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“That’s even worse,” she complained.

“It’s the truth, just live with it right now. You’re going to get on a regular sleep schedule when we get to Dallas. Exercise too. I’m not going to let you just bury yourself in my house and become a recluse.” I gave her a hard stare, wanting to make sure that my words sank in.

She looked at me solemnly, her big eyes going almost black. “I don’t think this is a good idea after all. Can you take me home tomorrow?”

“Not going to happen.”

“I hate it when you say that!” She hit at my chest, and I barely felt the blow. I caught her hand and pressed it to my chest.

“You might hate that phrase, but it’s the truth. You made the decision to go home with me. It stands.”

“No. It. Doesn’t.” She tried to take her hand back, but I wouldn’t let her. I looked at this woman who had been my best friend all of my life and felt fear slither down my back. I hadn’t been kidding when I said she looked delicate and fragile. Those were two words I would never have associated with Chloe Avery before. She had always been a force to be reckoned with. Even when her shitty home life as a kid had tried to beat her down, she came out fighting. I couldn’t let this woman who had been my touchstone continue to hurt. Not on my watch. I was going to give her a soft place to land.

“Zarek? You’re just staring at me. You’re supposed to be arguing.”

“There’s nothing to argue about, Cupcake. I’m taking you to my home. I want you with me. I need to make sure you’re taken care of.”

“But―”

“Wait.” I interrupted. She stopped talking and looked at me expectantly. “Do me a favor, will you?”

“What?”

“Imagine if the positions were reversed. Imagine if you found me in Dallas, having just suffered through a bad fire where something catastrophic happened on the job. I couldn’t cope, so I was on leave. I’d been holed up in my house for six weeks, no food in the house, and I’d lost weight, I cut off communication from everyone I loved. I was disoriented and fading fast, what would you do? Would you try to help? Would you want to take care of me?”

“I’m not that bad off,” she protested as she squirmed in the bed.

“This isn’t about you. I’m describing a scenario about me. What would you do? Would you want to intervene? Think about it—this is me, I’m basically falling apart, and it’s me. What would you do? Would you walk away?”

“No,” she said resignedly. “I wouldn’t walk away. I would try to help.”

“Even if I didn’t want it?” I searched her face and saw her acceptance.

She nodded. “Even if you didn’t want it. I’d somehow make you take my help. You’ve been my best friend since I was seven.”

I smiled and put my arms around her thin shoulders, pulling her in close for a hug. She clung to me.

“This is going to be hard. I think I’m in trouble.” The words were barely discernable as she whispered them into my chest.

“We’ll work it out together.”

Chapter Seven

Zarek

We’d spent the night in Little Rock, and she’d perked up when we’d found a Stuckey’s convenience store. I pulled over for coffee and let Chloe use the restroom. She actually smiled when we got inside, and it warmed my heart.

“What’s got you so excited, Cupcake?”

“Do you remember Tabitha Ryder?”

I vaguely remembered a girl from elementary school. I nodded.

“Her mom took us to Stuckey’s for her birthday one year. She let each of us get our own invisible ink question book and bought us all pecan log roll candy.”

“If it will get you eating, I’ll buy out their inventory.”

“They’re really sweet, I don’t think I could handle too much,” she protested. “I’ll be right back.” She headed toward the back where the bathrooms were. I did a quick tour of the store and had made my purchases by the time Chloe had returned.