He sighs deeply and it ruffles some of the hair that didn’t make it up into my sloppy bun.
Ash turns toward the couch but I shake my head and groan out, “No. Food, please. Too many chemicals on an empty stomach. Making me loopy.”
He changes direction and sits me on one of the high back stools at the counter. His warm hands land on my bare thighs and then rubs a little as he stares into my eyes with concern. My skin warms under his hands and I get these little flashes of his scared eyes looking down at me when I couldn’t breathe and I can’t help it, I have to ask.
“Why did you care? I remember. You looked so scared. Why? You don’t like me, Ash, so why?”
His hands are still on my legs and his emerald eyes go intense for a moment but then he pulls away.
“How about some toast and eggs? Keep it simple until we know your stomach can handle it.”
I turn the stool to face the island and prop my chin on my hand, still too tired to sit upright for long. I’m never going to understand this man so I just watch him scramble some eggs and butter me some toast. I wait until he slides a plate in front of me and hands me a fork before I speak.
“Why am I here? I remember Jude saying he would take me home.” I glance behind me to the living room with a frown. “Where is he? Where’s everyone else?”
Ash turns his back on me to wash the pan he just used. “They had a game tonight. That’s not something they can miss, even for you, Savy.”
I frown as I bite off a corner of toast. “I never asked them to miss anything for me but that doesn’t answer my first question. Why am I here? Why didn’t you take me home?”
He sighs again, sets the pan aside, and turns to face me with a look I can’t decipher. “We tried. There was an issue with your apartment and we couldn’t take you there.”
I swallow down a bite of eggs with a frown. “What kind of issue?”
He rubs a finger over his mouth with a furrowed brow. “There was a gas leak in your building. It…it caused an explosion and it took out a couple of floors…including yours. I’m sorry, Savy, there’s nothing left of your place.”
All I can do is blink stupidly at him. I can’t even wrap my dazed brain around what that means so I try and process it by asking, “My studio? Is…gone? All my…stuff is gone?”
He nods slowly so I look down at myself wearing someone else’s clothing because I no longer have any of my own. I tell myself that it’s just stuff, just a place I’ve been staying and I can easily replace it all but…hot tears fill my eyes and drip down onto my eggs. That studio was the first place that felt like home since my dad died. It was…mine. I didn’t have to deal with Celeste and Vanessa there. I could just be myself with my things surrounding me. I was…safe there and now it’s gone.
“Dude, coach is gonna have Jude’s ass. He’s texted me like four times in the first half of the ga…” Beck comes into the room from the basement and stutters to a stop when he spots me. I look back down at my plate but I can feel his eyes burning into the side of my face and then he’s moving.
“Ah, shit. You told her?”
He comes right up next to me and turns the stool toward him and then lifts my chin so I’m forced to look at him. There’s so much compassion and…pity in his silvery eyes that a small sob hiccups out of me.
“No, no, no, don’t cry, Peaches. It’s okay, everything will be okay.” He tells me and pulls me against him so my face is against his chest. Beck talks to Ash over my head.
“You should have fucking waited to tell her. She doesn’t need that kind of stress right now.”
“What was I supposed to do? She asked. Wanted to know why we didn’t take her home.” Ash bites back.
I push away from Beck and turn back to my food but any appetite I had is long gone. I push the plate away and swipe the tears from my face with my sleeve.
“Thank you for cooking for me. I think I need to go lie down for a while.”
“Hey, come on, you barely ate anything. Just try and finish the toast at least. It will make you feel better.” Ash orders.
I don’t have the fight in me to disagree so I choke down half of a slice but my stomach is now queasy so I shake my head and slide off the stool.
Beckett’s right there with a hand on my back to steady me. “You’ve been sleeping all day. Why don’t you come lie on the couch for a bit? Try and stay awake for a while or you’ll be up all night.”
I let him guide me over to the couch and get me settled but I shiver when my bare legs land on the cold leather. Seconds later, he’s tucking a blanket around me and then settling down beside me and reaching for the remote.
“Want to watch Jude and Tate take a beating?”
He asks the question with a chuckle but I’m lost in thoughts of being homeless. Well, locally homeless, anyways. I’m going to need to find another place as soon as possible. I can’t believe my place blew up. That thought has me sucking in a breath of concern and grabbing Beck’s arm tightly.
“Wait, there was an explosion? A fire? Was anyone hurt? Ash said two floors were destroyed! Was anyone hurt?”
