My eyes drift closed, but even as sleep starts to pull me under one thought lingers.
No matter how much I love him, he can’t stay.
I awaken to sunlight streaming through the office window. My gaze drifts around the room and lands on Gus, still curled up by the remnants of the fire, fast asleep.
But as I push myself upright, I realize Eddie’s gone.
I don’t know when he left or how long I’ve been asleep. After searching the room, I realize there’s no note, no explanation—just the echo of his absence where he’d been only hours before.
I swallow hard against the lump in my throat, turning my attention to my dog. “Hey, Gus,” I murmur, gently scratching his head. “Let me go to the bathroom, then I’ll get you some breakfast, okay?”
His tail thumps once against the floor, but he doesn’t get up. Seems he’s still worn out from the events of last night.
That makes two of us, buddy.
I open the office door and startle when I find Mike waiting outside, a cup of coffee in his hand.
“When did you get here?” I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
“Early.” He steps forward and pulls me into a hug. “Eddie called. Told me what happened. You okay?”
I blow out a shaky breath. “At this point, I don’t have a clue.”
Mike nods. “That’s an honest answer.”
I glance around, my eyes scanning the site, wondering if by some miracle the man I love is still here.
“It’s Theo’s birthday weekend,” Mike says, as if reading my mind. “Eddie had to go. He and Deirdre always make a big deal out of it. I think they’ve got some laser tag place planned this year. Kid’ll love it.”
A dull ache settles in my chest as reality claws its way back in. Eddie has his family, and I’m not part of it.
Somehow, I need to accept that fact.
“But he asked me to step in,” Mike continues. “I’m staying onsite for the duration. Sent a couple guys over to your cabin already. We’ll get the door and window fixed, clean up the glass, make it less of a disaster. I can take you over later if you want to go through things. Grab your car.”
“Thank you,” I mumble.
“You might want to file an insurance claim.”
I shake my head, averting my gaze. I have no desire to explain the entirety of my situation again.
Seems my answer doesn’t surprise him. “No cops either, right?”
“No.”
“Alright. Then we handle it our way.” Mike pauses for a moment, then claps his hands together. “I know you want toshower and eat, but first, I have something important to show you.”
He drops an easy arm around my shoulders and guides me to where the crew keeps their toolboxes lined up, ready for the next shift.
“And before you argue,” he adds, raising a hand to ward off any incoming protest, “this is non-negotiable.”
I frown up at him, completely confused. Then I see it.
A small toolbox sits off to the side, a hard hat perched on top. A scrap of paper is taped to the front, one name scrawled across it in thick marker.
GUS.
Mike gestures toward it. “Your pup has officially been hired as a member of the crew.”
