Even though my clients have been great about my spotty communication, having a few days to devote to getting a lot of things taken care of will be a good thing. Not like I’ll be admitting any such thing out loud.
Elwood makes a humming sound and wipes his hand over his mouth. My eyes narrow as I look at his lips because I swear he’s hiding a smile behind his hand. What is there to smile about in this situation? Not a damn thing.
He holds his hands up in surrender, reading the danger he’s in on my face with ease. Good.
“Do you need a recommendation for a place to stay?”
“Yeah,” I admit begrudgingly, “that would be great.”
Elwood nods and glances out the window of Storyville’s Stories. “There’s the Rosseau Paradis,” he offers. “It’s built around the hot springs and a little on the fancy side. I can take you out there if you’d like, the library is all closed up now.”
I groan as my head falls back on my shoulders while annoyance fills me. Just my luck that I would find myself in a town where the only place to stay is some fancy fucking resort.
“I don’t need all that,” I admit. “I just need wi-fi and a bed with clean sheets.”
While I have some money in my savings, I have no idea how much fixing my car will cost and I’ve been trying to keep the cost low throughout this entire road trip. It was all part of my plan with Hillary and I’m going to hold to it.
Exhaustion sweeps through me as the days on the road as well as the grief I’ve been trying to ignore weighs me down. This isn’t a huge deal, but it feels astronomical right now. It’s a feeling I hate.
“I have a spare room,” Elwood offers, his voice uncertain while his gaze remains steady. “It’s yours if you want it.” When I shoot him a look filled with wariness, he smiles softly. “I’m 30, born and raised right here in Storyville, and I love books. Books aren’t the only thing I love, though. I also like hiking, cooking, and music of all kinds. When it comes to books, I prefer fantasy and memoirs because there’s something special about people leaving parts of their life behind for others to discover. I have a sister named Greylin. She’s 26 and a partial owner of Green Mountain High which is a dispensary, bakery, and event space. She opened it with her three best friends who are like sisters to me as well. I’m single, my favorite holiday is the Fourth of Julybecause of the fireworks. Christmas is a close second because it’s the only time of year when I can believe in miracles. I don’t like horror movies but love psychological thrillers. My favorite color is green and while I’m a good cook, I’m a horrible baker.”
For some reason, his words, which are a clear attempt to put me at ease, have my shoulders relaxing. He looked into my eyes the entire time he shared about himself which allowed me to see his sincerity. We stare at each other for a long time, the silence stretching between us. But it’s not uncomfortable.
Which is what I’m blaming when someone asks why the words slips past my lips, “Are you sure?” With his nod, I let out a breath which feels like it’s been trapped in my chest for far too long. “Okay. Just for tonight,” I clarify while ignoring the way my words taste like a lie.
Elwood’s eyes light up even though he tries to hide it. Fuck. This might be a horrible idea.
He stands up and holds his hand out to me. He murmurs, “How about we go by Easton Auto and grab whatever you need and then we’ll go home?”
As I slide my hand into his while pressing my lips together hoping he can’t see how much I want to smile, I push down how damn good the thought of ‘home’ sounds. His large hand is warm and comforting. It feels like a lifeline, steady and sure, when far too much feels uncertain at the moment.
I remind myself that it’s his home, not mine.
What will I do about tomorrow night? What have I gotten myself into? Why do I feel so safe with Elwood?
None of this makes sense, but I ignore everything that should be making me think twice about this plan and follow Elwood out of the shop without looking back.
CHAPTER 4
ELWOOD
Keeping dinner simple and quick is a must tonight which means spaghetti and red sauce. Garlic bread is going to take this meal up a notch along with the salad I’m tossing together at the moment. Even though she’s not making a sound as she gets settled in my guest room, my entire being is attuned to Hollyn.
I’m shocked that she’s in my house right now.
The last thing I expected when I offered her my spare room was for her to say yes. I’m still not sure why she agreed to it. Maybe it was all the information I spewed at her about me. Maybe it was just as simple as she didn’t want to go to Rosseau Paradis. I don’t know, but I’m grateful she’s here no matter what.
From the moment the Easton Auto tow truck stopped outside of the library to pick Hollyn up, I was on edge. I had never looked at the clock as often as I did this afternoon. While I wanted to shoo everyone out and close up, I didn’t. It was so fucking tempting, though.
I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find her, even in a small town like Storyville. I was terrified that the fix on her car was something quick and easy, something they’d already have the parts in stock to make happen.
Which is why I was heading into Storyville Stories. I figured buying a new book was a good way to drown my sorrows and regrets. Because what I wanted to do was haul Hollyn over my shoulder and lock her in the backroom of the library until I could take her home with me.
I was pissed at myself that I didn’t give into that craving, while knowing how completely unhinged the impetus was in the first fucking place.
Then I walked into the bookstore and saw Hollyn. I swear the light was shining down on her like her sassy and untrusting self was on display as the perfect Christmas gift. One thing that became very clear to me was how nothing was going to stand between her and me.
Now she’s in my house. And I’m cooking dinner for her.
