Page 188 of Safe With You
“Text me when you get home.”
“You know I live ten minutes away.”
“Still.”
I looked at him over the top of the door.
There were a dozen responses I could give him.
I could tease him about being overprotective. Tell him I’d been getting myself home safely long before he showed up. Remind him that I didn’t need anybody checking behind me.
Instead, I nodded.
“Okay.”
He waited until I was inside before stepping back.
I started the car and pulled away from the curb, catching sight of him in my mirror as he turned toward wherever he’d parked his truck.
The smile came before I could stop it.
That morning, nothing about that day had included Ellis.
I’d wanted to talk to him, so I did.
He’d asked me to come with him, and I went.
Somewhere between stolen fries and the walk back to my car, I’d held his hand because I wanted to.
And when he gave me the chance to decide what happened next, I’d kissed him.
For once, I didn’t search any of it for something to worry about.
I just drove home smiling.
I changed my shirt twice before I realized what I was doing. Somehow I was standing in front of my closet at eight-fifteen on a Wednesday morning with another shirt in my hand like breakfast required a dress code I wasn’t made aware of.
I stared at it for another few seconds before tossing it onto the bed.
“This is stupid.”
The empty house offered no disagreement.
Usually, Mila would be somewhere down the hall by then, either asking what’s for breakfast while ignoring whatever I put in front of her or reminding me about something she swore she told me three days ago. With her at Tasha’s, the house had been quiet since I woke up.
I grabbed the first shirt again and pulled it over my head. Problem solved.
My phone buzzed on the dresser before I could make it out of the bedroom. For half a second, I thought it might be Luna.
It wasn’t.
Your child has eaten two pancakes, half my bacon, and is currently asking for cereal.
I laughed under my breath.
Stop feeding her.
The typing bubble appeared almost immediately.
