Page 17 of Finding Shelter
“You said that wearing a smile. Meanwhile, I’m thinking of getting your mom an urn withBurn in Hellengraved on it.”
Kash couldn’t help but laugh at Ledger’s outrage.
“Those were some of my best memories. I was free and underthe stars. Just me and my notebooks and dreams of running away. It was probably the most peace I got back then.”
Ledger didn’t respond.
Kash realized Ledger was more pissed off than he wanted to show. Kash shifted slightly, moving closer. “The fried cream cookies with whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top. That’s what I always wished I could get.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do first.” Ledger pushed in that direction, dodging the crowd like a man on a mission.
Love swelled in Kash’s chest. Ledger was the only person Kash had truly shared his past with. Throughout childhood, he had feared anyone knowing what his home life was like because foster care was a hell of a lot worse. So he stayed quiet.Something about Ledger always made him crack himself open for inspection.
Kash watched Ledger’s back while he ordered. He kept one ear on the conversation so he could pay. Ledger was too quick for him. He swiped his card so fast, Kash couldn’t even get out his wallet.
“I’ll pay you back tonight.”
The look Ledger shot him would’ve frozen boiling water in an instant. “Don’t cheapen this moment.”
Kash laughed at the bossy tone. He really was in love.
The guy in the booth handed Ledger two paper bowls that looked like diabetes. They ate as they walked. Silently, they eyed the sights. Neither of them spoke for severalminutes.
Ledger shoved a bite into his mouth. He spoke around the food. “You know, this is actually pretty fucking disgusting.”
Kash burst out laughing. “It really is, isn’t it?”
In unison, they turned toward the nearest trash can.
Kash had a thought. He stopped Ledger before he could throw his bowl away. “Wait. I’m never doing this again, so we need a trophy.” He pulled out his phone and opened the camera. “Come here.” They put their heads together. Ledger held up his bowl between them. They both laughed, and Kash snapped their picture.
He couldn’t stop smilingat the image.
Ledger took his bowl and threw them both away before sliding in close to check out the picture. “That turned out surprisingly good.”
Kash nodded. “We look happy.” He saved the image as his wallpaper on his phone. When he looked over, he found Ledger staring at him in a way he couldn’t decipher. “What?” Even Kash heard the nervous laughter in his voice. Ledger looked entirely too intense.
“Ledger?”
Kash went on full alert at the sound of Ledger’s name, forgetting all about the strange moment. He made himself look bigger, attempting to protect Ledger from every angle. If Ledger was about to get mobbed, Kash would keep him safe.
Ledger turned. His expression snapped completely closed. “Ry.”
Kash was stunned into forgetting his job. If Ledger hadn’t said his name, Kash never would’ve recognized him. Not only had Ry already been considerably older than Ledger, but the years had not been kind. He looked as if he had spent every minute of his life in a tanning booth while simultaneously getting bad plastic surgery to stretch out the wrinkles on his face. Kash had never experienced such a gut wrench desire to punch someone first and ask questions later.
Ry looked a little too excited to see Ledger. “Hey. How have you been?”
Ledger subtly shifted Kash’s way, telling Kash everythinghe needed to know about this encounter. “I’ve been great. How about you?”
Kash wasn’t one to act and play nice just because that was what society expected. His every molecule screamed they should just walk away.
Ry’s gaze flickered Kash’s way for half a second before dismissing him. “I’m good. I actually saw you two about three weeks ago, but I was too far away to say hi. Obviously, I was a bit surprised to see you two together. I called Valon to see if they had gotten back together. He says Kash is your bodyguard now?”
Kash nearly laughed. Ry couldn’t try any harder to pretend Kash wasn’t standing there.
“My son isfamous. He worries.”
It got harder by the second to hold himself together. It was obvious Ledger didn’t take shit from Ry any longer.
