Chapter 12 #4
I’m expecting it when there’s a knock at the door just as the sun is starting to lower.
Unlike the day before, I don’t bother looking through the window to see who it is.
Instead, I open the door, then smile when I spot Cora Barnett on the doorstep, a golf cart parked on the street just a few feet away.
“Hi, Verity. You didn’t reply to my text, so I thought I’d drop by and make sure that you’re okay,” she says, smiling friendlily at me.
“Hi, Cora, come on in. I’m sorry, I’ve been in the backyard, and I haven’t looked at the cell. It’s been a while since I’ve had to think about carrying a cell phone around with me,” I admit, not mentioning it’s because tents don’t have outlets and cell phone plans cost money.
Stepping to the side, I wait for Cora to come inside before I close the door and point to the door to the yard. “I’ve been sitting outside, if you’re okay being out in the heat?” The sun is low but still bright, it’s not hot enough to burn, but more than warm enough to sit outside comfortably.
“You might have to help me out of a chair, but that would be the same on the couch, so outside is fine,” she says, waddling through the back door and out into Warrick’s slightly unkempt yard.
Cora takes a seat on one of the patio chairs, but instead of taking the one beside her, I sink back down onto the lawn.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her, diverting the conversation away from me.
“I’m fine. This is my third pregnancy. My body knows what it’s doing, but my daughter Smith came almost two weeks early, so Huck is losing his shit thinking I’m going to go into labor any day, when I still have weeks till my due date,” Cora says, rolling her eyes playfully.
“How are you settling in? The offer to use our guest room is still there if you’re lonely or worried about being here on your own. ”
“I’m fine, but thank you. I appreciate the offer,” I tell her. Cora really has been sweet to me, and even understanding her motives for coming here, I can’t accuse her of being anything but super nice.
“Are you used to living alone?” she asks. “I had my own place before Huck barged his way into my life, so I miss the quiet sometimes. I love my family, but our house can be crazy. There’s so many of us, and even in our wing, it’s still hard to get even a moment of solitude.”
“Wing?” I question.
“Huck’s dad built the main house for him and Huck’s mom, and the original building has eight bedrooms and then a big living, dining, and kitchen space.
The guys were all living there in the house they grew up in, but when they started getting wives and having babies, the house just wasn’t big enough.
So Cody, Huck’s brother, who is a contractor, had plans drawn up to extend the original home by adding apartments that lead off each of the guys’ original bedrooms. So we all basically got our own wing in the house.
But because every single Barnett man is obsessed with having as many babies as possible, all of the wings have been extended again.
So the house is basically a hodgepodge of add-ons, so we all have our own space, and then we have the main house as shared space when we want to spend time together. ”
“That sounds…” I trail off trying to find the right words. “Loud,” I finally say.
“It’s insane. But in spite of it all, I love it. Once you spend more time with us, you’ll understand why it works and why we don’t end up wanting to kill each other, I promise.” She laughs. “Which is why I’m here to pick you up for dinner.”
“Dinner?” I blurt.
“Yes, dinner. It’s the meal most people eat in the evening, so let’s go. It’s Beau and Bonnie’s turn to cook, and they’ve made baby back ribs. They are so good. I promise you’ll eat until you almost make yourself sick,” she gushes enthusiastically.
“Oh,” I say, forcing a hopefully upset-sounding tone into my voice. “I just ate.”
“You ate?” Cora says.
I nod.
“So just come hang out with us. Even if you’ve had dinner, you’ll be hungry once you see the ribs.”
Opening my mouth like a snake, I force a yawn out. “I was actually planning to have an early night.”
“Seriously?” Cora says.
Deciding that offering her a little honesty is probably the best way to get her to leave, I suck in a sharp breath, then say, “It’s been a tough few months for me.
I was living in my car until it got stolen.
I came to Rockhead Peak because it was the first bus that pulled into the station when I had literally nowhere else to go. ”
Cora’s eyes go wide, then soften into the kind of sympathy that makes my skin crawl.
“You were homeless?” she questions.
