All my needs are taken care of here at Garrett's. I'd been on the verge of texting Ace when I asked over dinner the other night what he was up to. Garrett said he was on a mission. I hate the feeling of not knowing what is going on with him. We’d gone from spending almost every second together to no communication at all.
Garrett’s response had partially addressed my question about whether I had been interfering in his life. I was barely out the door, and he was on one of his missions. It all but confirms that me staying there was impeding on his regular life. He must have been eager to get back to it. I need to face the truth, which is that Ace saving me had been a favor for his brother. It was nothingmore than a job. I mean, it is what Ace does for a living. He’s a real-life hero. One of the good ones, and that’s what he’d been to me. I think I’d read too deeply into it. Maybe we both got caught up in the moment when I was staying there.
“Libby?” my sister calls before knocking on the door.
“Come in.” I roll over on my bed as Winter enters my bedroom. She has boxes in her hands.
“These are the clothes Ace had ordered for you.”
“Is he here?” I sit up quickly. My heart gives a flutter of excitement.
"No, he asked the postman to forward them here."
“Oh.” Winter sets the boxes down on the bed. I can’t help the disappointment that fills me.
“Were you hoping he was here?” I shrug. “Libby.” Winter sighs and drops down on the bed next to me. “You’ve got to talk to me.”
"We talk all the time." It's been nice being able to freely talk to each other without worrying who might be listening. There is no fear of getting in trouble. It's all still so surreal.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Is Ace still on the mission?”
“I can ask. Are you worried about him?”
“Yes.”
“I get it. I think I’d go a little insane if Garrett still went on them.”
“Ladies.” Garrett knocks on the open door with his knuckle. “We’re going to head into town. Swing by Ace’s bar.”
“Is this your two-week check-in?” Winter asks. I recall Ace telling me how he made Garrett agree to come to town every other week to check in.
“Something like that.”
“Does that mean he’s back from the mission?” I ask.
“Should be, but we’ll find out for sure when we get there.”
"Cool.” She hops up from off my bed. “Libby, we're going to a bar.”
“Are we even allowed to go to a bar?” I know I lived above one for a week, but I thought there were some laws or something. Heck, we don’t even have identification, but Garrett said he and Ace would get that all worked out.
"I know the owner, so I think you're good."
“Did Garrett actually make a joke?” I laugh.
He is always very stoic and to the point. Not in a bad way. His personality differs greatly from Ace's. At least with how they express themselves. I think Ace hides a lot of his real feelings behind a smile to reassure people, while Garrett doesn’t care to lessen the mood for anyone. Except my sister. He’s like a big marshmallow when it comes to her. His whole demeanor changes when she’s in the room.
“I have my moments.” He shrugs. “We’ll leave in thirty.”
"Oh, we have to get ready.” Winter starts opening the boxes. A few seconds later, Garrett is back with more.
"Ace sent those too?”
“What was delivered.” He sits them down and returns with another batch.
“Holy crap,” I whisper. Ace did way too much.
