Chapter Twenty-Six

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Archer

“W e should go out to lunch or something, take the dogs with us. We can go to Birchbark Grill. They allow dogs on the patio. Have you ever done something like that with Pretty Girl before?” I know he hasn’t with Casanova, but I think they would both be good. Pretty Girl gets excited every time she meets new friends, like when people come over or when we went to the park with Meadow. “It might be good for Casanova, get him used to being around people.”

East looks at me from where he’s folding a butterfly at the table we’ve set up for puzzles. It’s been nearly a week since Dusty, Morgan, and Rhett were here. While East has still been a little off, I think it’s because he’s got so much going on in that head of his. He’s been stepping out of his comfort zone so much lately, making unexpected strides, but I know it’s emotionally taxing for him.

“Why would we want to go be around other people? They’re terrible.”

With a smile, I walk over to him, tilt his head up, and press a kiss to his lips. “Yes, they are. But there are some good ones out there too. It’ll be fun. I’ll get to show off my guy.”

He rolls his eyes, but there’s a spark of joy in his blue irises.

“Or should I say my good boy?” I add, quirking a brow at him.

“You just said that so I’ll say yes. You know how it gets to me.”

“I said it because it’s true.”

East sighs. “Being with me isn’t a flex, Arch. It’s not a good look for you.”

The thing is, I don’t really give a fuck what anyone thinks. Maybe at the beginning I thought it was a good idea to keep us on the down-low, but I don’t care about that anymore. And if people at work have a problem with it, we’ll figure that out too. East is more important than anything else. “I’m proud to be with you. Now—it’s nearly the end of October, and amazingly, it’s in the sixties. Soon it’ll be too cold to do shit like this. I want to enjoy the day with you.”

He drops his forehead against my stomach. I rest a hand on the back of his neck, tickling my fingers along his nape.

“See? Ruining me.”

“If you don’t want to go, we don’t have to.”

“I want to go, Archer. You make me want to do things or learn to do things I never thought I’d want. It’s still fucking with my head.” He stands, and then he presses a quick kiss to my lips. “It’ll be good for the dogs.”

He uses them as an excuse a lot, when he does things he’s unsure about or in good situations he doesn’t believe he deserves. I plan to do everything in my power to make things easier for him, but I can’t do it alone. East needs to want it, and he needs some help, but I’m too damn scared to bring it up.

“And I get to show you off,” I tease again, trying to find any moment I can to build him up.

“I’d rather you get me off.” He smirks, and I laugh.

“I’ll do that too. That’s my plan for the rest of the night when we get home.”

“Let’s get out of here, then. The sooner we leave, the sooner we come home.”

This time, our laughter mixes together, and we grab our things and the dogs’ leashes.

“Come on, guys. Archer is forcing us to socialize.” But before we go out the door, he grabs the shirts Meadow had made for them. He tosses Pretty Girl’s to me, and I put it on her while he does the same for Casanova. I love that he wants them to wear Meadow’s creation when they’re out around town. My heart already belongs to him, and it just endears him to me more.

We take his truck into town, the dogs excited in the cab. East parks behind Birchbark Grill and looks at me. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure about everything when it comes to you.”

He shakes his head as if I’ve lost my mind but doesn’t argue. He gets out and reaches for Casanova as I take care of Pretty Girl. While Casanova is good with me, he still prefers East to anyone else. Pretty Girl’s more comfortable with other people.

It’s a fairly busy afternoon in downtown Birchbark, people walking around and enjoying the warmer weather like we are. I see people’s gazes go from me, to East, to the dogs, then back to me again. I’m surprised there haven’t been more rumors lately, but maybe since we spend most of our time at his house, it’s helped to keep them to a minimum. That won’t be the case after today, and I wait for the worry to kick in, to feel concern about my job, but I just can’t find it in myself to care.

The patio has propane heaters between the tables, and a few other people are there, one of the couples with a dog.

“Hi, Officer Thorn,” Chip Wallace says, he and his wife, Lori, looking at us. He’s about five years older than me, and I’ve known them both most of my life.

“Archer is fine. How are you both doing?”

“Not bad,” Lori replies. “Who are these two?” She reaches out a hand toward Casanova, who is closer to her. He ducks behind East’s legs, and East takes a step back with him, making sure Casanova has space. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“He was abused. He’s unsure about new people.” East kneels so he’s closer to Casanova.

“Oh, that’s terrible. I’m so glad he’s safe with you now,” Lori replies, and damned if East doesn’t cock his head, brows drawn together as if he’s thrown by Lori being grateful to him for anything.

East looks at Casanova again but speaks to her. “He’s getting better. We’re trying to socialize him. We take him to the dog park too.”

The way they look at me says they noticed East’s use of the word we , making us sound like the couple we are. I’m not sure if he knows he did it, but I can’t deny it fills me up the way only he can.

“This pretty girl loves people, though.” I maneuver myself so Lori can pet her.

“What’s her name?”

“Pretty Girl.” I chuckle.

“Aww!” Lori says, and I can tell she’s smitten.

“She’s our good girl, aren’t you?” I pet her head along with Lori, not shying away from saying our . If they didn’t get it from what East said, they do now. It’s the first time I’ve had a boyfriend publicly. I’ve dated men casually, but that wasn’t usually in Birchbark. “Anyway, we’re going to grab a table. Enjoy your lunch.”

