Between Commitment and Betrayal (Hardy Billionaire Brothers, #1)(28)

“Relationships aren’t. And rules change. A change saved you from something, didn’t it?” I pointed to that necklace. The way she’d whispered her truth to me showed me Everly had secrets that cut deep, that she hid in the dark crevices of her soul, and I wanted to see all of them.

“Changes can save you, but they can also destroy you.” Her eyes shimmered like they went somewhere far off before she glanced back at me. “Anyway, this isn’t a relationship. It’s a professional commitment of sorts.” Her hand was already on the guesthouse’s doorknob, the one I was sort of pissed I had at the moment. I couldn’t corner her and make her talk to me about this more. I simply had to accept that we were still very much two different people.

“Didn’t feel very professional two minutes ago.” I combed a hand through my hair, trying my best not to get aggravated by her composure. I’d buried my dick inside her not moments ago, and she was fine walking away from me.

No woman did that so easily.

No woman was like Everly, though.

“Let’s just keep our distance from now on then.”

I stared at her, saw her for the beautiful woman she was. Quiet confidence, composure even when her estranged father threw a curveball. And my partner’s daughter. “I’m not sure what Carl wanted to happen between us,” I said softly.

“We’re giving him as much as we can,” she whispered back. “I don’t know that I owe him even this.”

“He did love you, Everly.” I wasn’t sure she saw that.

“You can’t possibly know that.” She wrung her hands in front of her, but I saw how she leaned in, how she wanted to know more.

“He smiled when he talked about you, was proud of how quickly the athletes warmed to you. Albeit he was pissed about Wes, obviously, but he wouldn’t have cared about Anastasia and Clara doing that. In his eyes, you were part of his team.”

She gave one jerky nod before she murmured, “I know you were very close. I’m truly sorry for your loss. I know I said that at the funeral, but I meant it. Losing someone is difficult.” She stopped for a moment. “I lost someone a while back and … I miss her a lot most days. I hope you let yourself sit with that grief and heal it. If you don’t, it will eat at your soul.”

“I—” Saying anything would probably bring me to damn tears. I cleared my throat. “I’ll miss him for a long time.”

She chewed her cheek and then stepped forward to wipe some of the rain from my face. Her touch soothed, comforted, and warmed me in a way I wasn’t sure anyone else’s could.

My phone went off again.

She snapped her hand away and almost jumped back, her blue eyes refocusing on that distance she wanted between us. She cleared her throat. “Feel free to have someone come show me around when they have time. Otherwise, I can explore myself. I’ll make sure to stay in the guesthouse and call if I need something.”

“Someone? I’ll show you around right now!” Jesus, did she have to turn that composure on so damn quickly?

“Call Anastasia, please. I think it’s best if she discusses things with you. She obviously wants to. And she’s friends with Piper, right?”

My jaw worked up and down as I saw her take a step back toward the guesthouse. “So what?”

“Piper and you are close, correct?” She tilted her head. “You told me once she does your PR? It’ll be good for you to be on the same page with them. Plus, I would really like to get my bearings, take a shower, all that.”

She needed to wash me away. Fuck. Fine. “Right. Well, you have the guesthouse to yourself. My assistant will stock your fridge. You can write her a list of what you want. She’ll text you soon to get everything coordinated. Movers will be here in the next hour or so with an overnight bag and will be stopping by with your things throughout the next two days. They’ll organize them for you.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Hmm.”

“And I have a personal chef on staff for meals, so have them make what you want—”

“I can organize myself.” She halted me. “I can also get my own groceries and make my own meals. There’s no need for—”

“I know that, Everly,” I said, pacing up and down my driveway. The rain had stopped, but my clothes were stuck to all the wrong parts of my body, irritating me further on top of her nonchalance. “It’s a convenience to have them do it. Plus, we can catch up over dinner or breakfast, whenever we’re both available. The chef can text you when they’ll be preparing things over at my place.”

“It’ll be an inconvenience for me, actually. And I’ll enjoy sorting through my own stuff. Just tell them to leave it out front.” A small smile played at her lips. “And, Declan …”

Her saying my name had me stopping and looking at her. Curly hair weighed down by the rain, free of makeup in a black dress that wasn’t supposed to do anything for her, but she didn’t need it to. The statement was her. Her blue eyes, the freckles that sprinkled over the bridge of her nose, the slope of her neck.

Raw beauty.

“Thank you for trying to make this comfortable. It won’t be, but trying is best. One day down, 364 to go, right?”

“Right,” I grumbled. Why did I feel like a child? Like someone was judging my life and I was coming up short?