Go back inside. This ain’t your business. You got what you wanted by pushing her away. Don’t fuck it up by walking over there.

I stared at the back door, one hand on the wall beside it and the other on the knob, stilled, not twisting it the way I should’ve been doing. Panting heavy breaths through my nostrils, I tried forgetting what I just saw and staying out of shit I didn’t need to be getting involved in, but just like that stupid fucking app I couldn’t keep deleted off my phone, there was no fighting this.

There was no fighting anything when it came to her.

Cursing, I spun around and stalked across the lot.

It was my own fucking fault, really. I was out here watching videos and looking at pictures I’d already looked at a million times. If I had just stayed inside, I wouldn’t have watched Shayla pull around back, park, and then bury her face in her hands. I wouldn’t know she was upset, and I sure as fuck wouldn’t be pressing her for information like I was about to do. I’d be staying clear of her.

But then she’d be out here crying by herself and thinking she was alone, and I didn’t know what pissed me off more—that understanding or the fact I knew I had options that didn’t involve me, and I wasn’t taking them.

Tori was here. I could go inside and tell her to handle this, knowing that was the smarter thing to do, but was I doing that? Was I even considering doing that?

Nope.

I was a fucking idiot when it came to this girl. One look at my phone, and anyone would see that. That stupid app was still open.

There was also Nate. I could go to him. Jesus Christ, I could even get J.R. out here. Anyone. This didn’t need to be me.

Except it did.

I had to do this. It was either me or no one, and I wouldn’t let it be no one.

Stopping at the driver’s side door, I rapped my knuckles against the window and watched Shayla jerk her head out of her hands and turn to me with wide, tear-filled eyes.

She had streaks of black running down her cheeks, and her pretty pink lips were parted. She looked confused. She looked sad as fuck. She looked a little scared.

I got the confused—I didn’t understand what the hell I was doing over here either. I had an idea what was getting her so sad. But the scared shit? What the fuck?

Was she scared of me?

When she didn’t move, I motioned for her to roll the window down.

Shayla hesitated, then slowly reached over while keeping her eyes locked with mine and pressed the button on the door.

“Your dad?” I asked her when the window was lowered.

Back when she was planting her ass on that counter and speaking to me throughout her shifts, her dad had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She worried about him all the time—she told me she did, and even if she hadn’t, I would’ve known how worried she was just going off the fear in her voice every time she spoke about him.

I figured this was what had her so upset.

She was slow to respond, just kept staring at me and looking more confused by the second, then finally, my words penetrated.

“What?” she whispered.

Or maybe they didn’t.

“Your dad,” I repeated. “Did somethin’ happen? Is he worse?”

“You remember about my dad?”

“Wasn’t that long ago you told me about it. Why wouldn’t I remember?”

“I…I don’t know. I just.” She quickly shook her head, as if to clear thoughts away she didn’t want to hear. “Never mind. Um, no, he’s the same. Nothing happened.” Shayla sniffled while rubbing the back of her fingers against her cheek to catch a tear, then noticing the black on her knuckles, she cursed and proceeded to wipe aggressively at her cheeks with both hands, cleaning the mess off her face.

I watched her do this while waiting for her to share what was bothering her, but then decided she probably wouldn’t offer that information up without me asking her for it, and that was the last fucking thing I needed to be doing.

So here it was—my out. This was when I needed to walk away.

And I could. Shayla seemed to be calming down. She wasn’t steadily crying anymore, meaning there was no fucking reason for me to be standing here. It was time for me to go.

“If it ain’t about your dad, what is it?” I asked instead of heading inside, realizing that was the last fucking thing I wanted to do, not needed. I wasn’t thinking about what needed to happen anymore. I was doing what I wanted. Fuck it.

There was a lot wrong with me, but this might’ve been the dumbest fucking move of my life. I might’ve regretted this forever.

Or…

Shayla pressed her head back against the seat, closed her eyes through a breath, and then opened them to look at me with an expression I never expected to see from anyone: gratitude. She wanted me to pry, because she couldn’t share what was going on with her if I didn’t.

We didn’t do this. Not anymore. We didn’t talk.

I’d made sure of that the day I fucked her over.

