Her hand shot out and she grabbed his wrist. “No. Definitely not. I’m not dealing with that, and this won’t happen again, I’m sure. I have to…” Her eyes jumped to me, then back to Rob. “I have something in the oven. I’d ask you guys to come in, but—”
“No, no. Masters has to get back to his poetry and brooding, and I’ve got to get home. But report this, and call me if you need anything,” he said, already walking back toward his car just down the street.
“Thanks,” she said, opening the door.
Our eyes connected before she slipped back inside, leaving my chest tight with concern. Should we be leaving her like this? It didn’t feel right, but I didn’t know her enough to insist on staying. And then again, she didn’t need either one of us.
Back at his car, Rob looked at me with wide eyes. “Idiots are exhausting.”
I nodded.
“Well, let me know what she made you,” he said, then winked.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t ignore the spark of anticipation. She might not’ve made me dinner. I’d very clearly told her not to worry about it. But I had to admit I wouldn’t mind if she knocked on my door tonight—just to see how she was. It was only right I wanted to make sure she was okay.
