When Stars Fall [EBOOK and PAPERBACK PUBLISHED]

43. Ellie - Present Day

Wyatt's heavy footfall when he comes down the stairs wakes me up. When did I fall asleep? Is everyone else asleep?

At the entrance to the main living room, he runs his hands through his hair. "You're exhausted." His light-colored eyes trace my face. "And you weren't feeling well to begin with. I'm so sorry, Ellie."

He crosses to me, scoops me up into his arms and carries me to his room. He drags back the covers and slides me under as though I weigh nothing.

"Did you still want to talk?" He perches on the edge of the bed beside me.

"I need to talk to you." I yawn. "About a lot of stuff." My eyelids are heavy as I look up at him. "Are you sleeping here, too?"

He scans my face. "I want to." He breaks eye contact and says, "I'm sorry about Anna."

"How she behaves isn't your fault. Haven shouldn't have seen her like that. She had a lot of questions. I said you and I would answer them sometime tomorrow. I don't have all the answers." Remembering our conversation wakes me up. Anna's wild eyes. A chill slithers down my spine.

His chuckle is dark. "I don't either. Jamal is such a great kid. I worry she'll destroy him."

There's an opening, but I'm afraid to plunge in. Has anyone suggested an alternative? Surely, someone must have said something to him at some point. Who could watch this play out over and over and not voice an opinion? "What about getting custody of him? Giving him the stability and love he needs?"

"Anna loves him." His gaze flicks to mine before shifting away.

Seeing how she behaved tonight, her love is toxic. Whatever bottom she needs to hit to turn her life around, she hasn't hit it yet. Her son is paying the highest price.

Wyatt sighs and stands up, taking off his shirt in one swift movement. All of his muscles ripple, and I long to run my hand down his chest. I want to hear the sound of his heart beating under my ear again.

Before he drops his pants, he raises his eyebrows in silent question. I'm sleeping in the tiniest pair of shorts and a tank top. I nod, and he lets the pants fall to the floor with a sly grin. I can't help smiling back, wishing things between us could be this easy all the time.

Once he's in bed, his hand lands on my hip. I scooch backward a tiny fraction and that's enough for him. He rolls onto his back, drawing me into his body so my head rests on his chest.

"There's something I need to tell you, Ellie. Is it okay if I go first?" Wyatt's voice rumbles through his chest. "I know you had something you wanted to say too."

"Yes." I dread talking to him. What will he say? How will he react?

He takes a deep breath, holds it for a beat and then releases it. "I was drinking on the island."

I freeze, surprise floods me, relief chases it. Finally. "When? How much?" Twenty bottles.

He kisses the top of my head. "I'm going to trust you. God, I'm so worried you're going to use this against me." The words are murmured into my hair. Silence hangs in the room for a moment before Wyatt takes another deep breath. "I don't know how many of the twenty bottles I drank. I poured some of them down the drain, then I ordered more and drank them. I don't know. Not enough to be drunk."

"When?" I slide my hand across his chest. My heart beats erratically but his is slow, steady. He's telling the truth. My next suggestion could go terribly wrong.

"The night I found out about Haven being my daughter. I didn't know yet. You dropped me off, and I was raging. I was so angry because you were keeping us apart, keeping something from me. I just...I couldn't handle the frustration. I—big emotions trigger me."