Page 79 of The Secret We Keep
When he looks up out of the window, it’s like he’s looking for a way out. He’s suddenly tense and visibly uncertain.
I don’t press him for answers. Instead, I suppress the barrage of questions I have and wait for him to lower his hands. When he does, he shoots me a heartbreaking glance. His eyes are red, his face is wrinkled tight. I don’t count the minutes we sit together in silence before he starts the engine, changing the subject entirely.
“Is your seatbelt on?”
I don’t give two shits about my seatbelt. I want to know why he didn’t tell me about Rory all those years ago. I grind my teeth before saying, “It’s five minutes down the road.”
“Put your belt on,” he instructs without giving me a look. His toneis firm and unwavering. Jesus, he’s really giving me all of his emotions tonight.
Rather than argue, I do as I’m told before he starts pulling away. I want to ask why he looks so irritated with himself for coming to my rescue, but the careful way he drives me home is comforting and so telling. He’s scared. For whatever reason, in this moment, Paddy O’Keefe is scared.
You wouldn’t understand
Paddy
Whenwepullupoutside Morgan’s house, I look away from her empty driveway and down at her hand on my arm. “Are you okay?” she asks calmly.
With my mind still reeling, I reply, “Fine, curly fries.”
Her thumb twitches, making us both look. “Do you really mean that? I mean, after everything that’s happened, I wouldn’t blame you for not being okay.”
I blow out a breath, a light sweat on my brow after the drive. It’s the first time I’ve driven with someone in the car since the accident. “Yeah, I mean it.”
When my lips part to explain why I reacted the way I did tonight, she stops me, reading my mind. “You don’t need to apologise to me by the way. Rory got what was coming to him.”
My lip tugs when I look her way.
Her eyes drop to my lips, and it’s for this reason alone that I run the very tip of my tongue over the bottom one. “I still wish I’d gotten there sooner.”
Morgan balks unexpectedly. “Which night are you talking about?” It’s not supposed to be funny, but she grins at me anyway, cheeks now slightly pink.
“Both.” I turn to her in my seat, breathing in her sweet honey smell. It’s calming. “Morgan. Back then was bad, but reading your text saying you were alone… I don’t know, I’ve never felt so scared.”
She sighs. “I could tell.” Looking out the window towards her house, she tucks her hair behind her ear, a soft hum pushing past her lips.
“What is it?” I ask.
Her lips pull into a thin line. “Paddy O’Keefe was scaredfor me. I feel special.”
My heart lurches. Satisfaction sweeps over me. Yeah, I was scared she would be hurt by that creep. I didn’t have to think twice. I just knew I had to get her out of there. “You are special. I deal with shit every day and have never felt like that.”
Her cheeks redden further. “Like what?”
I love that she’s confident to ask me. Meeting her gaze, I take a steadying breath. “Like I would kill if anyone hurt you.”
She goes to laugh but stops herself. “That seems extreme,” she replies tenderly, eyes raking over me.
“That’s how you make me feel,” I confess, eyes still locked firmly on hers.
She holds my gaze. “Well, that’s good to know.” Opening her door, Morgan suddenly climbs out.
It’s neither the time nor the place to pull her back into my car and kiss her like I want to, so I’m quick to climb out too. “Good to know?” I repeat, my confusion at her swift exit spreading on my face, eyes narrowing slightly as I shut my door.
Morgan gestures for me to follow her towards her house, with a flick of her chin. “If I could go back and tell the girls at school that Paddy O’Keefe would murder for me, I would in a heartbeat, you know.”
I tilt my head, smirking. “I think your use of my full name is starting to grow on me.” Then I walk to her side, wanting to take her hand in mine. Better yet, I want to wrap my arm around her waist and pull her in to me.
A light from inside her house comes on, pulling both our attention.
