Page 30 of Thorns and Ashes
She slaps my shoulder, but there’s a hint of amusement behind her eyes where seconds ago there was only fear and guilt. “Yeah, I try to be nice and see what happens,” she huffs, covering her face with her hand. “Wait, if you knew it was me who gave it to him, why didn’t you say anything?”
Great question. I’ve been wondering the same thing. It was the perfect opportunity to throw her under the bus. She could havebeen fired, but then what? She’d really have nothing if what Billy was saying is true, and the only thing I’d accomplish is hurting her. I squeeze the back of my neck, realizing that the reason I didn’t say it is because that’s not what I want at all.
“Because,” I grumble. “Then you’d be just as miserable as me.”
Her eyes spark with understanding. “I mean, that seems nearly impossible to imagine,” she replies, sarcasm lacing her tone.
I stare back at her, deadpan. She laughs, and I roll my eyes.
“Thank you...” she mutters after a beat, like the words are foreign on her tongue. “I’m sorry for what I said,” she adds quietly.
It catches me off guard, and my chest twists with a sudden ache
“Don’t be.” I angle myself fully toward hers. “You don’t have to apologize for having the guts to call me miserable when I’m sure everyone else is thinking it too.”
“I said a lot more than that,” she counters, not to upset me, I realize, but to make sure I don’t let her off the hook so easily.
Something about that sends heat crawling up the back of my neck. “I know you did.”
“I called you a bitch.” Her chin dips, and her one brow raises.
“Yup,” I grumble, popping the p for dramatics. “But if I remember correctly, you also called yourself one so.” I shrug.
A rare grin passes over her face as her laughter slips out, unguarded and startled, making the room feel suddenly smaller.
“Fine, but this doesn’t change anything,” she says, trying to sound more serious than she looks. “I still don’t like you.”
I swallow hard. “The feeling is mutual.”
“Good. I’ll take care of your table’s bill today. But the next one is all you.” She goes back to work and leaves me standing here feeling like the ground has shifted beneath me.
Left unbalanced and unsure of what to make of today, I head to Tom’s house for a much-needed break and weekend off.
“We love Ellie,” Callie explains gently, like that will make what she’s saying any better. “But every time I turn around, she’s got one of Aeliana’s bottles, blankies, or toys in her mouth. She even chewed through the baby gate Tom just installed last week.”
I stop myself from making any smart ass comments about how they’re baby proofing a house for a baby who can’t even roll over yet, let alone crawl or walk. Ellie lies on the floor behind Callie, chewing on yet another, what I’m assuming was once, some sort of stuffed bear. I grimace, and Callie follows my gaze. She snaps her attention back to me with a, “This is exactly what I’m talking about”, eyebrow raise.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tease while keeping a straight face. Already knowing where this is going.
I knew when I moved in here that I was on borrowed time, and it seems that’s run out. I’m honestly surprised it’s taken this long. The first two weeks I was here, there was a standoff of wills. I’d turn the thermostat down, and Callie would turn it back up. Just when she thought she’d won, I’d wait until she fell asleep and turn it back down again. Neither of us said a word, but we knew what it was.
War!
Needless to say, I haven’t been the easiest to live with, I know that, but Callie and Tom have done everything they can to help me while I get settled here. Now that I am, the only thing left for me to do is get myself my own place.
“Tom and I have been talking,” Callie starts.
Here we go.
“That place he mentioned to you is move-in ready now. I paid a moving company to furnish it for you. Everything will be dropped off this weekend. All you need to do is set it up.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it all taken care of then.”
“Listen,” Tom pipes in. “We love having you here, but the back and forth is a lot. I want to be able to help Callie more where I can, and having them both here, living with me.” He smiles at her, and what little aggravation I had from this conversation seeps right out of me.
“I get it, man,” I butt in, because honestly, I really do understand. They want to start their life together, and this is a part of them building that foundation for their happily ever after, or whatever. I don’t think anyone’s version of that includes the grumpy best friend as the third wheel. “I’ll use this weekend to move in, and Ellie and I will be out of your hair. My shift starts back this Monday.”
Callie’s pouts, even though this is what she wants. “You are still required to be here once a week for family dinners.”
