Chapter 26

• "Are you... comfortable here?" I bit my lower lip as I was standing outside the guest room. My voice sounded smaller than I expected, almost drowned out by the quiet hum of the house around us. The hallway felt unusually long tonight, and each step I took made the silence louder in my ears. I could hear the faint ticking of a clock from the living room below, reminding me of the late hour. My mind raced as I considered whether Agustine really was at ease or just pretending to be polite.
• After Agustine and I had eaten earlier, I immediately invited him to go up to the second floor of the house to show the guest room where he would stay. I know he's tired already. With every movement of his eyelashes, I could feel the fatigue there. He had that subtle slouch in his shoulders that he never usually allowed himself to have, the kind that only appeared when he was completely exhausted. I wasn't afraid or worried that the room was not in order because I knew that Daddy had the maids fix it. The crisp, neat linens and subtle fragrance of lavender in the room already promised comfort, and I hoped he could feel my effort in that small gesture.
• Agustine nodded at me sparingly. "Are you going to sleep now?" he asked hoarsely. His voice carried that deep, calm tone that always made my pulse quicken, even when he didn’t intend it. I noticed the slight dark circles under his eyes, and for a second, I wanted to insist he take the bed first and I would take the sofa. But I held back, afraid of disturbing the silent understanding between us.