Chapter 5
Harper
“Cora! We’ve gotta go!” I call to my niece, who is still in the bathroom. I shove our stuff into the single duffel bag I have, glancing at the time as I wait for her.
A new spreading stain catches my attention, and I look up at the ceiling with a frown. Yup. That’s definitely a new water stain. There’s something leaking upstairs, and in the back of my mind, I wonder if it’s just a matter of time before the whole thing collapses in on us.
This motel is a shithole. There’s no question about that. It’s run down and sketchy, and the fact of the matter is, it’s all we can afford.
Every penny I’m making has to be saved for car repairs, so it’s not like I can get us in at a nice three star place while we wait.
Between my pay at the bar and the tips I’ve been making, I have a good little bit squirreled away. It’s been a week of work, so I’m making progress, but it’s definitely not enough.
To my surprise, the three Alphas who run the bar have been really understanding and helpful. It’s almost unnerving.
Cash is always smiling at me like I’ve managed to make his day just by existing.
Everett stepped up when that drunk asshole was giving me shit, and Lincoln keeps doing all these little quiet things.
He remembered how Cora likes her juice box opened and moves chairs so I don’t have to reach for stuff at the bar.
It’s very him, I guess. He’s quiet, a lot like Cora, so maybe he understands her in a way other people don’t.
Either way, it’s as weird as it is helpful, but I know I can’t tell them to stop or make a fuss about it. I need their kindness and understanding right now, as much as it puts my hackles up to admit it.
“Cora!” I yell again, trying to keep the frustration out of my tone. “We’re gonna be late!”
Finally the bathroom door opens, and Cora comes out. She’s dressed in a t-shirt that’s too big for her and a pair of shorts, and she comes over to me, holding out her hand for me to take.
We’re not actually late as we leave the motel, heading for the bar, but I don’t want to impose on the three Alphas any more than I have to. I want to prove that I’m worth them taking a chance on me, so I come early and stay late and do my job as best I can.
We start the walk to the bar, and we’re only a few minutes in when we run into Lainey, Lincoln’s sister.
She’s been watching Cora when she can, saving her from another night spent in the back office with her coloring books and toys.
I tell myself it’s good for her to have human interaction, instead of sitting back there alone night after night, and that helps to lessen some of the guilt about taking advantage of other people’s kindness.
“Hey there,” Lainey says with a smile. “And hey to you too, Cora.”
Cora looks up at her and doesn’t smile back, but she does wave a bit.
There’s something about Lainey that makes it easy to be around her. She’s got teacher energy, warm and patient, and it’s understandable why Cora likes her. Kids of all ages seem to gravitate toward her, and she welcomes them with that calm happiness.
“How’s work been?” Lainey asks, and I blink when I realize she’s talking to me.
“Good,” I reply. “I mean, bars are pretty much the same everywhere, right?”
“With a few quirks here and there. But I’m glad it’s going well.”
She chatters about her own work and the things Cora does when she’s with her as we walk along. We hit Main Street and find a small group of people clustered around watching something.
Lainey cranes her neck to look and then laughs softly. “Mr. Mullins’ cow got out again. Must be a Tuesday.”
Some of the people clear off, and I get a clear view of an older man with greying hair, leading a big brown and white cow down the street. If this was any other town, I’d be shocked to see it, but everyone seems to take this as something that happens often enough to not be noteworthy.
Still, I have to ask. “This happens a lot?”
Lainey grins. “All the time. She hates being cooped up and manages to get out a few times a month. You can set your calendar by Mr. Mullins leading her back down the road to the farm.”
We go to keep walking, but Cora’s hand pulls on mine, and I turn to see her stopped in her tracks, a look of wonder on her face.
“What is it, baby?” I ask her, leaning down.
She drops my hand and reaches for the cow with both of hers.
Lainey laughs. “Seems like little miss Cora is fascinated by the cow. Kids love farm animals.”
Cora makes soft sounds of excitement, her face lit up like a kid seeing magic happen in front of her.
Mr. Mullins walks by then and takes in the sight of Cora looking so excited. He laughs, smiling warmly at her. “Well, good evening, young lady,” he says. “You seem taken with my Bessie here.”
Cora squeaks, but doesn’t back away.
“You can pet her,” Mr. Mullins says. “If your guardians here don’t mind, that is.”
Cora whips her head around to look at me, and even if it crossed my mind to say no, I can’t when her eyes are shining so brightly.
“Go on,” I tell her. “But be careful.”
There’s another squeak of excitement, and it hits me that I haven’t heard her be so pleased or interested in something in months.
