Page 17

Then I had the bright idea to get her some stuff that might make her more comfortable. I may have gone a little overboard with the bag of instant noodles, soups and crackers, not to mention the tea and coffee station, but she didn’t have any food up there, nor a lot of money as far as I could tell, and I worried about her going hungry.

I set everything up for her, then left, heading back to my house, where I had dinner with my family. As I looked around the table, I realised how much I took for granted. Erin didn’t have a big, comfortable house to live in, nor a family who looked out for her like I did. She didn’t have parents who cooked homemade dinners most evenings, an older brother to go to for advice or a twin sister to confide in and hang out with whenever she was lonely. All she had was a sister who’d chosen her scummy boyfriend over her. Even at school, she was always alone, never with friends. It was almost like she didn’t really see herself as fully being there, her situation so unstable there was no point in getting to know anyone because she might have to leave at a moment’s notice.

It didn’t sit right with me. I wanted her to feel as protected and secure in the world as I did, but right now all I could provide was a crappy storage space in the hotel attic and a little food I’d stolen from the supply room.

If my dad ever found out that I was letting a girl live at the hotel, he’d ground me for a month. Strike that, a year. But it was worth it to help Erin.

It was late evening, and I should’ve been doing homework, but instead I found myself driving back to the hotel. When I reached the attic, I made my way through the labyrinth of old furniture. I found Erin in her makeshift den. She sat with her legs crossed on the mattresses, wearing sweatpants and a black hoodie while eating a pot of instant noodles and listening to music on her earphones.

She was so pretty it hurt.

Okay, so I was attracted to her, but that wasn’t the reason why I was helping her. Honestly, I’d never been in the position to give someone a place to stay like this, and every part of me wanted to provide somewhere safe, a place where she could figure out her next move.

Her gaze rose, and a shy smile spread across her face when she saw me. “Hey, it’s you,” she pulled out her earphones and hit pause on the music.

“I just came to check if you were okay. I see you found the stuff I left you.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, thank you. This is great. Exactly what I needed.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Glad I could help.”

“Thank you, Tristan. Being able to stay here for a little while really helps a lot.”

“You don’t need to thank me. It’s the least I can do.”

A small quiet fell before she asked, “Do you, um, want to hang out for a bit?”

My pulse picked up. “Sure, I could stay a while.”

Erin patted the space next to her, and I grabbed the packet of sour cream and onion crackers from the bag and hopped up onto the mattresses. I shoved a cracker in my mouth and picked up one of her earbuds, grabbing her phone and hitting play on her music. She was listening to Avril Lavigne, and I grinned because it was my favourite song of hers. Erin eyed me for a moment, arching one eyebrow.

“What?”

Her lips twitched. “By all means, make yourself comfortable.”

I smiled shamelessly, caught in the snare of her amazing whiskey-coloured eyes. “Thanks, I will.”

She chuckled.

A few minutes went by as I ate several more crackers and Erin finished her noodles. The quiet companionship between us felt natural in a way I hadn’t experienced with a girl. I mean, I’d liked a lot of girls, but I’d never felt this pull just to be around someone. She had an energy that was the opposite of mine. Where I liked to stand out, she preferred to be invisible. Where I was cheerful, optimistic and a little too open, she was wary, streetwise and slow to reveal herself. Maybe that’s what drew me to her; she was my opposite in so many ways, and it fascinated me.

“I got the job at Christine’s, by the way,” she said, looking pleased.

I shot her a warm look. “That’s great.” I paused before adding cheekily, “Does that mean I get free cappuccinos when you’re working?”

“Hmm, let’s wait and see if they don’t fire me for being useless first.”

“I’m sure you’ll be great.”

“Thanks.”

“Have you spoken to your sister?”

She frowned, fiddling with the strings on the front of her hoodie while shaking her head. “Not in person. I texted her to say I was okay and staying with a friend.” She glanced at me, arching her eyebrow again, and why did I find the expression so sexy on her? “Which is technically true.”

“You could come stay at my house, you know. I’m sure if I explained your situation to my parents, they’d allow it. My older brother’s best friend, Rhys, stayed with us all of last summer when he was having trouble with his dad—”

“Tristan, stop. Are you forgetting that we hardly know each other? I’m a complete stranger, not your brother’s best friend who your parents have probably known for ages. I’d rather just keep my head down and camp out here for a couple weeks until I save enough money to rent a room. And once school finishes, I’ll get a full-time job.” She paused to study me. “Of course, that’s only if you’re okay with me staying here for that long. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”