“Thanks.” I sipped from my bottle, grateful for their support and the liquid chill as my body started to cool down from running around all night. My legs ached, and my jeans were still damp from the beer spill, but something about the place felt…weirdly good. Like I’d survived something and earned a seat at the table.
“You think you’ll stick around?” Norah asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. I think I might,” I said and shared a look with Red. “That is…if I’m hired.”
“You survived the night, so the job’s yours. We’ll make it official tomorrow, so plan on coming in a little early.” Red polished off his drink and tossed the empty in the trash. “All right, ladies. Let’s get this place closed up so we can go home.”
We all stood and scattered to our end-of-night duties. Red started counting out the drawer while Norah and I wiped down tables and stacked chairs. Once the floor was clear, I grabbed the broom and swept up the night's mess—peanut shells, dust, a few forgotten napkins—while Norah hauled out the trash.
A little while later, Red handed us each a folded set of bills and waved us off into the night. “Drive safe. See you tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” I said, pocketing the cash as I followed Norah out into the warm night air.
We walked side by side toward our trucks, the gravel and dirt crunching beneath our boots.
“So,” Norah said casually, “where are you staying?”
I hesitated, then shrugged. “Nowhere yet. Belle mentioned a motel, so I was gonna grab a room for a few days while I figure things out.”
She stopped mid-step and gave me a somewhat horrified look. “The Roadside Lodge?”
I winced at the appalled tone she used. “That’s the one.”
“Oh, no. No, no, no. That place is gross,” she said, looping her arm through mine before I could protest. “You’re coming home with me.”
I blinked at her. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. We’ve got plenty of space out at the ranch.”
The ranch?I really was in another world.
I huffed a laugh but still felt a little uneasy. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough,” she said, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. “So, what do you say? Stay in a yucky motel where the room smells like mothballs? Or come stay with me and sleep in a nice soft bed where the room smells of clean country air?”
I didn’t know what to say to that. She wasn’tjustbeing nice—she meant it. I could see it in her eyes. And the truth was, I was exhausted. The thought of clean sheets and a safe place to crash sounded like heaven.
“You sure I won’t be in the way?”
“Positive.” She smiled. “Now, come on, Andi. Let’s get you home.”
There was that word again:home.
Chapter Ten
Andi
Dear Diary,
Today was such a crazy day, but in the best way. What started off as me getting lost and messing up my dad’s car turned into finding a quiet little town that isn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I can’t fully explain it, but there’s something comforting about this place. A calm I haven’t felt in a long time. Maybe it’s the way people carry themselves here. They’re kind, open, and warm, even to a complete stranger. In just one day, I’ve been given clothes, a job, and a place to stay. It’s more than I ever expected…more than I’ve been conditioned to think I deserve. And as I sit here tonight, I can’t help but wonder if these people will ever truly understand how much it means to me. Everything they’ve done, every bit of kindness, has reminded me what it feels like to breathe again. Today felt like a turning point, and for that I am so, so grateful.
I set my hairbrush down on the table beside the bed and stood, my footsteps soft against the wooden floor. Moving over to the window, I slowly pulled back the curtain and let my eyes drink in the view outside. I’d never seen anything so breathtaking.The night sky stretched wide and clear, glittering with stars. Not hazy. Not washed out. Just endless and bright. Back in Northview, light pollution swallowed up everything, and you were lucky to spot a single star, maybe two. But here? I could see everything. The moon cast a gentle glow across the land, soft and silver, illuminating a barn, two other buildings, and fences that seemed to stretch forever into the dark.
It looked so peaceful.
I let the curtain fall back and made my way back towards the bed. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this waswaybetter than staying in that motel, and this bed was quite possibly the softest thing I’d ever slept on. The cotton sheets were silky against my skin, and as I sank into the mattress, it was like lying on a cloud. My body ached from all the running around I’d done at the bar tonight, and exhaustion weighed heavy on me. But every time I shut my eyes, Heath appeared in my mind, stirring that restless, tight feeling low in my belly.
I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, taking in slow deep breaths. Since sleep evaded me, I decided to venture out of my room in search of a glass of water. Attempting to be as quiet as I possibly could, I slowly opened the door and headed down the hallway in what I hoped was the direction of the kitchen. I hadn’t exactly gotten the grand tour when Norah and I rolled in just after two a.m.