East stands, a silent thank-you in his eyes. We say our goodbyes and head over to a table in the corner.

“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” he asks.

“Was it really that bad?”

He shakes his head. “Shut up.”

A waitress comes out and brings us water and menus. I feel people’s gazes on us as they walk by, other diners too. Even Lori will look our way and smile, curiosity burning bright.

Pretty Girl and Casanova lie under the table while we look at the menu.

“I’m gonna get a cheeseburger,” I tell East. And an extra order of fries for the dogs, of course. They love them.

“I’m doing the fried chicken burger. I’m getting fries for the dogs.”

I grin. “Already planned on it.”

He smiles back, and it nearly stops my heart.

The waitress returns, and we order. East is a little quieter than usual at first, but as I keep chatting with him, the conversation flows easier.

The food arrives, and the pups perk up. We each slip a fry under the table to them.

“Your mom texted me,” East says.

“She did?”

“Yeah…we’re gonna plan something for my day off next week. She’s…nice.”

“She likes you.”

“I like her too.” I grin at him, which East returns, before he stares off, getting lost in his head. I take a bite, give him some time. “We should look for some more of those puzzles.”

That easily, my heart runs a race. It’s incredible how much he gets to me, and I love that it was his idea. “We can do that.”

“Do you think we can find a butterfly?”

For Ella. And I don’t care if I have to make one myself, I’m going to find a fucking butterfly puzzle for this man that so many people look at and think he’s so hardened, a troublemaker, aloof, when really, it’s that his heart is so damn big, the world hurts him more than most. All I want to do is protect it, stand in front of it like a barrier between his heart and the rest of the world, and take all the hits for him.

Reaching over the table, I put my hand on his. “Yeah, I’ll do my best to find one.”

He nods, then clears his throat, just as Lori steps up. “Sorry to interrupt. We’re leaving, and I just wanted to say you make a lovely couple.”

“I think so.” I wink at her playfully, before adding, “Thank you.” After sending a kind smile our way, she slips away. “I always liked Lori. Smart lady.”

East laughs, one he doesn’t try to hide or bite back, and in this moment, everything feels fucking perfect. We continue our meal, the conversation flowing easily now, the dogs enjoying their treat.

When we’re done, I say, “Let’s walk around a bit.”

“You never seen downtown Birchbark, or what?” he teases.

“Brat.” When I reach for his hand, East doesn’t pull back, our fingers locking together in the middle, while we each hold one of the dogs. “I can’t believe how warm it is today.”

“Perfect day.” East looks at me, eyes all intense, showing me things he struggles to say, and I know he doesn’t mean the weather.

We enjoy the sunshine, taking a stroll down Main Street. We make a turn down one of the quieter side streets, still with shops and businesses along the way.

When East pulls to an abrupt stop, I look at him, and it’s like every part of him is shut down, like all that emotion in his eyes is turned off, jaw set like he’s walling himself off.

Glancing ahead, I see why. Gregory Swift is standing there, and an instant wildfire burns everything inside me. East’s hand tightens on mine, and a hate unlike anything I’ve ever felt surges within me.

Gregory notices our hands, and disgust turns his face harder. “What the hell…are you doing…with him?” His words are slow, measured in a way they weren’t before his stroke, and it takes everything in me not to pull my arm back and hit him, to feel the satisfaction of wiping the ugly look off his face.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business. Excuse us.” I try to pull East with me, but it’s like his feet are rooted to the earth. “East…sweetheart. Let’s go.”

“He’ll ruin your life…your career…just like he ruins everything he touches.”

My blood runs cold. My vision blurs. This man is pure evil. “What did you just say about him?” I take a step forward, my hand coming free of East’s. “You don’t know him. You don’t deserve to know him.” I’m even closer to him, but I don’t remember taking the steps. My hands fist, muscles tight, the rein I have on my control slipping. This man has hurt East in too many ways to count. Let him believe he was worthless, never cared enough to get him help. Blamed him for the death of his mom and wished it had been him rather than his sister. I’ve never in my life wanted to hit someone as badly as I do him.

“He’s not…worth it.”

“He’s worth everything, and don’t you ever fucking talk to him like that again!”

“Or what?” Gregory stands tall. The door beside us opens, a woman coming out of the pharmacy.

“Gregory, why did you come out here?” His nurse, maybe, looks back and forth between us. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. He’s the one who’s not worth it,” I spit out as the woman leads Gregory away, and when I turn back to East, he’s standing there like he’s completely disconnected from the world. I’d let go of Pretty Girl and hadn’t even realized it, but she’s with East now, both she and Casanova jumping onto his legs and trying to get his attention.

I push back toward him, cup his face, brush my fingers over his cheeks, my thumb against his lip. “East…sweetheart. Talk to me. Don’t fucking listen to him. Don’t believe a fucking word he says. I’m here. I love you.”

My words seem to snap him out of his trance. “I told you he hates me,” is all he says, those words biting right into my chest.

“He doesn’t fucking matter. He’s wrong. Come on. Let’s go home.”

I grab Pretty Girl’s leash, then take his hand again. East doesn’t hold on tight like he had just moments before.