Chapter 5
LEE
Running into Silver’s bedroom to find her surrounded by flames was the most terrifying moment of my life.
And I’ve seen some shit. The smoke was so thick I couldn’t tell if she was dead or alive when I picked her up.
Her choking cough was a relief. It’s a miracle she didn’t have any lung damage or burns.
If I’d been even thirty seconds later…I can’t even think about it.
Calli has been a mess too, at the thought of how close she came to losing her best friend.
She called earlier to talk to me about putting Silver in one of my cabins since it looks like insurance is going to delay any payments.
A hotel would get expensive fast, and places to rent in town are few and far between.
The temptation to throw someone out on their ass to give their cabin to her is strong, but I can’t. If they’d been normal vacationers, I would have. But they’re struggling people who have already lost one home and are looking for another.
“You’re staying with me,” I inform Silver, as she sits across from me in the living room and fills me in on the insurance problem that Calli has already told me about.
“Just for a week or so,” she replies with a nod. “If you can spare your guest room. They should have to pay for a hotel by then.”
“Not just for a week. I would’ve put you in one of my cabins if I had one empty, but they’re filled until March. Stay here until you find a permanent place, or until March, then take a cabin. You can save your money to rebuild and to replace your things.”
She chews on her bottom lip as she thinks about it. “Why do you want me to stay? I know we slept together once and would’ve again but that doesn’t mean—”
Of course she’s suspicious of my motives. Plenty of men would use a woman’s misfortune against them to get what they want. “I’m not trying to sleep with you again. I’m sure it’s the last thing on your mind.”
Her body relaxes a little and she gives a dry chuckle. “Homelessness and financial ruin does tend to kill the mood.” Curious eyes land on mine. “Then why are you so set on me staying here?”
I know she has other options even if they aren’t great ones.
She could go to one of her brothers, or Calli and Arlow’s place even though it’s crowded.
The truth is, I can’t explain it. All I know is that since I carried her from that house, I need to know she’s okay.
And that means I need her to be close by.
For the first two nights, when she was still in danger of a reaction to the smoke inhalation, that meant in my bed.
If she prefers the guest room now, that’s fine, as long as I know she’s nearby and safe.
It’s not like I can tell her that. She might think it means more than it does.
Anyone would be worried after seeing a friend almost die.
“Because you’re my friend.” I hold my hands up. “But it’s up to you. You can take the guest room, or you can go to a hotel for about ten minutes, get carried back here over my shoulder, and then stay in the guest room.”
She bites back a smile. “Fine. I choose the guest room. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She leans over and hugs me, then looks me in the eye. “That doesn’t mean you can tell me what to do.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
With a snort, she gets up and heads for the kitchen. “I’ll make dinner. Did you know the harvest festival is being held right downtown this year? Lucky’s is smack in the middle of it.”
“That should be good for business.”
“Absolutely.” She pulls a few vegetables out of the refrigerator. “Are you going?”
I grab a beer before she can close the door. “To the festival? To get my face painted and win a teddy bear?” Arlow has already told me he’s taking his family and invited me along. Lacey and Trinity are joining them.
“Don’t forget the corn maze and bobbing for apples.”
I got dragged into it last year for Arlow’s birthday. Not this time. She grins at the look I give her and starts chopping a green pepper.
“I’ll be working all day. Calli and Arlow are going to come for dinner afterward. You should come too. I’m pretty sure she already asked Lacey.”
“Are you going to hook me up with double chicken fried steak?”
“I’ll think about it.” She pauses for a moment, like she’s hesitant to ask. “So, how do you feel about cats?”
I forgot about her cat. Of course she won’t want to leave it at Calli’s that long. “I think they’re assholes, but I don’t mind if you bring yours here. Just keep the door to the back room with the pet door closed. I’m not sure how Rogue will get along with her.”
“Is Rogue never allowed in the rest of the house?” she asks.
“I tried, but she doesn’t want to be indoors.
Maybe when it’s colder outside. But every time I bring her in and give her a bath, she barks and charges at the door to get out in under an hour.
Ten minutes outdoors and she’s covered in grime again.
