Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
JUDE
“I’ll wait with you,” I announce when I step onto the sidewalk with Abbey after locking up the taproom.
The last remnants of sunlight glow on the horizon, painting the sky a beautiful mixture of pinks, blues, and purples. The town is already closing up, despite it not yet being eight o’clock. Most storefronts are dark, except for the nearby diner and pizza parlor, both of which will soon close, as well.
When I moved back here after dropping out of college, I worried I’d made a mistake. Worried I’d miss the fast-paced atmosphere of LA. Now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. While I don’t love everything about living in a small town, especially the rumors and gossip, I like the slower pace of life here.
“Wait with me?” Abbey gives me a quizzical look. “What do you?—”
“You’re going to order an Uber, right?”
“I, uh… Right.”
I study her closely as she rummages through her bag. A nagging feeling forms in my gut that she wasn’t completely honest with me earlier when she said she worked everything out. And that feeling gets even stronger when I steal a glimpse of her phone screen as she pulls it out of her bag — a text message prominent from someone named Graham.
Graham:
I’m sorry if I upset you earlier when I said I couldn’t help, but it’s really for the best if you land on your own two feet instead of depending on someone else.
Who the fuck is Graham? And why does it look like Abbey’s about to scream in response to his message?
“Is everything okay?” I ask, closing the distance between us. As I do, the breeze kicks up her floral scent, and I draw in a deep breath, savoring her sweet fragrance.
“Of course.” She grits a smile, not looking me directly in the eye. “Just give me a sec to order an Uber.” She moves away from me, as if purposefully not wanting me to see her screen. Her brows pull together, uncertainty flashing in her expression.
Which only increases my suspicion, my protective instincts kicking in.
“Abbey?”
She darts her head up. “Yeah?”
“You do have somewhere to stay tonight, right?” I ask firmly, planting my feet wide apart. “And a way to get there?”
“I, uh…” She chews on her bottom lip to hide the subtle tremble.
“When you came to say goodbye earlier, where were you planning to go?” I ask firmly.
She parts her lips, but before she can answer, I interrupt, “And don’t lie. I’ll know.”
“How? You barely know me.”
“The vein in your forehead. It pops whenever you’re trying to hide something. Or, at least, when you try to pretend you’re okay even though you’re anything but.” I step toward her. “So I’m going to ask again. Where were you planning to go after leaving the taproom earlier today?”
“The park,” she answers in a strained voice.
“The park?” I shoot back incredulously.
“Not the whole time. I planned on hitting up the coffee shop, too. At least until they kicked me out for not buying anything. I had hoped to go to a thrift shop to sell this…” She lifts her dress. “But they’re closed on Sundays.”
“I thought you were going to call your dad?” I give her a quizzical look.
“I did.” She raises her head defiantly, and it reminds me of how she acted last night when I found her in the park.
When she didn’t want anyone to see her on the verge of having a breakdown.
“Then why?—”
“I don’t have the same relationship with my dad that you did, Jude,” she shoots back, her voice shaking. “Mine couldn’t even be bothered to show up for what was supposed to be my wedding, so I’m not surprised he refused to help when I called him.”
“Abbey…,” I exhale, trying to wrap my head around this.
I may have experienced my fair share of bad shit, but I never questioned my family’s love and support. Most days, it’s the only thing that gets me through.
“It’s okay,” she continues. “I’m used to it. But thanks to you, I have some money, so I’ll just find a cheap motel, preferably within walking distance.” She starts typing on her phone again. “Here’s one. Only five miles away. Bella Vista Village. That sounds nice.”
I snatch her phone out of her hand. “You are not staying at the BV.”
“The BV?”
“Trust me. It’s a dump. They tend to rent rooms by the hour, if you catch my drift.”
“I can’t exactly afford the Ritz right now, Jude,” she shouts, throwing her hands up in frustration, her voice echoing against the brick buildings. “So unless you have a better option, the BV is my only goddamn choice. I?—”
“You can stay with me,” I blurt out before I can stop myself. “Hell, you can work for me, too.”
She sucks in a breath, momentarily speechless, as if trying to make sense out of my offer.
I’m trying to make sense of it, too.
“What did you say?” she asks finally, cutting through the heavy silence.
I can take it back right now. Let her go on her way. If she wants to stay at the BV, so be it. But for reasons I can’t quite explain, I don’t.
“It’s not as fulfilling as developing ways for people to get clean water.” I hand her phone back to her. “But it’s a way for you to get back on your feet. You saw it for yourself. I need more staff. And with the weather getting warmer, it’s only going to get busier. I used to be able to spend most of my time brewing beer. Now, I need to go in early if I want to get anything done because of how busy the taproom’s gotten. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but I need help.”
“You’re offering me a job and a place to live?” she asks slowly, as if convinced she misheard.
As if she’s so used to nothing in her life going right that she doesn’t know how to react when something does.
“There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you stay at the BV, Abbey,” I respond with determination. “That’s worse than the park bench. We used to joke about it in high school. Go to the BV. Come home with an STD.”
“It’s that bad?”
“Worse.”
She presses her lips into a tight line, shaking her head in confusion. “Why are you doing all of this for me? The job? The room? The clothes?” Her eyes search mine. “I don’t get you, Jude. You’re cold one minute, then warm the next.”
I blow out a breath and run my fingers through my hair. “Truth be told, I don’t get me most of the time, either. And while I probably didn’t make the best first impression, I’m usually a pretty decent guy.” I give her what I hope to be an apologetic smile. “You just caught me on a bad day.”
“I don’t?—”
“Take the job, Abbey,” I plead. “I’m desperate. I really need some good help. And I’d like to think your boss isn’t too much of an asshole, despite first impressions.”
“And the room?”
“What about it?”
“Are you sure you want me moving in? That I won’t be interfering with your lifestyle or anything?” Her words are cautious, and I know what she’s asking without having to come right out and say it.
She’s worried having a roommate will interfere with my dating life.
But there is no dating life.
There never will be again.
“It’s fine. I’m rarely there as it is.”
“And the rent?”
“What do you mean?”
“How much do you want for rent?”
“Don’t worry about paying rent. Just focus on getting back on your feet.”
She looks off into the distance, worrying her bottom lip once more. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, she nods. “Okay. But only until I get back on my feet.” Shifting her wedding dress so it’s draped over one arm, she thrusts her hand out toward me.
“Deal,” I tell her.
As I take her hand in mine, I can’t help but feel a spark of electricity travel down my spine from the warmth of her skin against mine. It makes me want to hold on tighter, but I force myself to let go and create some space between us.
“What do you say we grab a pizza before heading home?”
“Sounds good to me,” she responds, playfully nudging me with her shoulder. “Roomie.”
Placing my hand on the small of her back, I guide her down the street toward the only pizza place in town, praying I didn’t just make a colossal mistake by letting her move in with me.