“Ah, Erin? I, um—”
She crumpled to the ground before he could catch her, but to his relief, she remained conscious, seated on her knees on the lawn, a weeping mess.
He had no idea what to do. His inclination was to pick her up and carry her someplace warm and settle her down. But being so much larger than the woman, and a stranger at that, he didn’t want to intimidate her in any way.
He crouched by her and set the clipboard down, then gently tapped her shoulder. “Erin? Are you okay?” Clearly, she wasn’t, but damned if he knew what to say at a time like this.
She sniffed and stared up at him. Her eyes shimmered like gold, her expression painful to see. “Why? Why would he tell me we could make things work? Why say that if he didn’t want me to come out here?” She blinked, and fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “I gave up everything for him.”
Smith couldn’t take it any longer. She looked so pathetic and uncomfortable on the ground.
He sighed, drew her close, and stood with her in his arms, her light weight negligible. Erin clutched his neck and sobbed into his chest. Smith wanted to find Cody and pound him into human hamburger.
He held Erin close and lied that everything would be okay as he took her to the truck and placed her in the passenger seat. Then he took a step back, not wanting to crowd her.
After a few shuddering breaths, Erin took a packet of tissues from her jacket pocket and blew. She sounded like a foghorn.
Smith looked away. Her sadness wasn’t funny, but damn, for someone so tiny, she could make some noise.
He cleared his throat and glanced back at her, watching her try to compose herself. “You okay?”
“I-I don’t kn-know.” She clutched the tissue in her hand and, between the hitches in her breathing, asked, “Did I r-really give up my apartment and friends and m-move all the way out here for my boyfriend, who already has a girlfriend?”
“Seems so.”
She looked down, her misery tangible. “I mean, w-we just talked about our relationship this past Friday. He…” She paused and seemed to catch her breath, because her next words were more even. “He told me we needed to commit or break it off. He’s been upset that I refused to move out here. So, he gave me an ultimatum. And I took it.” She blew her nose again. “I don’t know how he can possibly be confused. I told him I loved him enough to move out here. And I wasn’t being nasty or anything. I don’t think I sounded sarcastic. I’m not a sarcastic person, honestly.”
“He sounds like a dick.”
She blinked up at him.
“I mean, he didn’t once apologize at all for your trouble. Just left for some stupid meeting while you’re standing there, all the way from freakin’ Kansas.” Yeah, total dick move any way Smith looked at it. “And he sure as hell didn’t try to explain away his girlfriend. Look, I just met the guy. But it’s obvious he and that blond are tight. How come he never mentioned her when he was begging you to move out here?”And none of this is even remotely your business. Shut up, Smith!
“Yeah, that’s right.” To his relief, she started to look angry instead of sad. Maybe he’d been right to chime in. “He didn’t think I’d come out here. So probably that ultimatum about rooming together was a lie. He wanted to blame me for us breaking up so he could cover the fact he had a girlfriend.”
“Seems so.” Pleased she seemed to be done with the crying jag, Smith took another step back. “So where do you want me to take your stuff? You’re not staying here, are you?”
“No way.” She glared at Cody’s house, and he wondered what she envisioned. Her ex’s head mounted to a wall? Maybe her foot up his ass? She didn’t speak, and he figured she probably needed a moment to herself.
Considering he was never this friendly with customers, he blamed his chattiness on the sight of a woman in need. Though Smith thought of himself as enlightened, old habits were hard to shake. The one good thing his so-called mother had taught him was to always respect women. But maybe he should respect the fact that Erin could take care of her own mess, and he should finally shut his fat mouth about her business.
Deciding to do that very thing, he was about to ask for new directions when she started talking. And talking. And crying again.
“I broke my lease. I left Kansas behind. I ignored my parents, my sister, my friends. They all told me I was foolish to come here. That he’d break my heart.” She wiped fresh tears away and met his gaze. “That I’d never make it on my own.”
Wow. Hadn’t he heardthathis whole life. “So, prove them wrong.”
“How?” She sniffled. “I spent nearly everything I had to get that express moving service. Everything I own is here. I can’t afford to move it back, let alone find a place to live. You know they all demand security deposits up front. And it’s expensive here. I googled the cost of living in Seattle.”
“There are cheaper apartments outside the city. And some even in the city if you know where to look.” He paid dirt cheap for his place. But then, he also served as the building handyman for his crotchety landlady.
“That I can find today?” She blinked rapidly and wiped her cheeks. “I have a truckload of things I need to put somewhere. And storage takes money. Hotels take money. New apartments take money.” She stared crying again. “Food takes money.”
He wrestled with an idea, driven by the need to help her. And not just because she was a pretty young thing who looked vulnerable. Hell, she didn’t just look it. Shewasvulnerable. All alone in a new city? Christ, had she said she was from Kansas? “Wait here.” He walked away, taking his phone out. He made the call and had to promise to throw in changing the oil on Tilly’s car. But…just maybe…he had a solution for the poor woman.
Smith returned to see a bunch of crumpled tissues on her lap. Then he remembered how much he hated people, didn’t trust women, and how much nonsense he had coming his way on account of his recently acknowledged siblings.
He hesitated, not sure he should offer Erin anything but a compassionate “you’re better off without him” and a good-luck handshake.
