“Do what?”
“Pretend like you care.”
My jaw tenses. I hate the fact that I don’t know what I did that’s made her resent me—resent my presence—for so long. Part of me wants to pry the answer out of her right now, but I know it isn’t the time. “I never pretend when it comes to you.”
She huffs an exasperated laugh before her stance relaxes again and I breathe a sigh of relief. Her eyes drift to one of the walls of the restaurant, covered in old photos of my family. She studies them for a moment and I take the opportunity to admire her profile again. The way her bangs dance over her forehead and her gold, triangle earrings dangle against her dark hair and creamy skin. I even love the way her nose scrunches when she’s focused.
“I just don’t get it.” Her words are practically a whisper. “Sometimes, it feels like none of this is fair.”
“The long drive starting to get to you?” I know it’s been rough on people that work in town. Some of my staff has been impacted too. We’ve had to adjust our schedules and shifts and we’ve made it work so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy on anyone.
She looks at me out of the corner of her eye and gives me one short nod. Then her eyes go back to one of the photos on the wall.
I want to ask if she has someone who she can stay with in town, but I feel like that’s a bridge too far and I’m sure she’s already thought of all of this. This already feels like she’s let me in more than I ever expected her too. It feels like if I take one wrong step, she’ll slam that door shut again.
“You can keep my car longer if that helps.”
“I appreciate that,” she says and I relish in the hint of a smile that she directs at me. “But as nice as that is, it’s just a bandaid.”
“That’s not a no,” I reply, giving her a little smirk.
She rolls her eyes. “It is a very nice car and Felix is enjoying the spacious backseat.”
“Then do it for it him. Who would I be to deprive my favorite good boy of his comfy backseat?”
That little smile returns and my heart melts just a little more. I’ve craved the warmth of her rare smile ever since my first night in town. The first time I saw her, I couldn’t look away from the girl with the smile she’s afraid to show. Two years later, that smile is even more beautiful because I know just how hard it is to earn one.
I let the silence linger too long and she looks back at the wall before shaking her head. I don’t move, I just follow her eyes. She’s looking at a picture of Slade and me with our grandma, Gloria, at the first restaurant in Denver.
“I can barely afford to work here—” her fraying, rattled voice brings my focus right back to her, “—much less live here. All I want is to be able to spend time in the place I love, the place that’s always been my home. I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth it anymore.”
She brings her fist to her mouth before turning to me. “Like what’s the point of trying so hard if it’s never going to change anything? I’m never going to be able to afford to stay here. At what point do I just move and start over somewhere else?”
Fuck. My heart cracks seeing her like this.
And the thought of her leaving? No. Absolutely not.
Fuck it. I’m crossing that bridge.
“I have a spare apartment. It’s not much, but it’s yours if you want it.”
She looks up at me, a blank expression on her face.
“Not helicopter money, but two apartments?”
I rub the back of my neck. “We built the restaurant on the first floor, but didn’t need the second floor. The original house was so big, we remodeled the upstairs into two apartments. Ilive in the main one, but we built a studio apartment with its own entrance from the old stairs going to the backyard. It was supposed to be for Slade, but he’s never stayed here. He prefers the fancy hotel on the odd occasion he visits. He’s kind of a diva that likes to be pampered.”
Her blank expression doesn’t change. “You have a spare apartment and you want me to what—just take it?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. If you need a place to crash or you just need to avoid that long drive every now and then. Or hell, a place to go scream into a pillow after someone tries to place a coffee order for their entire office. I don’t care, I just thought you could use it if you want.”
Her blank expression begins to shift. Now I watch as a range of emotions play across her face. Doubt, contempt, maybe even anger.
Shit. This was definitely a bridge too far.
I step toward her, reaching for her shoulder again. “Please just say yes. I hate seeing you like this.”
This time, she recoils away from my touch. “There’s no fucking way I would ever spend a night here, Pretty Boy.”