Bold(25)
“The end of the month,” Tabby replied.
The tendons in Reece neck protruded. He pinned a steely glare on her. “I thought you dropped out.”
Sudden anger flared inside her, warming her cheeks. “Well, I’ve decided to drop back in.”
Tension stretched between them like a rubber band.
“What are your plans after you graduate?” Andie sat with her hands rested atop her large belly.
Tabby swallowed nervously. “I’ll look for a position in New York.”
A short, sarcastic laugh escaped Reece. “When did you make the decision to go to New York?”
Her own laughter was mocking and brief. “What difference does it make?” Besides, why the hell did he care?
“It makes a hell of a lot of difference. I bet your mother and Devon don’t know about your plans. He won’t let you go.”
She really didn’t give a damn what Devon or Reece thought she could or couldn’t do. She opened her mouth to tell him just that when Andie cleared her throat. Brody sat quietly with a broad smile across his handsome face.
“Hmm…would anyone like dessert?” Andie asked.
“No,” both Reece and Tabby barked at the same time.
Crap. For a moment, she’d forgotten her manners. “No, thank you,” she corrected, working to regain her control. Deep, slow breaths didn’t seem to help much. “After I help you clean up, I really need to run.” Fast and far.
“Don’t you worry about the dishes—I have a built-in dishwasher.” Andie grinned.
Brody stood and casually walked toward his wife. With a sparkle in his eyes, he leaned down and planted a kiss upon her head. “She means me.”
Laughter broke the mounting tension.
Tabby took the opportunity to get to her feet. “Thank you for a lovely dinner. Please make sure Mom hears about the happy event so she’ll give me a call when the babies are born.”
“I don’t think I could keep these rascals coming a secret even if I wanted to. Their papa will probably yell their arrival from the very edge of Dresden’s Bluff.” Dresden’s Bluff overlooked the entire town and was a popular place for all the teenagers to hang out.
“Damn right I will,” Brody said proudly.
“I wish you and the boys the very best.” Tabby pivoted, running smack dab into Reece’s chest. “Umph.”
“Forgetting something, or maybe someone?”
Dammit. Of course, he wouldn’t forget that he had to give her a ride.
Andie and Brody followed them outside. After saying their goodbyes, Reece opened the passenger-side door for her and she crawled inside. As he strolled in front of the truck, she watched him. By the frown pushing his brows together, he wasn’t happy. He didn’t speak as he slid in behind the wheel and started the vehicle.
They were halfway to the building site when he finally spoke. “So what’s this about you going back to school and moving to New York?”
Chapter Six
If Tabby thought she would sashay out of town after what happened between them, she was sorely misinformed. Reece’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Although he was supportive for her to return to school, the damn woman couldn’t raise havoc with his life and then just disappear.
Her backbone stiffened while her chin jutted into the air. “I don’t owe you an explanation behind my decisions.”
“The hell you don’t. What do your mom and Devon say about your decision to move to New York?” When she didn’t respond, he harrumphed. “Just what I thought. You haven’t told them.”
“No. And I would appreciate it if you kept your mouth shut. I’d like to handle this at the right time.”
“And when would that be? When you’ve graduated and moved several hundred miles away from home.”
“Dammit, Reece. This is none of your business.”
A moment of uncomfortable silence lingered, before his voice softened. “Are you running away because of what happened between us?”
Her head snapped in his direction. “I’m not running away.”
“What do you call it?”
“Growing up. Leaving my childhood behind me.”
Leaving me behind. He knew the reality behind what she said. Tabby had given up on him. Wasn’t that what he wanted? And if it was, why did her words feel like arrows piercing his heart?
He brushed his fingers through his hair. “This won’t work between us.”
“Yeah.” She whipped her gaze to the right, staring out the window. “You’ve already said that.”
Shit. He hadn’t meant to speak out loud. The truth was he didn’t know if he could let her go, not after he’d held her, kissed her lips, been so deep inside her he’d marked her—his.