Page 31 of Pretty Little Scars

“Oh no, you go be with your family.” I send a fake-as-fuck smile over my shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait.”

Damn it, let me go fall apart in peace!

“You know, I’m tired, and I need to get to bed early.”

“Darby.”

His voice isn’t hard or angry as he catches up to my stride, and I stop and turn to him.

“What?”

Damn it, my eyes are wet.Fuck.

“Whoa, what’s wrong? What happened in there?” His hands immediately come up to cradle my neck and jawline, his thumbs brushing my cheeks, wiping away the tears that I fought so hard to keep at bay. “If someone hurt you, I’ll kick their ass. You have to talk to me, or I can’t fix it.”

He’s already dead, Hotshot.

I huff a laugh and then swallow hard. “There’s no fixing this. I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

“You’renotfine.” He’s gritting his teeth, frustration lining his face.

“I will be.” I close my hands around his wrists and gently tug him away. “Thanks for tonight. It was fun. You’re an excellentcook. Maybe I won’t turn you down for dinner all the time anymore.”

He doesn’t smile. His features are hard, his mouth set in a straight line.

“See you tomorrow,” I say again, and then walk away.

This time, he doesn’t follow me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

TUCKER

She’s not fucking okay, but I have to get back inside to my family. Nothing about letting her walk away sits right with me.

After returning to the house, I see that everything is cleaned up and the family is getting ready to leave.

Good.I can go check on Duchess.

“She okay?” Harper asks with a concerned frown.

“I think so,” I reply. Honestly, I don’t know, but I don’t want my pregnant sister to worry about anything.

After my siblings all leave, it’s just my father and I on the front porch.

“I like her,” he says simply.

“Who?”

Dad laughs and claps me on the shoulder. “Don’t bullshit me. You like her too. Your little vet intern. I see the way you look at her.”

I’m sure I look like a lovesick puppy. Because that’s exactly how I feel.

“There’s nothing?—”

“Yeah, okay.” He laughs and strides down the steps to his truck. “Keep lying to yourself, son.”