“Yes and no. I was wild camping in my tent. I didn’t realize that you could only do that for a couple of weeks here. When Warrick found out, he offered me his spare room until I can find a job and get an apartment.”
“An apartment?” Cora asks slowly, her brows furrowed.
“Yeah. Obviously, I can’t stay here long-term. I’m grateful that Warrick was okay with me being here while he’s not. I’d never do anything to betray that trust,” I tell her, trying to let her know that I understand why she’s here checking up on me.
“Does Warrick know?” she asks.
“That I was homeless?”
“No. That you’re planning to get an apartment?”
I shrug, because what else can I say? That I stupidly thought him telling me this was my home was the truth? That I believed him when he said he felt something for me? That I’m an idiot who thought he trusted me?
“I don’t think he knows you plan to move out,” Cora says.
“Well, we only met a couple of days ago. He knows that I’m looking for a job. He told me to take a few days to recuperate, but honestly, I need to get back to looking for work. I’ve pretty much asked in every shop, café, and restaurant in Rockhead Peak, so it might be time to move on.”
“I’m confident that Warrick will not want you to leave,” Cora insists.
“I appreciate his generosity, but I won’t outstay my welcome. He said there’s no buses that come this far up the mountain, so if you know of anyone that is headed down into town who wouldn’t mind giving me a ride tomorrow, I’d appreciate that.”
“You’d just up and leave?” she questions.
“Obviously I’d leave him a note,” I say tartly.
“Seriously, Verity, come and have dinner with us. I don’t have any vacancies at my store, but between us we own a handful of businesses, and if none of us need staff, one of the guys might know someone who is hiring.”
“Honestly, I’m exhausted. Before you called around, I was planning on cleaning up, then taking a shower and heading to bed. But please ask your family about the job. I don’t really have much experience in anything but waitressing, but I’m a hard worker and a fast learner.”
Cora’s expression is conflicted, and I can tell that if we knew each other better, she’d insist on me going to her place with her. But right now, I’m grateful that she’s as much of a stranger as Warrick is.
“Come for dinner tomorrow instead then,” Cora offers.
I screw my face up into a grimace. “I actually have plans with Octy and Knight tomorrow night,” I lie.
“Fine, the day after.”
“James mentioned—” I start.
“Oh my god.” She laughs. “Fine. But once Warrick is back, you’ll both have to come around.”
I nod, but don’t actually agree, because if I can find a way down the mountain, I won’t be here by the time Warrick’s four-day shift is finished.
After I help Cora to her feet and watch her waddle to the golf cart and drive away, I close and lock the door behind her. Heading outside, I collect the glass I’ve been drinking from, then lock the back door and carefully wash the glass, putting it back in the cabinet I took it from this morning.
Pulling the leftover sandwich from yesterday out of the refrigerator, I eat it over the sink, then wash the plate and put it away, making sure to sanitize the counters and sink before I head for the stairs.
My gaze drifts to the cell phone sitting on top of the sheet of paper, and for a moment I consider taking it upstairs with me.
But even if Warrick calls, I don’t think I want to talk to him, so I turn away and climb the stairs, retreating into the bedroom and shutting the door.
It’s far too early to go to bed, but I still climb beneath the covers fully dressed and pull them over my head. The darkness and the familiar soundtrack of my own breathing settle me. I don’t fall asleep, instead, I stare into the darkness, contemplating what to do.
My tent and the rest of my meager belongings must still be in Warrick’s car, and although I could leave it behind, if I do, I might be forced to actually sleep out in the open for days, or even weeks, while I search for a job in whatever town I end up in next.
The thought of literally having nothing except a ratty backpack full of equally ratty clothes makes me feel sick.
Hot acid burns at the back of my throat, and I physically cover my mouth with my hand to stop myself from being sick.
My tiny tent and sleeping bag might be old and cheap, but when having them or not having them is the difference between having some cover, safety, and privacy or not, then I refuse to leave without them.
I hear it when the cell phone starts ringing downstairs, but I don’t move. Instead, I stay hidden beneath the covers and let it ring until it eventually stops.