“All right. Thank you.”
Quickly, Heavenly tossed together some pancakes and bacon. It was a huge treat to cook in a kitchen stocked full of food and new appliances. She hummed as she chopped cantaloupe, aware of Beck and Seth watching her intently. She could only imagine what they were thinking after everything that had happened last night.
When she set the food on the table, Seth helped her into her chair. It was second nature to grab their plates and serve them. She’d been doing it for her father for years.
When she realized her faux pas, she set Beck’s plate down with a grimace. “I’m sorry. Habit.”
Seth didn’t mind. He was already digging in with a moan.
“Don’t apologize.” In fact, something in Beck’s smile said he liked it a lot.
Seth nodded, almost the same little grin playing at his mouth.
Sometimes she didn’t understand these men…
After putting a few bites into her belly, she sipped her orange juice and blew out a breath. “I know I owe you a lot of explanations.”
Neither said a word, but their expressions were rife with silent agreement.
“I don’t even know where to start. I didn’t tell you anything because…”
“It wasn’t our problem,” Seth finished for her. “We’ve heard this. There’s more to it.”
“There is.” She swallowed. “I could give you a lot of excuses, but the truth is, my mom left as soon as she found out my dad was sick and not going to get any better. She took half of their savings, the car, and everything out of her closet one Sunday afternoon. Then she left. I remember I was studying for a history test when she came into my room and…” Her throat tightened and her nose stung. Damn it, she didn’t want to cry. It had happened a long time ago, and she should be over her mother’s crap now. “She didn’t even hug me, just said she hadn’t signed up for life with an invalid. That she and Dad had taken care of me for fifteen years and I could return the favor.” She bit her lip to hold in tears she didn’t want to spill. “I was shocked. Then confused. Over the next few months, I became angry.”
“Of course you did.” Seth’s face was full of pity, the same sort mirrored on Beck’s.
“I never heard from her again. To this day, I have no idea where she is.”
The two men exchanged a glance, then Beck took her hand. “And your mom taught you that people don’t stay, so you tried to get rid of us before we could walk away from you.”
“No.” She shook her head as she gathered her thoughts. “Mom taught me that when you give people your problems, they disappear.”
“Oh, Christ.” Seth set his fork down and reached for her other hand. “That’s why you kept everything to yourself? Angel, neither of us is leaving. You need us, and we’re going to be here for you.”
“Whatever problems you have, we’re going to help you,” Beck assured.
She withdrew her hands from theirs. “I appreciate the help. I really do—”
“There better not be a ‘but’ in that speech of yours.” He raised a brow at her.
Seth looked equally displeased by the notion.
“Thanks, but I don’t want a handout. I needed help with my father. I admit. His meds, coupled with the rent, got too expensive for me to keep up with and—”
“We know. I’m taking care of your fall tuition in the morning,” Seth cut in. “There’s no way you’re not going to school come September.”
“I’ll pay you back.”
He shook his head. “If you’re able to pay for your schooling next spring, great. If not, you and I will figure something out.”
That would be a huge load off her shoulders. Taking from Seth made her feel more than a little guilty, but she couldn’t afford to skip school and put her future on hold indefinitely. “Thank you.”
He acknowledged her with a nod, then she turned to Beck. “I’ll move out of your condo as soon as I can find somewhere—”
“Stay.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You won’t be in my personal space. My house is ten miles away. This is just a place to crash when I’m too tired to make the drive home.”
“It’s still too much to accept.” She shook her head. “I can’t freeload.”
“You are so infuriating.” Beck gritted his teeth. “All right. I’ll rent it to you for ten dollars a month. Does that make you feel better?”
Heavenly gaped at him. “If you take less than three thousand a month, you’re crazy.”
“It’s my condo to do with as I wish. So if I want you to have it for ten bucks, that’s my right. All you have to do is say yes. C’mon. Make us feel better, would you? We don’t like worrying about your safety, and that shithole you lived in…”