Chapter 6
RHETT
As I get into the elevator, I send Carter a message, letting him know that I’ll be home soon. Shoving the phone back in my pocket, I wait for the doors to open, and then walk to the reception counter.
The receptionist gives me a knowing look. She must’ve seen me get in the elevator with Evie. I don’t care about her assumptions as I scowl at her.
“Can you have dinner sent up to room two-oh-four?” I ask when she looks at me with a fake smile.
“I can place the order with our restaurant. What would you like?”
I give her points for remaining professional.
“Anything healthy,” I say, not sure what Evie would prefer. I should’ve asked her what she wanted to eat before I left. “Send up a platter with a variety of foods.”
“What time should we send it up?”
Evie will probably want to bathe first, and she still has the burger and fries. I glance at my watch and notice that it’s almost six o’ clock.
“Can you send it up at seven?”
“I’ll have a platter sent up at seven. Will there be anything else?”
“No, I guess that’s everything,” I say. There’s no reason for me to stick around any longer. Before I leave, I ask, “Can you call me if Evie checks out before I’m back?”
This time the receptionist frowns. “You’re not staying?”
I glare at her, not liking that she's nosy. People need to learn to keep their fucking noses out of other people’s business.
“No. I’m not. Call me if she leaves,” I growl, and not waiting for her to agree, I turn around and stalk towards the exit.
Just before I reach the doors, I notice the clothing store to my right. Not sure if Evie has anything clean to wear, I make a quick decision to get something for her.
As I walk into the store, a lady approaches me with a smile. “Can I help you, sir?”
“Yeah, I have a friend staying here for the night. I don’t know her size, though. Could you send someone up to her room to get her size and then send her …” I glance at the clothing, not sure what Evie would like.
“I can help put an outfit together if you tell me what your friend’s plans are for tomorrow,” she offers.
She’s probably going to run.
The thought doesn’t sit well in my gut.
“We’re going apartment hunting.”
“Something comfortable then. Should we charge it to your bill?”
“Please.” I follow the lady to a counter where she grabs a piece of paper and a pen. Realizing that she needs Evie’s information, I quickly give the details before thanking the lady.
Once outside, I call myself an Uber. I don’t like leaving her here, but I’m in desperate need of a shower and sleep after the long day.
Getting home, I’m not surprised when I walk into the living room, only to find all the guys waiting for me.
“Evie is staying at a hotel tonight. Hopefully, she’ll be there tomorrow morning.”
They all keep quiet and continue to just stare at me, which prompts me to say, “I’m going to help her get on her feet. That’s all.”
Still, they say nothing which starts to annoy me.
“Stop looking at me like that,” I growl.
Logan gets up and shakes his head. “Can you blame us? You’ve never shown interest in committing to a woman before. We’re all a little shocked.”
“I’m not committing myself to a woman,” I quickly defend myself. “I’m helping a kid. There’s a huge difference.”
Logan chuckles as Carter gets up and walks over to me. When he’s standing in front of me, he says, “Evie isn’t a kid, Rhett. She’s eighteen. Whether you like it or not, taking care of her means that you’re going to have to be committed to her in some way. This isn’t something you can start and stop at the drop of a hat. Make sure you’re in it for the long run.”
Fuck, he’s right.
Jaxson surprises me when he says, “This isn’t a pet project, dude. This is a person’s life. This girl is going to be dependant on you so you better not fuck with her. It’s your choice to help her, and that comes with some major responsibility.”
“I know,” I grind the words out. Not wanting to hear another warning, I turn around and head for the stairs.
I take a shower, the entire time thinking about Evie. No matter how pissed I got at the guys for voicing the obvious, I have to face the facts. Evie will be my responsibility.
As terrifying as that thought is, I can’t turn my back on her. Watching her eat earlier, tore a hole in my heart. I’ve never seen anything so heartbreaking.
Fuck, don’t even get me started on when she thanked me for seeing her. It gutted me.
How fucking alone must a person be if they feel the need to thank someone for noticing them? I can’t comprehend it.
I might have dealt with some shit in my life, but I can’t remember a single day where I’ve felt alone. I’ve always had someone.
I told Evie that I’m going to help her, and it’s a promise I will keep.