36. Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty Six
Annie
The wind howls outside, rattling the windows, and rain lashes against the glass in heavy sheets. The lights flicker once, twice, but stay on, illuminating the living room where Robbie and I sit on the floor, surrounded by an army of plastic dinosaurs. The distant rumble of thunder rolls through the house, but inside, it’s calm.
At least, for Robbie.
I wish I could say the same for myself.
I force a small smile as Robbie pushes a T-Rex toward my raptor, making dramatic growling sounds. He’s completely absorbed in his game, oblivious to the way my stomach twists, the way my skin feels too tight, too warm.
Dinner had been good—at least, I assume it was. I barely tasted it, barely touched it beyond a few forced bites. My appetite had vanished hours ago, and the storm outside gave me an easy excuse to take it easy tonight. No big outings, no need to force enthusiasm I didn’t have. Just a quiet night inside.
At least, that’s what I’d hoped for .
I would’ve gone upstairs already if it weren’t for Robbie. He had looked up at me after dinner, eyes big and hopeful, and asked if I wanted to play. And I couldn’t say no. I didn’t want to.
And anyway, maybe it would distract me for a bit.
So here I am, sitting cross-legged on the floor, pretending my dinosaur is hunting his, even though my mind is miles away.
Across the room, Cole sits at the table, his laptop open in front of him. His fingers tap at the keyboard, but not constantly. Every so often, he pauses, gaze flicking toward me. He thinks I don’t notice, but I do.
He’s been watching me all night, all through dinner.
I don’t know if it’s suspicion, concern, or something else, but I can feel it, like a constant pressure.
He knows something’s off.
I’ve done my best to act normal—to smile at the right moments, to laugh when Robbie says something funny, to keep my voice light and even—but Cole isn’t an idiot.
I know he’s waiting.
I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.
So, I focus on Robbie, on his endless energy, on the way his little hands move as he positions his dinosaurs into a battle scene .
“And then—boom!” Robbie slams his T-Rex into my raptor, making them both tumble over. “The T-Rex wins!”
I gasp in mock horror. “Not the raptor!”
He grins, clearly pleased with himself. “T-Rexes are stronger.”
“Yeah, but raptors are smarter,” I counter, picking up my dinosaur and setting it back upright. “Maybe my raptor set a trap.”
Robbie tilts his head, considering. “Hmm.”
“Maybe he lured your T-Rex into a swamp,” I continue, nudging his dinosaur toward the edge of the playmat. “And now he’s stuck in the mud.”
Robbie lets out a laugh. “No way! The T-Rex is too strong to get stuck.”
I smirk. “I don’t know… looks pretty trapped to me.”
He frowns dramatically, then suddenly grabs a different dinosaur—a stegosaurus—and charges it into my raptor. “Surprise attack!”
I laugh despite myself, shaking my head as I let my dinosaur fall over in defeat.
“You got me,” I say, holding up my hands. “The T-Rex wins again.”
Robbie beams, victorious, before scooping up both dinosaurs and making them stomp across the floor.
I steal a glance toward the table.
Cole is still watching.
His expression is unreadable, but his fingers aren’t moving on the keyboard anymore.
I quickly look away, pretending I don’t see him.
Though, really, who am I trying to fool here?
The storm outside picks up, the wind howling louder, the rain slamming against the windows. The lights flicker again, and this time, Robbie pauses, looking up at the ceiling.
“Do you think the lights will go out?” he asks.
I hesitate. “Maybe. But we’ll be fine.”
Cole speaks up from across the room. “The house has a generator, so the some of the lights will stay on, even in a strong storm.”
Robbie nods, seeming satisfied with that answer, and goes back to his dinosaurs.
I don’t.
Instead, I glance at Cole again, catching the way his eyes stay on me a beat too long before he finally looks back at his screen.
I press my lips together, my stomach tightening.
He’s waiting.
And I don’t know how much longer I can keep pretending nothing’s wrong.
***
The storm rages outside, the wind howling against the windows, rain lashing against the glass in thick sheets. Thunder rumbles in the distance, deep and rolling, sending a faint vibration through the walls of the villa. The lights flicker for the third time tonight, but they stay on.
Robbie barely notices.
He’s already tucked under the covers, his small body curled around Rexy. His hair is still damp from his shower, curling slightly at the ends, and his eyes are heavy with exhaustion, though he’s trying his best to fight it.
