“Don’t thank me.I’m the one who should be thankin’ you.”
“And if you want to move into the master bedroom … I was … uh … gonna leave my bed here.”
I grinned.I'd slept in Amy’s bed a few times when the futon became too much for my tired body to deal with, but I'd felt weird about it.
“I just might do that.”
Amy peered around the room.“And feel free to decorate however you like.Consider it … uh … your place now.”
“Are you sure about this?”I asked, sobering somewhat.“Not that I’m questionin’ how you feel about Wolfe and Rhys, it’s just…” I knew the hell Amy had been through, had heard the story more than once, and it still resonated with me.
“I’m sure.”Her tone was wispy, like a girl in love.“I know I haven’t known them long, but…”
“It feels right,” I filled in for her.“Don’t need to convince me.I got your back.”
Amy smiled and the next thing I knew, she was hugging me.“Thank you, Reagan.”
“For what?”I asked, confused.
“For being my friend.”
Tears welled in my eyes at the sound of Amy’s voice.The woman sounded pained, as though she never thought she would have friends.I could relate somewhat.Sure, I had friends in Embers Ridge, but I'd isolated myself from most people because of Billy.I'd been embarrassed about our relationship, about the fact that I didn’t love him but stuck around and put up with his shit.And he had treated me like shit, not caring who knew.
“Like I said, I’m the one who should be thankin’ you,” I replied softly.“And if you ever need anything, you know where to find me.”
Amy pulled back and grinned.“At Lynx’s house?”
I rolled my eyes.“Definitely not.We’re just friends.”
It was obvious she didn’t buy that line, but whatever.
“Okay, then.I guess I’ll grab … a few things.”
I had been over every square inch of the house multiple times, mostly when I got bored and had nothing else to do.Amy didn’t have much of anything in the house.Some secondhand furniture, clothes, toiletries, a few plastic dishes in the cupboard, a mop and broom, and one cheap vacuum cleaner.There weren’t any trinkets decorating the walls, no pictures.I hadn’t gone snooping or anything, but I didn’t think Amy even had jewelry of any kind.Granted, she had more material things than I owned, but it still wasn’t much.She could probably load everything in Wolfe’s truck right now if she really wanted to.
“I’m leaving the furniture and all that stuff,” Amy said as she turned toward the bedroom.“If you decide you don’t want it…”
“It’s perfect,” I called after her.“I promise, I won’t throw anything away.”
Amy reappeared in the doorway.“Seriously, Reagan, I want you to feel like this is your home, not mine.So … do whatever you want.”
I nodded curtly.“I will.”I met her gaze.“And thank you.Really.”
Amy would never truly understand what she’d done for me.Giving me a place to stay was more than I had ever had before.I had thought about leaving Billy a million times, but the idea of living with my mother and my grandfather had made me cringe.I loved them, but my grandfather wasn’t known for his kindness, and my mother did not support my breaking up with Billy in the first place.Amy’s offer had been the swift kick in the pants that I had needed to finally move on with my life, something I'd ached to do for so long.
Sure, I could’ve gone to live with my brother when I finally left Billy, but I knew Rhys.He was my big brother and he was overprotective at times.More so since our father died.My brother would’ve given me a hard time, and I was tired of being under someone’s thumb all the time.
For the first time in my life, I actually felt … free.
ChapterTwelve
Lynx
“Everything cool?”Wolfe asked when I started for my truck.
“Yep,” I answered, trying to keep my voice from reflecting the hurt currently swarming me.“Just dropped off those chairs.Headin’ home.What’re y’all up to?Besides, you know, shackin’ up together.”
Wolfe’s smile was so fucking bright I almost had to look away.I liked seeing my cousin happy.Not that he wasn’t usually, but there was definitely something different about Wolfe these days.The guy seemed to be walking around on a fucking cloud, despite the danger we all knew to be lurking nearby.
