I looked around the room and found my robe hanging on the back of the door. It would cover enough of me to hide the bruises, and it would keep me warm. Two of my biggest priorities right then.
Why was Jedd seeking me out?
Pulling the plug, I took my time getting out and drying off. I think a part of me was hoping that Jedd would give up and leave, but I was also mostly curious. If I was going to toss a coin on this dilemma, however, I was hoping to high heavenhe'd go. That was too much to expect. I should have known my luck wasn't going to hold for long.
Pulling my robe around me, I opened the door and found myself face to chest with him.
Jedd didn't say anything, and he sure as hell didn't give me any personal space, just because that was what most people would do. Instead, he took a couple of breaths, studied me and then reached out, brushing the collar of my robe aside and exposing my shoulder.
“Hmm,” was the only noise he made, the low rumble of exasperation followed by a silent sigh.
“He talked to you?” I asked, not needing more understanding than that. Jedd was an intimidating guy, but he was also respectful. I knew I was safe with him, even in an awkward exchange like this one.
“How bad is it?”
“It's not.”
“Ayda.” There it was again, my name said in a way that held more meaning than it had any right to.
“Jedd, it's a couple of bruises that I don't regret. Let's not blow things out of proportion.”
“Ain't the way Drew sees it, sweetheart.”
Shaking my head, I pushed past Jedd and into the room where I could feel less intimidated by his tall frame. He was like a damn mountain when he wanted to be.
“I know exactly how Drew looks at what happened. I also know that he thinks he did something wrong.”
“Said he made you cry.”
“I wasn't crying because… I mean, I was confused but… Jedd.” I sighed. “For a second I had him back. I wasn't crying for the reasons he thought I was.”
“Don't you give up on him.”
“Wasn't planning on it.” I sat on the edge of the bed heavily and looked down at my hands. “I'm not sure I'm capable of giving up on him.”
“He loves you. We all do, you know that, but Drewlovesyou, Ayda. I don't do all the mushy bullshit. I don't do emotions. But that kid? You mean something to him.”
I met his glance, something I didn't often do. “I'm not going anywhere. Listen to what I'm saying to you. I'm here for the long haul.” I held up my left hand and offered my ring finger. “I'm holding him to this promise.”
Knowing that Drew had gone to Jedd, and thinking about it, probably Slater too, should have embarrassed me, but I was glad he was reaching out and communicating with someone, anyone, to get shit off his mind.
I watched Jedd shuffle in his big black boots for a moment before nodding and scratching his beard in his typical understated way of showing discomfort. Jedd had said what he'd needed to, he'd heard what he wanted to hear, but there was still that sadness most of the guys were carrying around with them these days.
“Are you doing okay?” I studied his face, waiting for a reaction to pass over his eyes while he was unguarded. I almost missed the hollow sadness as he let himself think about it because the look was only there for a second before he blinked and all of that pain was gone again.
“I'm good. I'm alive.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
“I'm here if you need to talk.”
Jedd shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, making the chains on his belt rattle. “Nothing to talk about.”
“You and I both know that's not true, but my door is always open. We're family now.”
“I'd rather you worry about your boy.”
“I worry about you all.”
Jedd removed his hands from his pockets, approached me, and rested his warm hand on my shoulder. It was something I could imagine a big brother doing, and it offered some comfort.