I sit on the edge of his bed, the soft mattress dipping beneath my weight as I flip open one of the books he brought from home. The familiar, worn pages feel like a comfort in my hands, something steady, something safe.
“Which one are we reading tonight?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
Robbie rubs his eyes with the back of his hand. “The pirate one.”
I grin, shaking my head. “You’ve picked this one every night for the last week.”
He grins back, his exhaustion not strong enough to dim his excitement. “Because it’s the best one. ”
I laugh softly, adjusting my position on the bed and smoothing the page with my palm. “All right, then. The pirate one it is.”
Outside, lightning flashes, illuminating the room for a brief second before disappearing. Robbie shifts under the blankets, curling deeper into the bed, but he doesn’t seem scared.
I clear my throat and begin reading, letting my voice settle into the steady rhythm of the story. “Captain Redbeard stood at the bow of his ship, gazing out at the endless sea…”
As I read, Robbie watches me, his eyes drifting open and shut, his little fingers clutching Rexy’s plush tail. He’s fighting sleep, but I can tell he’s losing.
I keep reading, letting my voice stay soft and soothing, my fingers tracing absent patterns over the worn edge of the book.
By the time I reach the middle of the story, Robbie’s blinks are slow and long, his breathing evening out. His grip on Rexy loosens just a little, his body relaxing into the mattress.
I pause for a second, watching him, my chest tightening in a way I can’t fully explain.
I love this kid.
It’s something I’ve known for a while now, but in moments like this—when he’s soft and sleepy, trusting and small—it hits me all over again .
I tuck the book against my lap and reach out, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. His lashes flutter, but he doesn’t fully open his eyes.
“Do you want me to finish the story?” I ask softly.
He’s quiet for a moment, then shakes his head just the slightest bit. “You can finish it tomorrow.”
I smile. “Okay, buddy.”
I lean down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Goodnight, Robbie.”
“’Night, Annie,” he murmurs, already half-asleep.
I take a slow breath and ease off the bed, pulling the blankets up to his chin and making sure Rexy is still tucked against his side. I step back, watching him for a moment longer before finally turning toward the door.
I flick off the lamp, leaving only the soft glow of the nightlight in the corner, and slip out of the room, closing the door behind me with a quiet click.
I exhale slowly, pressing my palm to the wood for just a second.
He’s asleep. Safe.
I just have to get to my room now.
That’s it.
If I can make it down the hall without bumping into—
I turn, and walk right into something solid.
Someone solid.
My breath catches as I step back instinctively, but a firm hand catches my elbow, steadying me before I can stumble.
Cole.
Of course.
I don’t look up at first, don’t want to see whatever expression is on his face. Instead, I focus on the way his fingers wrap around my arm, warm and strong, the heat from his skin sinking into mine. I focus on the way his chest rises and falls, slow and even, the faintest hint of his cologne lingering in the air between us.
I force myself to look up.
His green eyes meet mine immediately, dark and unreadable in the dim light of the hallway. His hair is still damp from earlier, the ends curling slightly at his temples in a way that reminds me of Robbie. He’s barefoot, wearing only a pair of dark sweatpants and a plain T-shirt, the fabric stretching over his broad shoulders.
I swallow.
“Hey,” he says, his voice low, rough.
I blink, trying to pull myself together. “Hey.”
His fingers flex slightly on my arm before he slowly lets go, but he doesn’t step back. He stays right there, close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off of him.
“Robbie’s asleep?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
He glances toward the closed door, then back at me. “He give you any trouble?”
I shake my head. “No. He was out before I could even finish the story.”
Cole huffs a quiet laugh, the corner of his mouth lifting just slightly. “That sounds about right.”
Silence stretches between us.
I shift on my feet, suddenly aware of how close we are, of the storm raging outside, of the tension coiling tight in the space between us.
I don’t know what he’s thinking.
I don’t know if I want to.
“Well, I’ll just head off to—” I start and try to step around him.
But he’s like a wall, blocking my way.
I stop and clamp my lips shut, then take a slow breath.
“Annie,” he murmurs, his voice softer now.
Brush him off, Annie. You can do it. Just get back to your room .
That’s it.
Just have to get there without—
I look up again, and my stomach flips.
Cole is watching me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. Like he knows I was trying to avoid him.
Like he’s not going to let that happen.