Sympathy darkened the woman’s eyes. “I’m sorry some people are so awful. If you ever need a friend to eat that ice cream with you, I have a massive sweet tooth and am great at trash-talking closed-minded townspeople.”
Despite everything, Tilly laughed. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. Did the other electrician come out?”
There was a small grimace from the other woman. “No. Hopefully tomorrow.”
Tilly swallowed the guilt. “I’m—”
“Don’t say sorry. Not your fault.” She gave her a smile. “Have a good night, Tilly.”
With a sigh, she turned off her computer and packed her bag, then switched off all the lights and headed outside to lock up. The light trickle of rain fell on her shoulders as she dipped her chin and jogged to her car. She was just about to unlock the doors when a text message came through on her phone.
Got your message, Matilda. Unfortunately, we have no availability to come out to your place and fix the leak at the moment. Nick.
That was another contractor who was “unavailable to help.” No explanation why. No possibility of future availability.
And this goddamn rain was never-ending. At this rate, she’d just have a permanent bucket in her living room…a bucket that kept overflowing and spilling onto her rug.
Gritting her teeth, she opened her car door and dropped behind the wheel. She’d just slipped the key into the ignition and turned it when…nothing happened. The car didn’t start.
What the hell?
She tried again—same result.
Really? Now her car was giving her trouble? It wasn’t enough that everyone in this goddamn town hated her, her house was falling apart, and no one would help her…now hercarhad to betray her too?
Suddenly, everything felt like too much, and even though she hated crying, hated anything that made her feel weak, tears she couldn’t stop pressed at her eyes, and for once, she couldn’t blink them away. She dropped her head to the wheel and let the tears fall.
She kept telling herself life here would get better, things would get easier. But when? When would anything feel like she wasn’t fighting an uphill battle?
She scrunched her eyes closed, the tightness in her chest making her breaths come out short and choppy. She should be stronger than this, right? All the unkind comments and looks should be like water off her back. But the thing was, she was still mourning the loss of her mother, still trying to find her place in the world without her best friend, and it all felt so freaking hard.
The knock at the window had her shooting upright.
Kayden.
He stood on the other side of the glass, his brows tugged together, not seeming to notice the water falling on his head and shoulders. She’d thought he’d left already.
Oh, God, and now he was seeing her sitting in her car crying.
Quickly, she scrubbed the tears from her face, undid her seat belt, and climbed out.
“Are you okay?” His deep, raspy voice slid through her veins, warming some of the cold that had taken root inside her.
“My car won’t start.” It sounded as pathetic a thing to be crying about as it actually was.
His gaze shifted to her car, then back to her. The intensity in his eyes…it almost felt like he could see everything she wasn’t saying. That this wasn’t just about the car. This was the accumulation of all the little things that had built up since she’d arrived in Misty Peak. This was the last drop in her personal ocean.
He tilted his head toward his truck. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”
“But what about my car?”
“Give me your key and I’ll take care of it.”
Her brows shot up. “Really?”
“Really.”
A part of her wanted to say no. That it wasn’t his responsibility, and he shouldn’t have to go out of his way to help her out of pity. But standing here in the rain, while it felt like the entire world’s problems beat down on her, she suddenlywantedhim to help her. Was almost desperate foranyoneto help.
