As soon as I’m done with work, I make a beeline for Daybreak. I head straight towards Jordan’s apartment to make sure everything got taken care of today because I don’t believe she’ll answer me if I text her.
The drive seems to take forever, and when I park the car across the street from her apartment, I can already tell it’s not good news.
A man is standing outside her open door on the phone, making angry gestures to whomever he’s talking to.
I make my way towards him and catch the tail end of his conversation. “I need this done quicker than the two weeks you are telling me. This is ridiculous. I can’t wait that long. Get it done as soon as possible or I’m going with another company.” He hangs up his cell, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.
“Hi,” I greet with caution. “I’m looking for Jordan. I’m supposed to be picking her up.”
“Oh, thank God,” he says with an audible sigh. “She told me she didn’t have anywhere to go, and I felt so bad. But we’renot that kind of apartment complex and this is going to take a while to get fixed.”
I hold out my hand and we shake. “Do you know where she went? She’s not answering my texts,” I lie.
“She loaded her car up and I saw her walk towards the water. Let her know I’m trying to get this fixed as soon as possible.”
I nod my head and follow his directions.
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone with as much bad luck as she has had in the past several weeks.
I want to hold her, hug her, and protect her. She puts up a good front, but I can see that she’s tired. She works way too hard for someone so young. I can already see that the coffee shop doesn’t fulfill her, but her photography does. In all the weeks that I’ve been in her presence, she’s never lit up as much as she did when she was behind her camera during the photoshoot I accompanied her to.
Getting to watch her in her element was something else. That’s where she needs to be. Not making coffee for people who barely give her so much as a ‘thank you’ in the mornings.
I can see Jordan’s pink hair from a mile away. She’s sitting in the sand just out of reach of the water, leaning back on her hands. I take off my shoes and socks and make my way towards her.
“Hey,” I greet as I sit down next to her.
Her whole body flinches. “Holy crap, you scared me.” She places her hands over her heart. “What are you doing here?”
“I had a gut feeling you wouldn’t answer me if I texted and thought I would come find you instead.”
She lets out a humorless chuckle as she turns to watch the water. “You’re not wrong. Look, I appreciate you being worried or whatever. But I just kind of want to be left alone.”
I stare at her side profile because she won’t make eye contact with me. “I talked to a guy outside your apartment, and he told me what was going on and the fact that you don’t have anywhere to stay.”
“I have somewhere to stay.”
“Your car doesn’t count.” That gets her attention. “You’re easier to read than you think. Plus, the backseat of your car was half haphazardly packed, and the passenger seat had a nice little setup of a pillow and blanket and packaged foods.”
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now. Isn’t that like some type of invasion of privacy? Maybe I should call the cops on you.” She raises a brow in challenge.
“You could. But they would laugh when I told them I’m your boyfriend.”
She lets out a huffed laugh. “You’re certifiable.”
“You called us besties and we’ve been on two dates, so…” I shrug. “Look, real talk here. Since I know you don’t have anywhere to go and I know you won’t ask anyone for help, why don’t you stay with me?”
Her eyes widen. “Are you cr–”
“Before you say no, I have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. You would have your own space. Plus, I’ll cook for you. I think it’s a pretty good deal.”
She shakes her head. “Even if I were to entertain this idea of yours, I don’t have the means to pay you. It’s not going to happen.”
I scoff. “Get up, buttercup.” I hold a hand out to her, and she eyes it like it’s going to bite. “When was the last time someone took care of you… on second thought, don’t answer that. You’re coming back to my place, no strings attached, and you’re going to accept my offer because that’s what friends do.” I quirk an eyebrow at her in a challenge. I know she’s stubborn, but she can’t possibly be this stubborn.
Jordan needs to know that asking for help doesn’t mean she’s being a burden.
I wait for a few seconds while she runs her tongue along her teeth. She’s thinking hard about whether or not it’s a good idea, and part of me wants to throw her over my shoulder like a caveman and take her back to my place against her will. But she needs to make the decision on her own, so I let her.
