“Well, thank you, Anthony,” I say, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Because this place is amazing. Your sister—what’s her name?—is missing out.”
“Maggie.”
“Big sister or little sister?”
“Twin.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Identical or fraternal?”
“Fraternal. Boys and girls can’t be identical twins.”
I offer a sheepish smile. “My bad.”
“But growing up we looked almost identical.” His jaw tenses.
“I have to see her.” I wait expectantly, but Ty doesn’t reach for his phone, a frame, nothing. “Can I see?”
He stares at me a long moment before digging in his pocket and pulling out his phone. Silently, he scrolls before brandishing an image. The two of them squeezed next to a woman with their exact sun-washed look—all three blondies with vivid blue eyes. Each one of them beautiful in their own way but also in very similar ways. I take the phone from him, and he clears his throat as I pore over the screen. “Is that your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s gorgeous. You have her eyes, but your nose must be your dad’s.”
“Thanks.” He doesn’t elaborate on my observations. Instead, he snatches up the phone and shoves it back in his pocket.
“Does your mom like Anthony?”
He shoots me a sharp look. “When he’s treating Maggie right.”
“Ew. Well, hopefully he continues to.”
“He better.”
I fiddle with a tassel on the throw blanket. “I know you aren’t too happy with how that all went down, but I’m grateful. Maybe it sounds selfish, but I believe everything happens just the way it’s supposed to. If this room weren’t free, I’d still be stuck in my car with my cat and… And that definitely wasn’t my highest moment.”
“You don’t say.”
“Life is full of highs and lows, Ty. You can’t have one without the other. I’m thankful for both.” Words have the power of life and death, right? My hope is that the more I say it, the more I believe it.
A golden brow arches as he pinches his lips together.
“Speaking of being thankful, I am. I owe you, Ty, I do.”
“You don’t.”
I nod, pushing to my feet. “I do. And I’m going to pay you back.”
“Please don’t.”
“I can’t just stay here on some handout. I’ve taken enough of those from my mom. I’m standing on my own two feet.”
His brows raise, and I hope he might say something. But he doesn’t. Instead, he turns and retreats toward the door, disappearing out into the hall without another word.
Leaving Dollyboy in my dust, I chase after Ty.
CHAPTER EIGHT
TY
