“I,” he checked the clock hanging on the far-right wall, “have an hour left. It’s my first day. I can’t leave early.”
“It’s cool,” Arlet poked her head out from behind the swinging door leading to the back. “Go on, I’ll cover the rest of your shift. If Jones finds out I’ll just say you had an emergency.”
Nate wished he wasn’t automatically suspicious of her but… “Why would you do that?”
“You’re dating a Devil,” she said, as if that was all the answer that was required and it should be obvious. “Where are you from? It’s not Vitality, clearly. We’re raised knowing in order to survive, we need to be careful around them. You seem nice. If I do a favor for Kazimir’s boyfriend, I’m sure you’ll help me out in the future if I ever take a wrong step.”
What she was describing was literally everything Nate hated. He didn’t want to take advantage of anyone, not even Kaz. When you did that, you inadvertently became partially that person’s responsibility, and Nate didn’t want anyone to be responsible for his actions aside from himself.
And yet…
Instead of correcting her and telling her to forget about it, Nate found himself nodding like an idiot, his fingers already making quick work of the knot tying the apron around his waist. “Thanks.”
He told himself it was because there was something up with Port and his friend needed him, but a tiny voice in his head laughed at that and called it an excuse. A part of him liked the idea of getting something in return for all the crap Kazimir had put him through. Liked the idea of using him.
“Port? Hey, I’m on my way now. I can be there in ten. Just wait for me, okay?” he said, heading out of the coffee shop and into the parking lot. There were only four cars there, the empty spaces already blanketed in a fine layer of snow. It drifted down around him and a strong gust of wind kicked up, shoving some into his face as he made his way toward his car.
The forecast hadn’t called for a storm, but then, this was winter on Vitality, so it wasn’t completely unheard of for there to be a random blizzard. He could handle the cold temperatures, but if Port was waiting for him outside…
“Stay on the line with me,” Nate demanded. “Tell me where you’ve been.”
“I can’t,” Port said. “It’s not worth it. I shouldn’t even be here right now, talking to you.”
Nate started the car and pulled out onto the road. He wouldn’t make the other guy tell him what was going on if he wasn’t comfortable with that, but he still needed to keep him talking, just so he’d know he was all right. “Stay on the line,” he repeated.
“Yeah,” Port sighed. “Sure.”
“Are you dressed for the weather?”
He snorted. “You’re so funny. This is why I risked calling you, Nate. I knew you’d care even though we’ve only known each other a short while and we’re more work friends than anything else.”
“Of course I care.” Only a monster wouldn’t. “It’s freezing outside and the temperatures are dropping.”
“I won’t freeze to death.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do, actually, but again. Thanks. I’ve met a lot of people in my lifetime, and you’re one of the few good ones.”
Was he though? It was tempting to blurt out that Nate mostly didn’t want to have to figure out how to deal with a dead body on his front porch, or the personal guilt that would bring. Yes, he cared about Port because he was a living thing and deserved that much, but Nate wasn’t as altruistic as everyone seemed convinced he was.
Just look at what had happened at the Velvet Brew. He’d needed Arlet to tell him he shouldn’t have named Jones. Thesecond he let his guard down, his true persona came out, and that guy? That guy clearly only looked out for himself—
He was doing it again.
Letting those intrusive thoughts creep up on him and paint him in a negative light.
Nate forced himself to stop thinking and focus on the matter at hand.
Port believed in him and was asking for help.
No matter what, Nate was going to come through, because that was the kind of person he wanted to be.
Burdenism be damned.
Chapter 12:
“Are you feeling any better?” The two of them were standing in his kitchen with Port seated at the small island while Nate stood next to the stove. He’d heated up some water and made his guest hot cocoa to help warm him.
