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I couldn’t stand the fucking idea of her getting into the same situation. Her brother didn’t seem the sort to allow her to live that way, which meant Eugene suffered in silence. Something I assumed she’d do again. The possibility unsettled me. But that had nothing to do with why I wanted to help her. I just did. And the bonus was helping her kept her with me.
“It’s different. We barely know each other.”
“That didn’t stop me from letting you stay here, and it didn’t stop you from coming.”
She bit her lip as she threw herself backward onto the couch. She looked to the ceiling and exhaled.
For some reason, her action calmed me. She hadn’t agreed to my craziness, but I didn’t think she’d completely refuse me, either.
“You’ll continue staying here, and you’ll work with me.”
“What if I don’t like working as a waitress?” she asked, still studying the ceiling.
“Then you can be a hostess. I’ll find the right position for you.”
“You don’t seem the type to tolerate people for long. What happens when you grow tired of letting me stay here?”
“If and when I decide you’re too much, I’ll let you know and give you plenty of time to find a place of your own.”
That was never going to happen. I didn’t know why I was so sure.
She closed her eyes and said nothing.
I asked, “Why did you agree to stay here to begin with?”
“I didn’t want to spend money on a hotel room.”
I quirked a brow. “So, why are you letting pride get in the way now?”
She lowered her head and met my gaze. “I can’t stay for free.”
I crossed my arms. “Then what do you propose?”
“I don’t know. How about I pay rent? Your mortgage on this place must be a fortune.”
“No to the rent. If you want, you can buy groceries and other necessities for the house.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Shouldn’t we put a time limit on it? That way, I know how long I have.”
I didn’t like the idea. I didn’t want to put a limit on her being in that house with me.
“I don’t need a timeline. If you need one, then you decide.”
“A limit would be good for both of us, so I don’t get used to the idea of staying forever.” When I met her gaze again, she looked away and said, “You know, it might make me lazy about searching for my own place. I’m not a saint. I’m just being honest. What if this isn’t good for me like you think?”
“It’s good for you. You’ll never save otherwise.”
She met my gaze. “You’ll tell me when it stops working for you?”
“I never use the upstairs, and we’ll see each other more at work than here.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea for me to workwithyou then?”
“Red. It’s done. We’re doing this. When it stops working out for you, it stops. Until then, relax. You have a roof over your head for as long as you need.”
