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“Kendall?” Sheena asks from behind me, sounding disappointed. “You’re her roommate's boyfriend?”
I don’t correct her, hoping this rumor reaches ‘Paul’. I might not be able to stand up for Tracy, publicly because I know how important this job must be to her and I’m not a hasty man even if my blood is boiling. But there are other ways to get a message across to this bastard which doesn’t have to directly involve Tracy. If Paul perceives me as non-threatening for the time being, it’ll be easier on Tracy.
I still remember how difficult it was for my mother to get jobs and how she would struggle to keep one, no matter how bad, her employers were. If it put food on our table and kept a roof over our head, she did the job anyway. I’m not going to sabotage Tracy’s job without being able to offer her a backup.
I sit back down and try to cool my overheated heels.
I had just come here with the intention of – well, I don’t know what my intention was, maybe to see if Tracy was okay? Why I care, I have no idea. But seeing her today, a surge of protectiveness is rising within me and it has no outlet. All I see is this strong woman, struggling silently, hiding her pain, and swallowing her pride repeatedly. And I want to protect her although I barely know her.
So, I wait, bewildered at myself and when Tracy reappears as soon as her shift ends, I escort her out into the parking lot.
“You’re a lot more trusting of me than I would have thought,” I find myself saying.
She glances at me with a weary smile. “Kendall trusts you. And I trust Kendall’s judgement.”
I lead her to the car and open the back door for her.
“What?” She looks at me, surprised. “Are we going somewhere?”
I hand her the food I had gotten for her. “No. You’re going to have a meal with no one bothering you, and then you’re going to take a nap without anyone disturbing you.”
She stares at me with a sheen of tears in her eyes as she sniffles.
I grow alarmed at her actions. “What?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. You’re a very kind man, Duke.”
I feel uncomfortable now. “I’m just doing what Kendall told me to.”
She doesn’t respond to this.
I take out the blanket from the back and put it next to her, cranking up the air conditioner. “I’ll wake you when your next shift begins. Eat and get some sleep.”
She stares at me for a few long seconds as if she’s unused to such kindness, then she swallows and nods her head.
I close the door and lean against it, guarding the weary woman inside.
I’m in so much trouble.
3
“Her roommate?” Caleb asks as he watches me over the pizza I’m chewing.
As usual, he’s forgotten dinner, so I ordered pizza for the both of us for dinner.
He’s in more relaxed attire as he lounges on his sofa, some documents in his lap as he polishes off his third slice.
“Kendall hasn’t said anything?” I probe.
Caleb shakes his head. “She is much more likely to come to you than me. She’s still learning to trust me. You’re interested in Tracy then?”
“Not interested,” I grumble. “Just watching out for her. The woman needs someone to take care of her. She barely eats as it is. From what I know, they’re only allowed free coffee refills at that diner. They have to pay for their own food and apparently, Max needs new sneakers.”
“So, get the boy a pair of sneakers,” Caleb comments, studying me intently. “I don’t see your dilemma here.”
“You think I haven’t thought of that?” I growl.
My friend raises his brow at my outburst. “Is there something else bothering you?” he asks coolly. “It’s very unlike you to get this worked up over a woman.”
