Page 48 of Juniper Hill (The Edens 2)

“Like I said, stay as long as you need.”

Need, not want. I hadn’t realized it until just now, but he’d said need last week too. Not want. Need.

There was a difference. One that caused a stiffness to creep into my shoulders.

I set my sandwich down and sat a little taller. “Then I’d like to pay more rent.”

Knox chuckled.

“It’s not a joke.”

“I know it wasn’t a joke. But it’s unnecessary.”

“Your place is two hundred dollars cheaper a month than any other place I looked at.”

A crease formed between his eyebrows. “I thought you just looked at the one next to Willie’s.”

“I called a few more.”

Now it was his turn to put his sandwich down. “When?”

“Ever since I moved in. The loft was only supposed to be a temporary spot.”

“But you don’t need to move.”

There was that word again. Need. “Then let me pay more rent. Let me make it fair.”

“No. It’s fair already.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Knox scowled. “You wasting money is ridiculous. Save it. Spend it on a Halloween costume or whatever.”

I flinched and stared at Drake. Three of the cotton balls I’d glued onto his hat were coming apart. Maybe that was why Jill had bought a costume. Because she’d had no faith that I could make one on my own.

Because she was better.

“Why won’t you let me pay more?” I asked, my voice weak.

“Because you don’t—”

“Need to?” I finished for him. The slime of shame crept across my skin, and a realization with it. Is that how this family saw me? As a charity case?

It would make sense. It made sense why Eloise had given me the best shifts. How she’d set me up with an apartment. Why Knox made sure to keep me fed.

“Memphis, I don’t need the rent money.”

“It’s not about you needing the money.” I met his gaze and the pity in his eyes was crippling. “It’s about me being able to pay it.”

“But you don’t need to, honey.”

Honey. This was the second time he’d called me honey. I’d missed the undertone the first time, but at the moment, it felt like an endearment he’d give a child. Someone less.

Me. I was less.

“The sauce is delicious.” I pried the spoon from Drake’s fist, then slid out of the booth. “Excuse me.”

“Memphis.”