Chapter 3
Dylan Burns
I don’t know what it was about this girl.
Maybe it was the obvious daddy issues? Because I could totally relate. Or her artistic soul? Because she totally killed that mural. Maybe it was the naked pain in her eyes?
Maybe she was my karmic redemption.
Indy shook her head as her fork fell to the plate with a clatter. “What? I can’t, I mean you can’t…That’s not…”
I shrugged. “Just tossing it out there. I bet Anne will vouch for me. Aside from falling for my own dad’s bullshit, I’m a pretty upstanding guy.
Got no warrants out for my arrest. Got a steady job with my brothers building motorcycles for celebs and corporations.
And I don’t have anything weird in my closet or under my bed. You can check if you wanna.”
“Why are you selling Indy on your virtues?” Anne asked as she slid a plate of steaming stuffed French toast across the table. “What did I miss?”
I hitched a shoulder and carved another bite from my cold choconana pancakes. “I was just offering my spare bedroom to Indy here.”
“What? Why? She can stay with me—someone she actually knows.” Anne cocked her hip and sent me a look I now realized was her teacher stare.
“On your couch. In a cramped apartment you share with two or three other people?”
Some of the starch went out of Anne’s shoulders. “Three.”
“Exactly. When I have an empty bedroom I had been setting up for Maddie until she lost the plot and started hooking up with my brother.”
“That girl has loved your brother her whole life.”
I blinked in amazement. “How do you know that?”
Anne shrugged. “Let’s just say Ryan and Hope aren’t exactly quiet when they’re gossiping. And anyone can see it when they look at Maddie and Nathan. The two of them are meant for each other.”
“Doesn’t make it any less gross to watch your best friend make out with your brother.” I faked a shudder. Actually, I didn’t mind. Maddie deserved whatever she wanted. I just thought she’d grown out of her little infatuation. And wised up. I mean, this was Nathan we were talking about.
“Still, Indy here would probably be more comfortable staying with someone she actually knows, AKA me.” Anne pointed at herself with her thumb.
I leaned back and raised my eyebrows at her. “Sounds to me she knows you about as well as you know me. At least if she stayed with me, she’d have her own bedroom. And she’ll only have to share a bathroom with me. Not even really sharing, since I have my own half bath.”
“Um, can you both stop talking about me like I’m not sitting right here?” Indy cut in with a tremulous voice. “I can speak for myself.”
I turned away from my starring contest with Anne and faced Indy. “So what’s it going to be? Couch surfing with Anne or your own bedroom and most of a bathroom at my place?”
Indy’s eyes danced between me and Anne, and I could see the overwhelming emotion of everything weighing her down. She was inches from breaking apart, and I didn’t blame her. Poor kid.
“I really appreciate the offer,” she started.
My heart sank. I really wanted to help her.
Then she turned to Anne. “Anne, I really do. But you have so much on your plate. I don’t want to add my insanity to it.
And it’ll only be a few days. Just until I can sort out a shelter or something.
” She turned back to me and the naked pain in her bright blue eyes almost undid me.
“Then I’ll be out of your hair, Dylan. If that’s all right with you. ”
Like hell was I letting this girl move out of my perfectly fine—and empty—spare room to sleep in a shelter. She’d have all her shit stolen inside a week.
But I played along and nodded. “I’m happy to have you. And like I said, Anne here will vouch for me, I’m sure, if you’re worried about anything.”
Indy’s eyes darted up to Anne still standing next to the booth.
After a beat, Anne nodded slowly. “I don’t know if you’ve seen their show, but they’re really good guys. They only beat on each other, and I think it’s been a hot minute since the last brawl.”
“Seriously?” I scowled up at Anne. “You get I’m trying to keep her from sleeping on the street tonight, right?”
“You get that I think she should stay with me, right?” Anne cocked a hip.
I huffed an annoyed breath. “Just tell her I’m not creepy or a criminal. Please.”
“Not sure it means much when you have to script what you want me to say.”
“Um, guys?” Indy waved a hand. “If you’re done bickering with each other, I should tell you that I’m not changing my mind. Besides, after living with my dad for almost a year, there’s not much that could surprise me.”
“Oh, kiddo.” Anne’s eyes sheened with tears. “I’m so sorry.”
Indy hitched a shoulder and poked at her stuffed French toast as she avoided everyone’s eyes.
Anne cleared her throat. “All right. Uncle.” She threw her hands in the air. “You win, Dylan. And Indy, he really is a good guy. Or at least he tries to be, sometimes he gets in his own way.”
“Thanks, I think?” Honestly, I couldn’t tell if that was a compliment. It definitely wasn’t a ringing endorsement. But judging by the look on Indy’s face, she found it somewhat comforting.
“And it’s only for a few days.” Indy lifted her palms. “I’ll be out of your hair by Friday. I promise.”
Yeah, sure. I smiled and nodded at her.
Little did she know, I had no intention of letting her run off to a shelter.
She deserved a break, and I was determined to give her one.
Or two….