But now, I was changing that. I was asking for more, and maybe she wanted me knowing just as badly as I wanted her telling. And if that was the case, I’d keep asking her. I knew I would. And I wouldn’t regret anything. Not with that look she was giving me.

“Um, well, to start, my nana died,” Shayla said, biting the tremble in her lip as her eyes watered again. “Which I don’t think I’ve processed yet, so that’s kind of hitting me full on right now. My parents had to go out to Ohio to take care of things for my pop, so I’ve been left in charge of my brothers while they’re gone. I think I told you about them, right?”

I lifted my chin.

I knew she had brothers. Two of them, both younger.

“Well, I’m basically ruining their lives,” she informed me. “And this is not me being dramatic either. I keep messing up. I’m pretty sure Dominic hates me, and Eli…he’s too sweet to hate me, but if he could, he would. I keep forgetting things. Dominic had to miss his practice because I brought him the wrong equipment. Eli missed his therapy. Dom gets tutored after school—I didn’t even know about that, and I’m pretty sure he’s failing in math. I felt like an asshole when his teacher called me about it, and Dom…he doesn’t think anybody cares, which isn’t true, but I’m not doing anything to make that better. I’m oversleeping and making them late because I’m not thinking about stupid Friday traffic. And today was the absolute worst. Eli had a field trip this morning he couldn’t go on because we were late, and his face, God, he was so sad. So upset with me. So disappointed. Everyone is. I’m overwhelmed and I’m scared to tell my mom how badly I’ve messed up, because she has so much going on, you know? With my dad and Pop. I don’t want to let her down, but I can’t do this. I can’t.” She whimpered and shook her head. “And I miss my nana. I feel like everything is falling apart, and I’m just making things worse.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, and I watched fresh tears fall past her cheeks.

“Seems like a lot for one person to handle,” I said, drawing her eyes to me again.

“My mom handles it.”

“She’s also probably used to handling it. And it ain’t like your brothers just need you to take them to school and pick them up. It sounds like they got a lot goin’ on.”

Her shoulders jerked as she wiped at her face. Shayla wasn’t hearing me, and I needed her to hear me. I didn’t want her feeling this.

“You ever take care of anyone before?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “Just myself. And I had a fish once, but I killed it.”

My brows lifted.

“Accidentally,” she offered shyly. “He, uh, didn’t survive my last move. I’m pretty sure the cause of death was stress.”

“Good to know you ain’t a murderer, but I’m not talkin’ about pets.”

“Pets are people to some. Didn’t you ever have a pet before?”

“No.”

“Never?”

I shook my head.

“Well, that’s just sad,” she said. “Everyone should at least have a fish.”

“Not everyone,” I muttered, referring to me but watching Shayla’s eyes widen and light up a second before her mouth started twitching, I realized she thought I was referring to her, and instead of taking offense to what I’d just said, she was finding it amusing.

Her mouth was threatening a full-blown smile, and I knew once that happened, I’d forget my point and spend the rest of my time out here staring, leaving Shayla to feel that guilt and continue feeling it.

I didn’t want that, so I kept my focus, meeting her eyes again and repeating, “I wasn’t talkin’ about pets. You ever take care of another person before?”

“No,” she answered, smile no longer threatening. “Just me.”

“There you go.”

“That doesn’t matter. I should be able to handle this. I’m not a kid.”

“I didn’t say you were. But when you go from only lookin’ after yourself to lookin’ after other people overnight, that change can be a lot. It’d be a lot on anyone. Not just you.”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, closing her eyes through a breath.

“Look, I’m sure your mom knows what all she’s askin’ of you. I’m bettin’ if you said something about it bein’ too much, she’d understand that.”

“I really don’t want to do that, though,” she said softly, peering up at me.

I planted my forearm on the roof of the car, bent closer, and told her, “Sounds to me like you ain’t got a choice.”

I knew I was only speaking the truth, but hearing those words come out of my mouth, tasting them, something felt…off. I didn’t like this being her reality. I didn’t like what this was doing to her. If Shayla didn’t want to tell her mom, I didn’t want her making that call either. Not if it meant feeling like a failure, which was the vibe I was getting from her right now.

Fuck.

I wasn’t just getting up in her business, I was staying up in it. I was getting involved.

