Page 73 of Prelude of Love
“You’re going to be okay,” I murmured, patting his back. “Your father’s lucky to have such a wonderful son who wants to help. That’s what matters.”
Red pulled back, looking embarrassed but grateful. “Sorry. I know you’re not big on hugs.”
“I’ll make an exception for you.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Keep me updated on your dad, alright? And if you need anything—anything at all—you call me.”
“I will.” He nodded, squaring his shoulders like he was gathering his strength. “Thank you, Duke. For everything.”
The door closed behind him, leaving me alone once more. Heaviness settled in my stomach as I sank back into my chair. I remembered the fear of losing aparent, the way it hollowed you out and left you raw. I hoped like hell that Red’s father would recover and that life would be kinder to Red than it had been to me.
The paperwork in front of me suddenly seemed trivial. I pushed it aside and pulled out my phone to text Early. We had some planning to do because I’d be damned if I would let Red go through something so traumatic without helping where we could.
Chapter Twenty-One
EARLY
Duke’s shouldersslumped with defeat in a way they rarely did as he came home. The text he’d sent earlier had prepared me, but seeing the weight of it pulling him down made my chest ache. He wrapped me up in a hug, letting me feel how tense he was.
I rubbed his back. “Hey, hon. How’s Red doing?”
Duke’s arms tightened around me. “About as well as you’d expect. His dad’s stable, but Knox needs help running the family bar. Red’s packing up this weekend.”
“Poor thing,” I murmured, pulling back to look up at my husband. “And poor you.”
“I’m fine.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re a lot of things, but ‘fine’ isn’t one of them right now.”
A ghost of a smile flickered across his face. “I hate when you see through me.”
“No, you don’t.” I took his hand and led him upstairs. “You love that you never have to explain yourself to me.”
“Duchess, I’m not really in the mood.”
“For once, that’s not what I’m doing,” I assured him, though I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “We both know you won’t feel better until you hold me.”
He followed me upstairs without further protest, his footsteps heavy on the stairs. In our bedroom, I turned to him and lifted off his shirt.
A hint of his humor returned. “You sure this isn’t for sex?”
“Positive,” I replied, tossing his shirt aside. “Although I reserve the right to change my mind if you suddenly perk up.”
I continued undressing him with care before shedding my own clothes, then taking his hand to lead him to bed.
“Lie down,” I instructed.
Duke complied, stretching out on his back as he got in under the covers. I climbed in beside him, tucking myself against his side, my head on his chest and my arm draped across his stomach, my leg tangling with his. The position was warm, familiar, and comforting to us both. He wasn’t the only one sad about Red having to move back to Wintervale. I urged him, “Talk to me, hon.”
He wrapped his arms around me with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Start with how you feel about Red leaving.”
He tightened his hold on me. “Like I’m losing more than an employee.”
“He’s family to you,” I stated. It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah. He reminds me of Fitzy sometimes. That same stubborn streak, but with a good heart.”
I smiled against his skin. “That’s high praise coming from you.”