* * *
“So this is it.” I pushed open the door and gestured for Indy to go inside.
She hitched her backpack higher on her shoulder and tossed me an uncertain glance. I tried to give her an encouraging look, but it probably came off more like a grimace.
Indy stepped inside and after a beat, I followed her. I didn’t want her to feel pressured.
I hit the light switch next to the door and soft lighting illuminated my sparse bachelor pad. A long couch and a recliner on one side faced the 85-inch television on the opposite wall. I didn’t even have a coffee table. Some free weights stood on a rack next to the tv, and that was pretty much it.
I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck.
“Uh, the spare room is over there.” I gestured to the small hallway straight back, running between the living room on the left and the small kitchenette on the right.
A kitchen that hadn’t been cleaned in a hot second.
Takeout boxes littered the tiny island along with assorted crumbs, and I don’t even know what else.
A few dishes were stacked up in the sink.
I couldn’t remember the last time I ran a load.
I winced. Shit, I really hoped the bathroom was in better shape.
“Uh, as you can see it’s the maid’s week off.”
Indy cracked a small smile at my weak joke.
“But seriously, I’ll pick up tomorrow. I swear. Maddie hasn’t been here in a while, and I guess I’ve let a few things slide…”
“It’s fine.” Indy shook her head. “Seriously. I’ve been living with my dad this last year, and he’s…definitely less tidy than you. You should’ve seen the apartment when I first moved in. It was—” She cut herself off and bit her lower lip like she was physically holding the words in.
I guess she was pretty broken up about whatever had happened to him. I wanted to ask, but she’d cried plenty tonight. No point in poking at open wounds. Maybe she’d confide in me given time.
I gave her an encouraging smile. “I can imagine. It wasn’t that long ago when I was rooming with my brother. There’s a reason we all have our own places now.”
“I’m guessing a lucrative tv deal had something to do with it.” Her eyebrows went up.
My smile grew wider. “You ain’t wrong. Come on, I’ll show you your room. No doubt you’re as exhausted as I feel.” We walked past the full bath, and I pointed it out to her. “And this is your room.”
I pushed open the door and gestured for her to enter. She hesitatingly stepped inside. After a beat, I followed her but stayed in the doorway so she wouldn’t feel crowded.
I gestured to the large cabinet on one wall.
“That’s the murphy bed. Just pull it down there.
I’ll get you some sheets and a pillow in a sec.
Feel free to move anything out of the way.
” I pointed at the easel currently standing in front of the window on the far side.
“Including that. Don’t worry about smudging it or anything.
It’s not important. Just something I was playing with to pass the time. ”
And I was sick of looking at it. Something about the shading was all wrong. And I couldn’t get the expression on his face right. The canvas might end up in the dumpster tomorrow.
Indy stood in the center of the room, clutching at the backpack on her shoulders, and I was reminded how little she had with her. Locked out of her apartment with just the clothes on her back. Damn.
She looked around the room like something was going to jump out at her any second.
Wary and just so unsettled. I hated seeing it.
At her age, she should’ve been out partying with her friends and making poor decisions.
Not worrying about where she’d sleep tonight or how she was going to wash her only set of clothes.
“Uh, my bedroom is on the other side of the hall. I’ll just go grab those sheets and pillows so you can settle in.
” When I came back, she’d set her backpack in the corner, moved the easel out of the way, and had the murphy bed pulled down.
The queen-sized mattress spanned the center of the room, large and imposing.
And reminding me that Indy was an attractive woman.
One who needed help and not another dick in her life, I reminded myself.
I tossed the linen onto the bed next to her, and she jumped.
“Uh, sorry. I grabbed a few things from my closet too. They’re clean, I swear. And I won’t miss them. They should tide you over until we can get your things out of your apartment. There should be a comforter in that closet. And that’s it, I think. Unless there’s something else you need?”
Indy shook her head as she stared down at the t-shirt and sweatpants on top of the pile.
I snapped my fingers. “Oh. I have some spare toothbrushes and toothpaste. I’ll just leave them out on the counter in the bathroom for you.”
“Thanks,” she whispered softly, still staring at the pile of linen.
“And seriously, don’t feel like you’re on a timeline here. As you can see, I was the only one using this room and poorly at that.” I gestured weakly at the easel standing in the corner.
She turned and stared at my weak attempt of art—and humor. “It’s not bad. Just needs some work. Kinda like my piece tonight.”
“You’re too nice.” I smiled slightly. “But I’ll probably toss it in the dumpster the second I get a chance.”
She huffed and shook her head, clearly disagreeing with my assessment. But the tension had eased in her shoulders.
“Good night, Indy.”
“’Night,” she returned. She finally faced me and gave me a slight smile.
Something about the naked vulnerability in her eyes got to me. She was so clearly hurting. This girl definitely needed a break.
“See you in the morning.” I stepped out of the doorway and pulled the door closed, giving her the space she no doubt wanted.
That haunted look on her face was the last thing I thought of before I fell asleep.