This might’ve been the dumbest fucking move of my life. Only time would tell.

“What do they got goin’ on today?” I asked her, watching Shayla’s eyebrows tick up.

“What do you mean?”

“They got school. What else?”

“Oh, um…” Her lips pressed together as she thought. “Eli has baseball practice, and Dominic has his tutoring.”

“You able to handle both of those?”

She hesitated, briefly looking like she might puke all over herself, before rushing out an “I have to.”

That was all I needed to know.

“Right. I’m thinkin’ the younger one will want to be with you, so I got the older kid. Which one’s that?”

Now Shayla didn’t just look like she might puke. She looked like she might puke, then pass out, then pass out again after coming to.

“You all right?” I asked her.

“I…I’m not sure,” she whispered. “What are you saying? Are you offering to help me?”

I jerked my chin.

“Why?”

Straightening off the car, I shoved my hands into my pockets, breathed deep, and just stared at her.

I had no fucking idea how to answer that question.

What could I say? I was over here because I couldn’t ignore her? That no matter how hard I fought it, I couldn’t mind my own fucking business when it came to her? Oh yeah, sure. I might as well also fess up to watching her videos every free chance I got, staring at her when she didn’t know it, thinking about her when I was alone…yeah. I’d get right on that.

I didn’t understand what the fuck I was doing any more, I just knew I had to do it. And if I didn’t understand this, how could she?

I figured Shayla would accept my help without needing an explanation, just fucking take what I was offering since she was needing it so bad, but then she started rolling up her window and shutting me out.

I narrowed my eyes. What the fuck?

“Hold on,” she said quickly when she noticed the vein in my forehead about to burst.

I stepped back when Shayla threw the door open after cutting the engine.

“I need to clock in before I’m late,” she explained, hitting the button on her key fob and locking up the car. She turned and looked up at me, holding a bright red folder in her hand. We were a foot apart.

We never stood like this before—not this close. Not without a barrier.

I knew Shayla was a tiny fucking thing, but I didn’t realize how much I’d tower over her.

I was six foot three. I’d guess she was five foot two, maybe, the top of her head hitting several inches below my chin. And she was little everywhere. I could tell even with her thick coat covering her.

She wouldn’t even need to wrap her legs around me and hold on. I could carry her all fucking day, no problem.

My jaw clenched.

Shit. What the fuck? What the fuck was I doing? Why was I thinking about her legs wrapping around me and any part of her holding on? Jesus Christ. I did not need to be thinking about shit like that.

Shayla cleared her throat, drawing my eyes off her body—you’re a motherfucking dick for looking—and motioned at the building with her head. “Can we talk inside?” she asked.

I nodded, letting her lead the way.

The time clock was in the lounge, so I knew that was where she was headed. After entering through the back door, I stayed straight and made for the kitchen while Shayla veered off.

“You coming?” she called out.

I froze just outside the kitchen, looking up and seeing interest in J.R.’s eyes where he stood at the stove, stirring something in a saucepan. Brows lifted, a grin quickly spread across his face.

Ignoring him, I turned my head and slid my gaze to Shayla.

She gave me a timid smile over her shoulder before taking the remaining steps to the lounge and disappearing behind the door.

Okay. Huh. She wanted me to follow her. I figured we’d have our conversation with me in the kitchen and her perched on the counter, the way I was used to having our conversations. The way I liked having them. But maybe she didn’t want to air her business with all ears listening. She just wanted me to hear it.

Just me.

Fuck, why did that feel so good?

“Well? You going or what?” J.R. asked with laughter in his voice.

Cutting my eyes to him, I barked, “Get to work!” before turning heel and heading in Shayla’s direction.

“I am working!”

He was still laughing. I could hear it.

“Then get to work some more!” I shot back.

Whitecaps wasn’t open yet, so I didn’t give a fuck how loud I was being.

I also didn’t give a fuck about the look Tori was giving me from her stance at the bar as I moved out into the restaurant.

She was curious about what was going on, but she was also looking suspicious as fuck. Her hand was stuck on her cocked hip, her gaze was hard and moving with me, and her mouth was tight, like she was fighting the urge to comment.

Big fucking surprise there. She was always wanting to comment.

