Page 85 of Drifter’s Heart

And then we worked some more.

When he finally hauled his ass off the ground, he did that part alone.

I simply provided a one-man version of his personal support crew until he could bear his own weight once more.

After that, Cord went his own way while I continued on. He met Lanie, and I…

Yeah. I kept working for him. And I fucked around long enough to see how that one panned out.

Not so fucking well.

Sure, we parted on great terms. Best buddies and all that. But that bittersweet tang at the back of my tongue leaves me uncertain if there’s a place for me in his world anymore.

Or, at least, not the one that I left, anyway. There’s no Wilder West–shaped hole at Coyote Falls anymore. And so I need to carve out one for myself somewhere in this world.

I know where I want to start. I even know with whom.

The new question is, will she let me?

My heart rate increases as I fold my laptop slowly, taking all the time in the world. Winnie’s messages have been blowing up my phone for the last two hours, and I know she’s hurting.

What’s your address? My shift finishes in two hours.

You were right about the singing nurse. He’s not even McHottie anymore.

I’m not sure he ever was.

What’s your address, please?

I need you.

47 Lancaster. 301B

You don’t sleep, right? I can turn up anytime?

I’m turning up, West. Don’t go to sleep.

I only reply once. Sleep isn’t an option for me anyway. She doesn’t need more than that and we both know it, even when she blows up my phone. It hurts that she’s in pain, and I’m sorry she’s figured out what I saw the moment I met her side crush. I’m sorry he’s not who she wanted him to be.

It hurts that she’s alone and lost. Hell, it hurts almost as much her not being here hurts me.

As my tiny, fake world ashes nicely, a knock on my door might be the answer I seek.

“Coming,” I murmur, my words soft enough that she won’t be able to hear me through the apartment door. I’ve been living in the rental for nearly six months, changing locations only once early on. After I left Coyote and realized I wasn’t gonna go half as far as I thought I would.

Once, to be closer to her in case she needed me after I figured my shit out.

The knock comes again. Faster, the blows with less space between them.

“Impatient?” I smile as I pack my things away, push the chair in. making her wait. Because for the rest of the night, she’s mine.

I send off a quick message to Lanie to check anyway.

You’re good to look after Sally for the night?

FML. Is it you she’s running to? We’re having a talk, West. After whatever this midnight, post-shift booty call is.

I smirk at having dumped Winnie in it. This is something we should have been talking about anyway but we’ve both avoided the subject for far too long.