Triple Beat-nook(36)

It was the first time Bryson had heard his own hopes for the future spoken aloud. It was amazing to him to think that this time yesterday, they were still foolishly living in just-friends mode and thinking that was okay. That was normal.

Caleb’s expression cleared and he smiled. “Yeah. That’s the vibe I was getting. Glad to have it confirmed.”

“It took her a long time to relax when she lived here and even then, I’m not sure she ever fully dropped her guard,” Justin said. “When she was sitting with you two at the table earlier, it felt like the first time I’d ever seen her without the shields in place.”

Bryson knew Justin’s comments should please him, but he couldn’t help but focus on the negative parts. Lonely, terrified girl. Living her life on guard.

What the hell had happened to bring her to the Lewis house to begin with? Bryson was tempted to ask, but he didn’t want to hear Dani’s story from anyone except her. It felt too much like cheating. Maybe it was a silly test and maybe he’d pay for it, but Bryson couldn’t shake the feeling that the three of them couldn’t have a future until Dani trusted them enough to tell them everything.

The words he’d overheard Mama Lewis say came floating back to him.

Old habits die hard.

Dani wasn’t finished fighting her demons from the past.

Which left Bryson and Aiden struggling to defeat an unknown foe.





Chapter Six


Bryson tapped his hand on his knee restlessly as he leaned his head back against the couch. It had been three days since their dinner with the Lewis family. Dani had tried to convince them to use their return flights to Nashville on Monday, but they’d canceled instead. Bryson had thought she’d appreciate the company on the long drive back, but she became uncharacteristically quiet—sullen—after they’d told her what they had done.

Since then, she’d been distant. He and Aiden had tried to cajole her out of her mood—offering to do some sightseeing or take her out for nice dinners. While she’d been polite, she’d refused every invitation, refusing to leave the apartment. And despite the fact she was in the same room with them, it almost felt as if she was somewhere else.

Worst of all was the sleeping situation. They’d returned to their own beds. Whatever magic had pushed them together had vanished. Aiden had tried to initiate a conversation about it several times, but Dani had brushed him off, claiming headaches or exhaustion or by simply saying it was over and they needed to move on.

It was frustrating, infuriating, maddening, but Bryson couldn’t figure out how to make things better. Aiden was better at dealing with emotions and talking and shit like that.

So now it was midday on Wednesday and they were stuck in limbo. None of them had suggested leaving the room today. In fact, no one had said anything in the past hour. Aiden was sitting at the counter, poring over lyrics for a new song he was working on. Dani was in her bedroom, strumming her guitar, though he hadn’t heard her sing a note. And he was sitting in the living room, brooding.

While he hadn’t caught the entire conversation between Dani and Mama Lewis, Bryson was more and more convinced that Dani wasn’t in New Orleans for the reason she’d given them. He was starting to suspect her annoyance with them was based on the fact they were keeping her from doing whatever it was she wanted to do. Which left Bryson with an uneasy feeling.

He glanced up when the door to Dani’s room opened and she stepped out.

Aiden gave her a tentative smile. “Hey.”

She pointed toward the kitchen area. “I’m just getting a bottle of water. Don’t let me interrupt you.”

“You’re not.” Aiden’s voice was careful.

Bryson rolled his eyes. They were tiptoeing around her as if she were an injured dog they were trying not to spook. His patience was gone. “Why are you really in New Orleans, Dani?”

Dani’s brows creased but not before Bryson caught the glimmer of fear in her eyes. “I told you.”

He nodded. “Yeah, you came to reconnect with your foster family. But the reunion already happened. So why are we still here?”

Dani’s temper sparked. “I told you guys to leave on Monday. You didn’t have to hang around on my account.”

Bryson stood up and walked toward her. “That’s not an answer.”

She scowled. “It’s the only one you’re going to get. So why don’t you just leave me alone?”