Mr. Mullins is kind as he crouches down and explains to her where she can touch Bessie, guiding her hand to stroke along the cow’s side.
“Good girl,” he says. “Bessie likes a gentle hand, just like that.”
Lainey and I share a laugh at how completely taken Cora is, and another source of warmth blooms in my chest. I haven’t had a woman to be close to since my sister died. There’s been none of that easy female friendship that makes everything lighter. The thought makes my chest ache a bit.
After a few minutes, I have to pull Cora away from Bessie. “We’ve got to get going,” I tell her softly. “And I’m sure Mr. Mullins needs to put Bessie to bed.”
“Right you are,” Mr. Mullins says. “But Bessie likes the company, so thank you.” He winks at Cora and then continues leading the cow up the street.
We continue to the bar and find Lincoln already there. He’s seated at one of the tables with a laptop in front of him, typing away doing inventory or something.
“There’s my brother,” Lainey says with a grin. “Hard at work as always. You’d think this man would take a break, but nope. No breaks for him.”
“Someone has to work in this family,” Lincoln murmurs back, not looking away from his screen.
“Are you calling me lazy?” Lainey demands playfully, popping her hands on her hips. “The audacity.”
“Big word.”
“Oh shut up.”
“You started it.”
Lainey rolls her eyes and gives me a look. I just duck my head and go behind the bar to wash up and find my apron.
“Anyway,” Lainey says. “Mom and Dad want you at dinner on Sunday.”
“I was at dinner last Sunday,” Lincoln replies.
“Yeah, and you left after twenty minutes. They actually want you to stick around for a while and you know, be with your family.”
There’s something about listening to the two of them that makes my chest ache all over again. They have a clear sibling bond, with all the teasing and little inside jokes, and it’s comfortable. It’s lived in—proof that they’re used to being with each other and have been like this for years.
As much as I don’t want it to, it makes me think of what I lost. I don’t want to dwell on that today, but the feelings are close to the surface.
Eventually, Lainey takes Cora to hang out while I work.
The bar is quiet as I start stocking things for tonight, and I glance at Lincoln, feeling like I should say something. I know I don’t have to fill the silence with him, and he’s not expecting it, but still. It feels weird to be here and say nothing.
“So,” I start, making a face at how awkward it sounds. “No Cash or Everett tonight?”
Lincoln shakes his head. “Nah. They’ve got something else to do tonight.”
I nod. “They’re probably really busy. I can’t imagine having a day job and then running a bar on the side too.”
He hums his agreement, but doesn’t say anything else for a few minutes. Then, “How’s Cora liking being with Lainey?”
“Oh. She likes her,” I say. “And Lainey’s great with her. She’s great in general.”
He nods at that. “She’s gentle. Kids need that. Lots of people need that.”
“Yeah, they do.”
“She’s not always snarky like she was earlier,” Lincoln adds.
I smile a little. “I get it. That’s sibling stuff.
Family stuff is always… different. Special.
I’m sure you don’t actually run out of family dinners after twenty minutes.
” I’m not sure what makes me add that last part, and I want to kick myself a little.
We’re not close enough to be teasing. We’re not close at all.
I can count on one hand the number of conversations Lincoln and I have had together, and this is the only one where it’s just been the two of us.
But Lincoln doesn’t seem bothered. He snorts a little, like he’s amused. “I do, sometimes. But it’s not as bad as Lainey makes it sound. My mom just still treats me like I’m twelve, so she worries, and she passes that worry on to Lainey. Lainey gives me shit for having to deal with it.”
“Ah, I see. Is your dad the same?”
He shakes his head. “My dad is a retired firefighter. He’s seen too much shit to worry all that much. But he likes it when I come around because it makes Mom happy.”
There’s that ache again. Thinking about a happy family. “You guys must be close,” I murmur.
“Yeah, mostly. That sort of happens when you—” He stops, cutting himself off mid-sentence.
I tip my head to the side, watching him fiddle with the taps curiously. “When you what?” I ask. There was something heavy in his voice just then, and it stands out to me. Like he was about to talk about loss or some tragedy.
He catches me looking and shrugs.
“You don’t share all of your history,” he says. “I figure I don’t need to share all of mine either.”
I blink, caught off guard by him saying that so openly, but then nod, a little smile playing around my mouth.
He’s right. I’m grateful that he hasn’t pressed me for details about where I came from or why I’m so eager to keep moving.
It wouldn’t be fair of me to try to push him to tell me more about himself when I definitely don’t plan on returning the favor.
Still, as we keep prepping, I can’t help but wonder what shadows Lincoln is carrying around.