If he only knew…
“St. Louis isn’t really like that, being so big, but I worked in a school, which is like a tiny little town of its own. The gossip mill gets crazy.”
“A school? Really? What did you do?”
“I was a teacher. Third grade.”
“Aw, that’s so awesome. I never would have guessed that for you, but I bet the kids love you, huh?”
I smiled wistfully. “I loved them too. It was my calling, you know?” I sighed. “But that’s over now. Sometimes life throws a curveball, and we have to adapt.”
Emory nodded. “I get it. I used to work in banking, and now I’m apprenticing at a tattoo shop. I just hope your curveball was a good one.”
“Well, not at first. I was sad to leave teaching. But now that I’m here, it’s looking up.”
Emory leaned in. “Holden said there were some guys giving you trouble.” His gaze flicked to my jaw, but my bruise had mostly faded, and makeup did a decent job of hiding the last of it.
I nodded. “My ex owed them money. They decided I made an easier target. I just didn’t know what to do, and Holden…” I swallowed hard. “He offered to come get me right away. Maybe I should have said no. You have a pretty full house already, and I hate to take advantage…”
Emory grabbed my hand, squeezing. “No way. We’re all so damn happy that Holden has someone in his life.”
I bit my lip. “But I’m not his boyfriend or anything like that.”
“You’re important to him, or he wouldn’t have brought you here,” Emory said with a shrug. “The real question is, what is he to you? Because if he’s nothing but a place to hide?—”
“No, he’s more than that. He’s been a very good friend for a while now.”
“Okay, then, my statement stands. We’re happy that Holden has someone, however the friendship between you works.” He pushed my shake toward me. “Now, try this, and tell me it’s not the best shake you’ve ever had.”
I took a suck on the straw, eyes closing as cold sweetness poured over my tongue. “Mmm.”
“See?” Emory laughed. “Now you know why I couldn’t let this place go under.”
While we ate, we chitchatted about the brothers and Riverton. Emory filled me in on Jerkers’ loan problem with the bank and how he and Allison had helped them find resources to save the business. He told me about the Bro Code tattoo the brothers all wore, how they’d had difficult times but were now super close, and how Axel had only gotten with the sheriff a couple of months ago, shocking everyone.
After dinner, we went to the sports bar down the block for a couple of drinks, where I met Gail, the friendly bartender, and we bumped into Simon and Parker, who were both in the education field. I ended up chatting with Parker about grade school teaching until Emory got so bored he wandered off to play darts with Simon.
By the time we got back to the house, it was near midnight, and I had a happy buzz going. Emory had been sweet to take me out, and I knew he only did it for Holden’s sake, but I could already tell he’d make a great friend.
I’d been hiding out at my apartment—and then here—for so long, I didn’t realize how much I’d missed socializing until I was in the thick of it.
The house was dark and quiet, so Emory and I whispered a goodbye at the stairs. He went up to his room with Gray, and I carried on down the hall.
I walked into the bedroom and stopped short, heart lurching, when a dark shape moved.
“Sorry,” Holden said quietly.
He was sitting on the end of the bed, Banshee held close to his chest. His voice sounded a little…off.
“Are you okay?” I asked hesitantly.
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and nudged Banshee off his lap so he could stand up. “Sorry. I just needed some quiet time. Is everyone gone to bed now?”
“Pretty much.”
He nodded. “I’ll go too, then. Just can’t sleep with people coming and going, you know? It’s really…open out there.”
Something about the way he said it, this fragile note in his voice, made my heart twinge.
