Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Kendall
“What? I don’t understand, Blake.”
The sound of my brother’s sigh was loud enough through the phone that I had to pull it away from my ear for a second.
“I need a place to crash. Just for a few nights, please?”
“Blake, you have an apartment at Mom and Dad’s place. Why do you need to stay with me?” I felt that old familiar weariness rise inside with a cold sense of dread balled in my stomach.
“It’s not Mom and Dad.”
“Well then, what the hell is it?”
“I let Cheryl stay.”
I groaned. “Are you kidding me?”
“Sorry to say I’m not.” My brother sounded sheepish.
“You let your ex-girlfriend who is a wild partier stay with you. I’m not saying that to be all judgy. I understand that she also has problems with addiction. But why is she staying with you?”
“She needed a place to crash.”
“Let me guess, Cheryl also lied and told you she was sober, and she’s not,” I said flatly. This was not his first rodeo with his ex.
He cleared his throat, his voice was hushed when he replied, “Yeah. I gave her three days. I called her brother, and he’s gonna come get her. I just…” He let out a heavy breath. “Kendall, I’m actually doing okay, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Blake…” I paused before I went and did something stupid. So much for keeping boundaries with my family. “You can stay. But only three days,” I said firmly, as if setting that line was going to be the magic one.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Kendall. I owe you.”
All I could do was let out a bitter laugh.
Everything I’d done over the years trying to help my brother added up to a lot.
I didn’t do anything because I expected something in return.
I genuinely didn’t. But I was tired, and I’d been so proud of myself for actually calling my parents out on their bullshit.
After I finished that call, Tommy came over, happily cleaning the stalls with his boundless energy and getting everything ready for the evening feedings. Just as he was finishing up, Jude came in where I was in the storage room, checking on supplies.
I felt Jude’s presence before I heard him and turned to see him leaning inside the doorway. My belly felt all tingly, and my heart kicked a little faster in my chest.
“Hey,” I managed.
“Hey. What’s the plan for tonight?”
Oh, fuck.
This was another reason why I didn’t want Blake staying with me. Now I needed to explain this to Jude. “Um, we can get dinner.”
“Okaaaay,” he said slowly.
“And, how about I stay out at the resort tonight?”
Jude didn’t miss a beat. He narrowed his eyes. “What happened with Blake, and why is he staying with you?”
I leaned against the wall behind me, thumping my head back for a second. “He’s fine,” I insisted. “But remember his old girlfriend, Cheryl?”
“Yeah.”
“She convinced him she was sober and needed a place to crash. She’s not, but he is actually sober. He called her brother, who’s coming to get her. But her brother can’t make it for three days.”
“Why are you responsible for this?”
“I’m not responsible. I’m just trying to help my brother.” Defensiveness rose inside.
Jude cleared his throat and nodded. “I get it.”
“Can we stay at the resort?”
Jude held my gaze for a long beat and shrugged. “We don’t have a private room. Lincoln’s in the only open room now.”
“Oh.” I chewed the inside of one of my cheeks.
“I love you and I want to spend tonight with you—because I’m about to be out for five days—but I definitely don’t want to stay in your tiny studio with your brother,” Jude said. The sound of him clearing his throat was like a record needle scratching over my heart.
“Oh, Jude. I wasn’t even thinking about the timing.”
“It’s okay.”
I could tell he was playing it all calm and cool, like it really wasn’t a big deal. “Should we get dinner?” I asked.
Jude thumbed over his shoulder in the direction of Heartfire Falls.
“I’m having dinner out there. You’re welcome, but I planned to go over trip prep with Lincoln, who’s going with me.”
“Oh.”
“Do you want to come?”
“Oh,” I repeated. Everything suddenly felt stilted and uncertain. “It sounds like you’re going to be busy then.”
“Not too busy, but we have to get organized, not just for us, but for the group going with us,” he explained.
My head bobbed. “I totally understand. So, I’ll see you when you get back.”
I started to walk over to him. Just then, Tommy appeared. “Hey, Jude,” he said with a grin.
Jude flashed a quick grin. “Hey, hey.”
“Race you back to the resort?” Tommy said.
Jude eyed him. “Uh, no?” His voice held a hint of a question.
Tommy let out a dramatic sigh. “Well, that’s no fun.”
Jude burst out laughing this time. “I would beat you.”
“No, you wouldn’t!” Tommy protested.
“I’ll see you when I get back,” Jude said, glancing over at me.
“Five days?” My chest ached to think of him gone for that many days.
He nodded. I started to approach him because I wanted to at least give him a kiss goodbye, but he was already turning away. Tommy was busy talking, and it didn’t feel like the moment where I could push. I simply watched him walk away.