And knowing Tori, her comment would be heavy on the attitude and one I wouldn’t want to hear.

I liked her just about as much as I liked Kali or the redheaded one who worked occasionally. They were all sweet, but Tori could be mouthy as fuck. If she had an opinion on something, she shared it, and it didn’t matter how many fucking times I told her I didn’t want her giving said opinion. She still gave it. Especially if it involved someone she cared about.

If it had to do with one of her girls, Tori was getting involved.

Well, fuck her suspicions. This wasn’t Tori’s business. It wasn’t J.R.’s business either. It was mine and Shayla’s. She was asking me to follow her, not them.

And everyone who wasn’t involved could butt the fuck out.

Scowling to convey that opinion, I watched Tori’s eyes narrow in challenge before I looked away, yanking the door open to the lounge.

I stepped inside and locked that shit behind me, and wouldn’t you know…

The door rattled, then a knock sounded with a heavy fist. “Shay!” Tori yelled, still yanking on the door. “You say the word, and I’m grabbing the ax we keep hidden and busting in there!”

Shayla finished shoving her coat in a locker before slowly turning her head, curiously looking from the door to me.

“Didn’t know if you wanted privacy or not,” I explained, gesturing at the lock before drawing my arms across my chest. “Your girl likes getting up in my shit, so…” I shrugged.

Nothing else more to say about that. Facts were facts.

Shayla’s mouth twitched before she hollered out, “I’m fine, Tori! And…I don’t think we have an ax, do we?”

I heard a growl through the door. “You aren’t supposed to tell him that. What’s the matter with you?”

“Shit. Sorry!” Shayla laughed.

“You’re good?”

“I’m good, T.”

“All right, well, I won’t be far, so if you need me, I’ll be sharpening that ax we absolutely do have. You just forgot about it.”

I glared at the door, then turned away when I heard the slam of a locker.

“We don’t really have an ax. She’s just playing,” Shayla told me, smiling a little as she tied on her waitress apron.

“And she wouldn’t really be gettin’ in here. Not unless you wanted her to,” I shot back.

Shayla blinked and stood taller, losing her smile but looking like what I’d just said meant something big and important to her, then she took a seat on the bench, opened the red folder in her lap, and glanced over at me like she was expecting something.

My brows furrowed. Expecting what? What did she want me to do? I’d followed her in here, didn’t I?

Shayla smiled, then patted the spot beside her.

Oh.

She wanted to talk. That’s why we were in here. But she didn’t just want to talk. She wanted to talk with us sitting close.

Not sure that was the best idea, but nobody was telling my feet that.

Huffing out a breath, I moved around the bench and sat down, leaving about an inch of space between our hips. I gripped my thighs, digging my fingers in so I wouldn’t move.

My muscles were locked stiff.

We had stood close outside but not this close. I wasn’t used to this. Even when Shayla would lean into that kitchen window and drop her voice, telling me something she didn’t want anyone else to hear, there was still a good amount of space there. And being surrounded by the food I was cooking, I had no fucking idea what she smelled like.

That was not the case now. I knew exactly what she smelled like.

Honey.

She smelled like sweet fucking honey. Her hair. Her skin. Both, I wasn’t sure. And no fucking way was I getting any closer to make that distinction.

“So, um, here’s their schedule,” she said, holding the folder between us so I could see the calendar she was pointing to. “Dominic, that’s the older one, has his tutoring today, like I said. It’s at his school. Um, Hyde County Middle…do you know where that is?”

I didn’t, but she didn’t need to know that. She’d worry I wouldn’t find it, and I’d find it.

I jerked my chin.

“Okay, great. His tutoring should be done around four-thirty, so if you could be there a little before, just in case he gets done early, and bring him to, uh…” She flipped the calendar over and read off the back. “Patterson Field. That’s where I’ll be with Eli for his practice. I have directions here, if you need them.”

I didn’t. I’d find it.

“You keep those. I got it.”

“It’s not going to be an issue with work? You can leave?”

I met her eyes when she pulled them off the paper, and noted the worry there. “With J.R. here, it ain’t a big deal. I can step out,” I said, squashing that worry.

