(Mira)
I stayed on the couch after that without saying anything else.
The room felt quieter now, not because things had settled properly, but because Ridge had already decided the conversation was over. He moved around the kitchen without looking at me much, opening cabinets, putting things away, keeping himself busy in that controlled way he always did when something sat heavy in his head.
I watched him anyway.
Not obviously.
Just enough.
My ankle still felt stiff when I shifted slightly against the couch cushion, but it was getting better now. The soreness mostly showed up after sitting too long or moving too quickly afterward. I rested my hand against my stomach briefly and leaned my head back against the couch.
Ridge disappeared into our room for a minute before coming back out
