Page 21 of Trust Me

“I offered to let him crash with me for a bit, just so he could get things straightened out, but he said no.”

“That sounds like a good deal. Why’d he turn it down?”

“I told him he’d have to get sober. If he could do that, he can do anything, but he says he isn’t ready for that. And hey, I appreciate his honesty, you know?”

“But you still help him out,” I noted, trying to wrap my head around it all. “Some people would say giving him money is a bad move.”

“Some people don’t understand that life isn’t simple. Just because he’s struggling doesn’t mean he deserves to be hungry.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Anyway, that’s why I’m out here today. I have people I check on.”

As I opened the door to the coffee shop, I glanced at the sky, which was still pissing all over us. “Not a great day for being outside.”

Pausing halfway through the door, he looked at me. I wanted to tell him to stop taking his time, but he’d grown serious.

“They have to be out here, even when it’s miserable. I think I’ll live.”

With that, he continued to the corner where Tilian had snagged three plush chairs. I took one, still feeling like I’d been scolded. As someone from a city more crowded than this one, I was used to seeing people living on the streets. Whereas I had started to tune them out, accepting them as part of my surroundings, Oliver went out of his way to check on them. That was . . . something else.

“So, Oli says the guy you almost punched lives in a tent,” Tilian said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Shame, Dean.”

My eyes narrowed. “I didn’t almost punch him. I was being a hero.”

“I don’t know if you should be part of our sociology project anymore. It’s a bad look, you know?”

“Your sole coping mechanism is weed. Get yourself straight before you come at me.”

“Straight? Never understood the hype.”

Oliver chuckled around his cup. When he looked at me, his eyes were bright. “You guys are funny.”

“You must be easily entertained.”

“Oh, very.” He leaned his elbows on his knees, keeping his fingers locked around the cup. “You’re from New York, right? Is it as exciting as it looks?”

“Uh . . .” I adjusted in my seat, glancing briefly at Tilian, but he was tapping away on his phone. “Not really. How’d you know where I’m from?”

“I asked Brooks,” he replied without hesitation.

A little awkwardly, I breathed a laugh. “Right. You know, most people would sound at least a little embarrassed about that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

“Is it embarrassing to ask about you?”

“I guess not.”

“Cool. Glad we cleared that up.” He winked at me before leaning back. His gaze went out the window, full of wonder as if he’d never seen rain on asphalt before.

When I looked at Tilian this time, he was watching me. Sweet, he mouthed with a little smirk.

My nose wrinkled, and I focused on drinking my coffee, wishing I had just stayed home. Although, home would soon mean being around Oliver far more often, so it was probably best if I got used to it.