Page 18 of The Pilot

Linc shrugged. “Those were spontaneous purchases. I thought he’d like them.”

He could see emotions flitting across Harper’s face. “He does.”

Linc nodded.

“I just . . . I don’t want him getting too attached. We’re leaving as soon as I save up enough money,” Harper said.

For some reason, that sent a pang of pain through Linc. But he pushed it down. Wasn’t he just thinking about how difficult it would be to live with someone else? How hard it would be to keep his insomnia and nightmares from them? He’d known when he’d made the offer that this was temporary.

“I understand that. And I hope you’ll take all the things I got for Kash with you when you go. But that doesn’t mean he won’t always have a place here.”

“You aren’t his dad.”

The four words were said sharply and with an intent to hurt. Which they did.

“I understand that too. But from where I’m standing, he has no father. And Victor certainly hasn’t acted like a loving grandfather. Kash is starved for some positive male attention. I don’t want to be his dad, but I wouldn’t mind being his friend,” Linc bit out.

Harper sighed and looked at the floor. She ran a hand through her hair, pulling out the ponytail holder, letting her auburn hair spill around her shoulders. She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. Rude. And you’re right. About all of it. I’m grateful that you’re letting us stay here. That you’re being as cool as you have been with Kash. He looks up to you, and there’s no one I can think of who’d be a better role model. I swear, I can’t remember a time he voluntarily offered to do dishes. He’s been here less than a day, and you’ve already been a good influence. Thank you.”

Linc nodded.

“But . . .”

He knew there was a but coming.

“I don’t want him to be disappointed when we leave. Don’t want him to resent me in any way. We’ve always been a duo. We’ve only ever had each other. I don’t want to lose that closeness.”

“You and Kash will always have a bond that can’t be broken,” Linc said gently. “Nothing I do or say will ever change that. I don’t know anything about what the two of you have been through together, but Kash always has your best interests at heart. He insisted you get the bigger room, and he made sure yours was perfect before he touched any of his stuff.

“All he talked about was how hard you work and how excited you’d be to have dinner waiting when you got home. He asked me if I’d teach him how to make other stuff, so he could make sure you had food waiting when you got home after you moved out. He knows staying here isn’t a permanent thing, Harper. He’s a great kid. Loyal, protective, and you’ve done a hell of a job raising him in what I’m guessing were difficult conditions.

“But he is growing up. Will want time to himself more and more. I can offer that to him here. He’ll always have an open invitation to hang out. Spend the night if he wants. There are no strings attached to that offer either.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And before you find out yourself, I should tell you that I stocked the pantry and fridge today as well.”

“Um . . . all right?”

“No, I mean, I stocked it,” Linc informed her. “Here, let me show you.” He walked over to the pantry and opened the door.

The shelves were packed from floor to ceiling with pasta, canned food, crackers, potato chips, protein bars and drinks, and everything in between.

“There wasn’t room for it all, so I cleared out the front hall closet and turned that into a second pantry,” Linc said a little sheepishly. “And I bought an upright freezer as well. It’s in the mudroom off the back door, because there wasn’t any other good place to put it. It’s stocked as well.”

Harper stared at him incredulously.

“Kash is a growing boy,” Linc defended himself, feeling a little embarrassed at how overboard he’d gone.

“This makes the three bags of snacks I brought home seem pretty lame,” Harper said under her breath.

“They’re not lame. While Kash was showing you the upstairs, I put away the things you got. I had no idea he liked wasabi peas.”

“He loves them.”

“Things aren’t always going to go as smoothly as they did tonight. I’m sure I’ll irritate Kash at some point, because I can definitely be annoying. I’ve gotten used to living alone. And Kash is almost a teenager. They get moody. And you’re probably just as used to being on your own, with no one else to help you with Kash. We’ll figure it out. Give each other space when we need it. This is going to work, Harper. We just have to put in the effort.”

“Yeah. But I want to be clear that you don’t have to keep buying us things. We’re good, Linc. We might not have a lot, but we have each other.”