So I set up the back room for her to go in and out, get to a spot with heat, her bed, and food. ”
“Can’t tame the wild girls,” she says with a grin.
She would know. While she’s making dinner, I remember the squeaky door I’ve been meaning to fix in the guest bathroom and grab some household lubricant to take care of it.
It’s rare for anyone to stay in the guest room.
Arlow has crashed here a few times but not since Calli moved in with him.
I keep forgetting the horrible screech the door hinges make.
It’s easily fixed, and I glance around to see if there’s anything else I haven’t thought about that needs to be done.
A sharp ache pierces my chest when I recognize a hairbrush sitting on the sink.
Where did it come from? How many times did I watch her pick up that thick wooden brush with black bristles and a yellow handle?
I can still see her running it through her long blond hair, the way she smiled at me when she caught me watching one day.
One yellow hair winds its way through the bristles. All that’s left to show she used it. She hasn’t been here for seven years, and I thought every sign of her was long gone. I must’ve missed this somehow. It was probably under the sink or something and Silver found it.
I need some air. With the brush in hand, I step outside and Rogue bounds up to join me. “Come on, girl. Let’s go for a walk.”
Silver has been staying with me for over a week, though I hardly see her because she works so much.
Today is the town’s harvest festival. I’m not interested in being in the crowd of people playing games, but I meet up with everyone when they’re headed to the diner.
The place is packed, and I’m lucky to grab the last parking spot.
“There you are!” Lacey calls, rushing up to me as soon as I’m out of my truck. “I thought maybe you changed your mind.”
Her arms are full of stuffed animals. “I had some work to finish up. Did you win everything in the place?”
“Close to it,” Trinity says, grinning at her and holding a couple of prizes of her own.
“Can we lock them in your truck while we eat?” Lacey asks. “We’re parked on the other end of the street.”
Arlow slides his arm around Calli’s waist while we wait for them to put their stuff in the truck. “I told her you’d skip the fun stuff and just show up for the food.”
“No face paint? I was thinking skyscraper this year.” Last year, Arlow lost a bet and had to get his face painted, along with Silver. Calli and I got to choose the designs. He looked hilarious as a giraffe.
“Fuck off. The tip of my nose was black for a week.”
“Come on,” Calli laughs. “Silver’s holding a table for us.”
The diner is bulging at the seams when we walk in. “Wait is an hour right now!” one of the waitresses says as she rushes past us with a tray of food, her cat ear headband sitting crookedly. All of the staff are dressed in Halloween costumes.
“I’ve got them!” Silver calls. She points to the back of the diner and Calli nods at her. “I’ll be just a minute.” She steps out from behind the counter and stops to chat with a customer.
Which is good because I need a minute. “Jesus fuck.”
Arlow’s laugh tells me I said that out loud. While the others make their way to the table, I’m too transfixed by the sexy witch Silver has transformed into.
A shimmering purple dress clings to her breasts and waist. Black ribbon laces across the front in a crisscross like a corset.
Layers of purple and black lace end in the middle of her thighs.
My gaze works its way down slowly as I drink in her gorgeous legs covered with black fishnet tights in a spiderweb pattern.
Her eyes meet mine when she looks up and a smirk tilts her lips. After saying something else to the customer, she makes her way over to me. “Do you like my costume?” she teases, turning around in place. “Wait, I forgot the gloves.”
She pulls a pair of long, sheer gloves out of her pocket and slides them on. They reach halfway to her elbows. With a grin, she runs a lace clad finger down my cheek then slides it under my chin and closes my mouth. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she says when I don’t say anything.
I lean to talk into her ear where we won’t be overheard by the crowd around us. “You’ve got about ten seconds before I carry you back and fuck you in your office if you don’t stop teasing me.” Neither of us has said anything sexual or even flirty to the other since the fire, but she started it.
I hear her sharp intake of breath as I pull away. She swallows hard before smiling up at me. “Always threatening to carry me around.”
She calls out to someone to let them know she’s taking a break and waves for us to follow her to the large circular booth in the back corner. She slides in next to me after everyone else is seated and sighs, “First time I’ve been off my feet in hours.”
“You must be raking in the money tonight, though,” Arlow says.