“Okay.” She gave me a soft smile, one that felt fucking good to be on the receiving end of, then closed the folder and lowered it to her lap, suddenly looking uneasy. “I do have a concern,” she said. “About him going with you…”

I watched her tongue wet her lips before her teeth caught hold of the full bottom one.

“You don’t want him on a bike?” I asked, figuring this might’ve been the thing giving her discomfort.

Not that I had experience with parents or anyone giving a shit about safety, but Shayla seemed the type to give a shit. And this was her brother.

Her brows lifted. “No! No, that’s not it at all,” she said, shaking her head. “My dad rides…um, well, he used to ride. He can’t now. But we’ve all been on the back of his bike. We’re used to it.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“He doesn’t know you. And Dominic basically hates everyone right now, so I’m not sure how open he’ll be to this plan. He might refuse to leave with you.”

“He’ll leave with me,” I told her, standing then since I figured this was settled and I needed to be getting to work.

“I’m not so sure…”

“Worry about the other one. I’ll handle him.”

“Wait!”

I stopped halfway to the door and turned back.

“You don’t even know what he looks like,” she said, a soft giggle escaping her as she stood. “I can text you a picture of him, if you want to give me your number…” Shayla pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her uniform pants, and waited, holding it out to me.

Right. I did need to know what this kid looked like. And if something happened, I would need a way of getting in touch with Shayla.

Not that I was anticipating something happening, but I didn’t want to be shit out of luck if it did.

I walked back over, keeping her eyes, until I had to look away to take the phone.

“Wait. Here,” she said, punching in the four-digit passcode she didn’t even bother hiding from me. “Oh, I’m still in Snapchat. Let me just close that out.” She laughed under her breath. “You probably don’t even know what that is…”

My mouth twitched, then hardened immediately, because I’d forgotten what that felt like.

When the fuck was the last time I’d smiled?

“There you go,” she said, handing it over again.

Refocusing, I pulled up the keypad and typed in my number.

She took the phone back when I was finished, slowly dragging her fingers across mine, then held the phone against her chest and looked up at me, breathing slow and heavy.

I wasn’t breathing at all, just looking down into her face, at all of it, wondering if her mouth tasted like honey too, or if it was just her lips and the soft skin around them.

Yeah…Time to fucking get to work.

“Send me the picture and whatever else I need to know,” I ordered, getting to the door and sliding the lock over. “And quit worryin’.”

“Okay. Um, thank you! I really appreciate this!”

I walked out before I turned around again, saw the smile I knew she was wearing, and officially fucked myself. I was already well on my way without even looking back.

The door to the lounge swung shut behind me.

Tori paused whatever the fuck she was doing at the bar to kill time before she could get up in my shit, then proceeded to get up in my shit when her eyes slid from the closed door to me and narrowed.

Cursing, I cut a right and moved through the restaurant in the direction I had come, just as Tori made for the lounge.

“I’m watching you,” she hissed at my back.

“Yeah? Big fuckin’ surprise,” I bit out, turning the corner into the kitchen.

Jesus.

Knowing I had work to do, I pushed up the sleeves of my thermal and washed up at the sink, then I got the shit together I needed to make the daily special—crab cakes—and carried the ingredients over to the counter.

“Chicks. Am I right?” J.R. commented at my back.

I ignored him and kept at the crab cakes. I was working on my third when the lounge door swung open again.

Tori emerged first, eyes sparkling and mouth smiling at me in a way I’d never seen from her before as she moved quickly in my direction.

Looking past her, I watched Shayla step out of the lounge next.

She’d put on more makeup. Her eyes were black-lined again, and her lashes were darker. That was all I got to notice before Tori stopped in front of the window and leaned over the ledge, blocking my view.

“Those crab cakes look amazing, sweetie,” she commented. “Super yummy. I can’t wait to try one.”

I locked eyes with her, and when I did, that smile she was wearing became a grin, one of absolute beauty.

Tori had looks you’d have to be blind not to notice. She was a tall, blonde knockout, who had it even when she wasn’t smiling. Even when she was running her mouth, she fucking had it. But add the grin, and dickheads she’d wait on practically threw their wallets at her.

The grin I was getting was natural and came easy, I could tell. Just like the sweetie shit. Wasn’t the first time she’d used that on me. But the grin was also the kind you’d give a person you were appreciating. It held meaning.

