Page 102 of Whispered Promises

Not worry? Seeing her treated like that was the fucking worst. The rage felt…uncontrollable, especially when she retreated into herself like that. She’s fast becoming one of my favourite people; everything about her shines and feels addictive. Every thought, every smile, every moment of our…friendship is worth being treasured.

Before I can press any further, Nate comes over, two loaded plates in his hands and places one in front of Rosy. He puts the other down at the seat next to her. The seat he then takes.

She avoids looking at me, turning to thank Nate instead.

Noah arrives with another couple of plates, handing one to me. “Not like you to forget your plate.”

“Thanks. I was just checking in with Rosy about something.”

“Everything okay?” Nate asks, his gaze turning hyper-focused as he looks her over.

“Yup,” she emphasises, using that smile I’m not a fan of.

She’s purposely avoiding looking my way; I can feel it. It’s frustrating, but cute she thinks avoiding me will make me drop the topic. I will for now, because fuck, I need to eat and I can’t persuade her to talk to me whilst shovelling food in my mouth. One thing at a time; plus, food helps me to think.

“This is good.” Cutting another wedge of my pie, I slide my fork under it and into my mouth. “So fucking good.”

“There are leftovers you can have for lunch tomorrow. Rosy helped too,” Bry replies, winking at her.

She shakes her head, sighing. “I didn’t. I chopped some things up and nearly ruined it.”

“Best chopped vegetables I’ve ever tasted.” I nod to her, waving a forked potato.

“Are you teasing me?” she bristles, her brows pinching together.

“No, honeybee. It was a bad attempt at a compliment,” I reaffirm, wishing I hadn’t put my foot in it. I know I’m trying too hard to try to make her feel better after the day she’s had. But it’s obviously not working.

She blinks, then nods and focuses back on her plate.

“Stop being weird,” Nate says gruffly, not even bothering to look at me.

“I’m always weird.”

“This is different weird.” This time he rolls his eyes, pointing his fork at me.

“Okay, maybe.” I pause, pressing my lips together. “But I don’t need lunch tomorrow. I’ve still got today’s leftovers in the work fridge,” I tell Bry.

“Are you feeling okay?” Noah asks. “You’ve never missed a meal…”

“What? No, I ate with Rosy. Fuck, imagine not eating a meal?! That’s like not breathing. Wouldn’t my stomach start eating itself?”

“Relax. I was joking.” Noah laughs, patting my back in what I think he means to be a reassuring gesture. But my heart is still pounding a little over the idea of having a self-cannibalising stomach. “You two had lunch together?”

“Um, yeah. Max surprised me at work, and we went to a café.” It almost sounds like a question, as if she’s unsure she should be admitting to it. Does she not want to be seen with me?

“Oh, the place you mentioned with the croissants?” Bry jumps in. “I’d love to give it a go sometime. You’ll need to take me.”

“Sure, yeah. Ah, I can do that,” Rosy agrees, but the hesitancy is still there, so maybe it’s not me. What’s going on in that worried mind of hers?

“That why you’ve been weird all fucking day?” Nate questions me. “Because of lunch? You say something stupid?”

Rosy’s eyes are like lasers piercing into my skin; now I can almost feel all her questions.

“Yes, stupid things were said, but it’s all fine now,” she says before I can.

“No, don’t minimise this. Nothing I said was stupid. Standing up for you will never be stupid. You shouldn’t be spoken to like that,” I declare, my appetite strangely gone as I drop my cutlery and lean back in the chair.

Nate growls, the sound rumbling through his chest as fists clench on the table. Makes my actions earlier feel better; I wasn’t overreacting. If Nate had been in my place, I’m sure as shit fists would have flown.