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I grit my teeth and tilt my head back, preparing to give her the same speech I gave her last time—that it’s just for a little while and I can figure it out myself.
But the emotions and overwhelm of the evening cripple my self-reliance, and instead of saying anything, I bend forward and sob into my hands. I don’t want to go back to that motel. I don’t want to live in an environment that feels so unsafe and unfamiliar, a space that’s not even mine.
So in rambling words, I spill the beans to August and Leighton, about the live-in position at Colton’s not being live-in and how I didn’t want to put Leo out any more so I accepted the weird motel situation from Kirby.
“Kirby Wilson?” Leighton asks, her nose scrunching up and her words dripping with distaste. “That guy is seriously bad news, Em. I can’t believe you would get in bed with him.”
At my expression, she lifts both hands.
“Metaphorically, of course.”
“Emily, I have an extra bedroom,” August says. “You seriously should have just talked to us and we would have helped you find a solution that didn’t require you to keep all your things in your car.”
I wipe my tears with the collar of my shirt and nod my head, even though I can’t imagine a world where I would tell August Haines anything that would result in him offering me a room. I’d rather sleep in the motel.
But I can’t say that, because I don’t want to sleep in the motel. If August has an extra room I can borrow for a few nights while I figure out what to do, maybe I should just accept it.
“I can pay rent,” I tell him. “My tips from tonight are gone, but I have money in savings and…”
August lifts a hand, indicating I should stop.
“Let’s get you settled in, and we can talk about it tomorrow, huh?”
I nod, not saying anything else for fear of more tears.
“You’re crashing at my place tonight, too, I’m assuming?”
August’s question is for his sister, and she gives him a weird look before muttering, “Obviously.”
I look between them twice before deciding I’m too tired to try to figure out what’s going on.
“See you at the house then,” August says, leading me over to his nice warm car. “Alright, Bug. Home we go.”
And then he drives across town to his place, Leighton driving my car behind us.
***
“I can’t believe I got mugged today.”
It’s dark in August’s guest room, but there’s enough light coming through the blinds from the streetlights outside that I know Leighton is watching me.
My best friend shifts onto her side and snuggles close, tugging me against her and looping her arm with mine.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Me too.”
We lie there in silence for a bit longer, neither of us saying anything, until I hear a sniffle from Leighton.
Sitting up, I reach over and turn on the little lamp next to my side of the bed then turn to look. Sure enough, there are tears tracking down her face.
“Okay, you need to tell me what’s going on. When you got to The Lighthouse earlier, you looked like you’d already been crying.”
“I was upset about you getting mugged,” she tells me.
I roll my eyes.
“Then why were you crying when you were pretending to brush your teeth?”
