I let his words sink in, both dread and something else seeping through my veins. Something that had my heart pumping and stomach twisting, in good ways.
Maybe it was hope.
I crossed my arms over my chest. Hope was such a fleeting thing. Something here one minute and gone the next. If I was smart, I would have squashed it. Snuffed it out like a candle primed to burn down the whole house.
But apparently, I wasn’t smart. I held on to that feeling with both hands, clutching it tight to my racing heart. A flame might be able to burn down everything I’ve built, but it could also bring light to darkness.
I glanced at the door Atlas ran from. “Should we go and find him?” I asked, my voice soft.
Something shifted over Ty’s face before he turned and walked to the front window, peering out between the blinds. “His cruiser is gone. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”
He turned, handing me the ice pack. “Thanks for that.” He smiled, then grimaced, flexing his sore jaw. “I’m going to go shower and wash away the memory of the last twenty minutes.”
He started to walk away, but I called his name. He glanced back over his shoulder, his brows raised.
My fingers dug into the cold, hard ice pack. “I don’t want to, um, take advantage or anything.” I swallowed. “If you think I shouldn’t stay here, I can leave. I don’t want to cause any problems.”
Ty turned around, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you have anywhere else to go?” He tilted his head questioningly.
“I can figure something out.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Look, Chickie—”
“Don’t call—”
“I like you. You’re a hard worker, you’re sweet and hella cute.”
I scoffed, my cheeks heating as Ty grinned and winked.
“Atlas invited you to stay. So, stay.”
My throat felt tight. I had known these people for less than two weeks. They demanded nothing from me, not even answers to basic questions they probably deserved.
And yet, they had done more for me than almost anyone in my entire life.
I blinked, ignoring the painful emotion wanting me to cry.
“Okay,” I said simply, not trusting myself to say anything else. “Thank you.”
A few days passed quickly. Atlas had come back to the house that night but hadn’t spoken to me about what happened, and I hadn’t asked. There wasn’t any animosity between the brothers, from what I could tell, so I assumed things had turned out okay.
It still bothered me about my backpack, but I chalked it up to feeling stressed. I must’ve not seen it under the desk and tried not to dwell on it. The only thing that mattered was that I had it back, with all my possessions and most importantly, my money.
As the days passed, I found that I liked it at the Ranes’ home.
I had my own space, for once in my life, and even though Atlas said he hadn’t wanted my money, I left rent on the counter when I’d earned it. It felt right paying for my room. It was the least I could do.
I pulled Atlas’s truck into the parking lot of the marina, having arrived early for my shift at the grill. Sometimes I rode with Ty to work if we were on the same schedule, but when Ty wasn’t working, Atlas insisted that I take his truck. I hadn’t wanted to, quite honestly. Driving the truck intimidated me. I had my driver’s license, but in the city, I didn’t drive a lot. Atlas’s house was too far away from the grill to walk, and so I did what I had to.
As I walked down the ramp leading to the dock of the Riverfront Grill, a few people exited out the front doors. I smiled and greeted them. When I approached the entrance, the figure of someone sitting at one of the outdoor tables overlooking the marina caught my eye.
I paused, recognizing the shiny dark hair braided perfectly down her back. Ellie was hunched over, her legs pulled up to her chest as she picked absently at something on her shoe. I stepped away from the door, approaching her.
“Hey,” I said, making her jump.
Ellie hastily swiped at her eyes and looked up at me, plastering on a wobbly grin. “Oh, hey, Wren.”
Her eyes were missing the makeup she usually wore and were puffy and swollen. The tip of her nose was red. I frowned, pulling out the chair next to her and sitting down.