She remained quiet, watching him for so long he started to get uncomfortable before she finally said, “Thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I probably . . . I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?” He frowned.
“It’ll look bad, don’t you think?”
“Look bad to who? Everyone else?” He glanced around the restaurant before leaning across the table, his voice lowering. “I don’t give a flying fuck what anyone else thinks. You have nowhere to live, Wren. I’m just trying to help a friend out.”
“A friend?”
“Isn’t that what we are? Friends?”
She shrugged. “I suppose so.”
“Right, so who cares what anyone else thinks? You’ll stay in my spare bedroom until you get back on your feet.” He said it with such finality she smiled and shook her head. “What?”
“You don’t really ever back down, do you?”
“Not really,” he admitted, sounding almost reluctant. “Not when I know what I’m doing is right.”
“So it’s right that I should stay with you?” A smile teased the corner of her lush lips, and lust zipped through him. He tamped it down. No way should he think like that, not after what she went through over the last twenty-four hours.
“Where else are you going to go?”
The cute smile disappeared. “Are you doing this because you feel sorry for me? I don’t need your pity.”
“Dove, you are extremely touchy, and I understand why, trust me. But no, I’m not doing this because I feel sorry for you.” He reached across the table and grabbed hold of her hand, intertwining their fingers together. “I want to help you. What happened is the shittiest thing ever. We’re going to get whoever did this.”
She nodded, removing her hand from his and sinking both of her hands into her lap beneath the table. “I hope you do.”
He didn’t like how she didn’t sound convinced that they could. “Josh and his team are getting closer.”
“Not close enough, considering my house just burned down.” She bent her head and covered her eyes with her hand, taking a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m just feeling . . . so many emotions. I can’t sort through them all.”
Understandable. She’d been through a lot. And now she had nothing, not even renter’s insurance. Meaning she lost everything in her house and wasn’t going to be compensated for it. Though if she bought anything on a credit card recently she might be able to get some of those items covered . . .
He’d bring it up to her another time. Definitely not now.
A phone dinged, and Wren reached into her purse, pulling out her cell to read a text. She sent off a quick reply before lifting her gaze to his. “Dee said she found my gym bag at the studio and there were some clothes in it. Including underwear.” Her cheeks colored the slightest bit.
“Good. Your friends are going to take you shopping?” he asked.
She nodded and stuffed her phone back in her purse. “Not like I have a lot of time. I need to work to earn money so I can afford all those new clothes and other things, you know?”
Her face crumpled, and he was afraid she’d start crying again. He felt like an asshole every time a tear slid down her cheek because he didn’t know what to do or what to say to make it better. Her tears made him feel helpless.
And he hated that.
“You’re going to have to take it just one day at a time,” Tate said. “Everything that’s happened, everything that you need to do, it’s overwhelming. Just . . . take a deep breath and make a list. Figure out what you can handle and what you can’t. And don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
She dropped her hand and nodded, taking another deep breath, this one shakier than the last. “Right. You’re right. I know. I have friends. I have family who’ll help me. West has already called me twice. Harper too. And Delilah said she’s going to bring my bag by your place later. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay.” Like she had to ask.
“Okay. Good.” She sniffed and grabbed her water glass, taking a long drink. “I can do this. Right?”
“Right.”
“My friends will help me. First thing up, I need to find a new place to live.” She smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “That way I’ll get out of your hair as soon as possible.”