Shayla had filled her in on what was going on and what I was offering to do. That was clear. And Tori was letting me know how she felt about all of it.

So that shit wasn’t private after all. Shayla was telling everyone, not just me.

Feeling like an asshole for thinking different, I glared at Tori.

Seeing that, a laugh burst out of her mouth. “Oh, my God,” she cackled. “I think you have more attitude than me, you know that?”

“Now that’s fuckin’ funny,” I muttered.

“Keep it up, Stitch. We all know you got a squishy little heart of gold under all that edge. You ain’t fooling us.” Tori winked at me before stepping away, leaving space for Shayla to slide in.

But she didn’t just stand in front of that window. Shayla hopped up onto that counter and leaned over that steel ledge, getting as close to me as she could get without actually climbing through that window.

Just like she used to.

“Yo,” she said, smiling, elbow propped on the ledge and chin resting in her hand.

I liked her sitting up there more than she’d ever know. I liked her cute little greeting too. Wasn’t sure why, but I did.

And liking everything I liked, I gave her my attention. Just like I used to.

Her lips were shiny now and peach colored, and she’d braided the front pieces of her hair and tucked those strands behind her ears.

I liked all of that too.

Focusing on Shayla’s smile and remembering Tori’s appreciating one, I quit listing shit in my head I liked and said what I needed to say. “You got her helping you now, or am I still doin’ it?” I asked.

If she’d rather Tori, then fuck it. Probably for the best anyway.

Shayla lost the smile and pushed off her hand, sitting back. “Uh, I didn’t…she’s not helping me. I just told her you are.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” she replied, no hesitation. “Unless you can’t now…”

I shook my head. “Didn’t say that. Just figured I’d ask since you told her what all’s goin’ on. That’s your girl. I’m sure she’d help you out.”

And maybe Tori should. It would keep me out of this.

“I didn’t tell her everything,” Shayla said. “Just that my nana passed away and I had some family stuff going on that was getting hectic, and you’d offered to help me out with it. That’s it. That’s all I said.”

“That’s all you said,” I repeated, disbelief heavy in my voice. “You didn’t go into specifics?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I…” She tilted her head, thinking on this. “I don’t know. I just didn’t.”

“You wanted me knowing and not her. Explain that.”

Shayla sat up taller and stared at me. “No.”

“No?”

“You’re offering to help me, but won’t tell me why. Explain that,” she countered.

I blinked. What the fuck? “That’s not what we’re talkin’ about.”

This was some brain ninja shit. Mind games. Well, fuck that. I wasn’t falling for it.

Shayla looked at her nails. “You explain, I’ll explain,” she mumbled.

I shook my head, then got back to work on forming the crab cakes, holding tight to my ground. No way was I revealing a damn thing. I’d sound like a fucking idiot.

“Maybe there’s just no way to explain something you don’t understand,” she whispered, seconds later.

It wasn’t just the volume of her voice that made me stop and lift my head again, it was the words she’d said, mainly to herself but also as an offering to me, for me to take and use as my own.

And I did. I took them, because she was right.

“Yeah,” I muttered, seeing understanding in her eyes, and something else. Relief, maybe.

“So, we leave it at that,” she suggested.

“Works for me.”

“Good.” Shayla smiled again, then slid off the counter and joined Tori over by the tables to distribute silverware.

“Dude. That’s the most I’ve heard you say. Like ever,” J.R. said, stepping up beside me and looking through the window. “You staking claim to that one? She’s cute. Like a little pixie you could carry around with you. She’d probably fit in your pocket. Pants pocket, you know what I’m…” His voice trailed off when he turned and met my glare, head tipping back since I stood taller than him. “You know, I think I’ll go ahead and wash some dishes. Or your bike. Whatever. I’m down for anything.”

“You down for shuttin’ the fuck up the rest of the day?”

“Normally I’d say no, but since you’re so chatty, I’ll give you the floor.” He slapped my back, grinning big before turning away and stepping up to the rack of dishes.

Chatty? I wasn’t fucking chatty.

I got back to work on the crab cakes, and the next time Shayla planted her ass on that counter again, I listened. I did not fucking chat.

That much.