AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Mitch said it wasn’t fair to him if I had you working on my car just because he didn’t know how. That it was just another way I’d throw you up to him,” I admit. My voice sounds dull and empty even to my own ears.
“I wish you had talked to me back then, Bluebird,” Reed says, and I know he doesn’t realize it, but his words just make me feel guiltier. I close my eyes. I’m broken. I think I was broken even before I moved to Macon. I’m not sure at all how to fix myself because I don’t know who I am. I’ve spent my entire life trying to be worthy of someone’s love and found lacking every single time. That makes me sound pathetic.
“I need to go to my house and learn to live there, Reed.”
“That’s why I brought up Tyler. He wants to buy your trailer, Bluebird.”
“Buy it? I can’t sell it, Reed.”
“Why the fuck not?” he says, his patience showing its limits. That would almost make me smile, but I feel a little too lost for that.
“Well, for one thing, I owe a mint on it,” I point out.
“His offer is to refinance your place in his name and take over the debt and pay you five thousand out right,” Reed says. My heart pounds in my chest.
“I’ve paid more than five thousand on the place, Reed.”
“I know, but this will give you a down payment on a new place and a fresh start, Callie. You don’t have to decide today, but I want you to think about it. You could pay the money down on a new place and get your payments the same or cheaper than what you’re paying monthly now.”
“Reed—”
“Just think about it, honey. You don’t have to make a decision today,” he cautions.
I don’t respond. Everything just feels out of control, and I don’t think I have the ability to think about anything right now, let alone make decisions. I remain quiet as Reed drives through town and pulls into a small, single-wide trailer at the end of town. It’s white with blue shutters and the block foundation is painted to match. The yard is fenced in and neatly kept. It’s cute, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this place is located within jogging distance of the police department. This is Reed trying to take care of me again. It’s confusing that it feels good to have someone take the wheel, but it also makes me feel weak because I’m allowing it.
My brain really is a mess right now.
“All my stuff—”
“Come inside with me, Callie. It doesn’t have to be permanent. Like I said, it’s a couple of months. What you decide after that will be your decision alone to make. If you just stay here until my brother is found, then that’s fine, too. I just want to make sure you are safe. Okay?”
I swallow down my retort. Again, I feel weak, but I don’t want to be alone with Mitch still out there. Maybe the best thing to do would be to sell the trailer and take the money to start over somewhere far, far away from Texas…
Reed comes over to help me out of the car. Each movement is a little painful but nothing like it was a week ago. I still get winded easily, and my chest is sore and tight, but the lung is healing and has come a long way from where it was when I first woke up. As I put my hand in Reed’s and he shoulders most of my weight, he gives me a smile. His face is full of kindness and worry. The differences between him and Mitch have never been more pronounced.
We go inside, and the place has obviously been completely remodeled. The living room and kitchen are all open with granite countertops, hardwood flooring, and updated cabinets. There’s a nice size sectional in the living room along with a large television. It’s done in grays and whites for the most part but made to have an updated farmhouse feel that instantly warms me. My hands touch the shiplap on the walls. I’d wanted to do this to mine, but Mitch called it stupid and a waste of money.
“Back here is your bedroom,” he says. We go down a hall that is small but not overly so. I at least don’t feel claustrophobic.
We pass a small bedroom that has a full-size bed in it and a chest. There’s nothing else in it, but it’s cramped with just that. There’s a bathroom that’s much larger than expected, but there’s a washer and dryer in it. I realize that they’ve taken two rooms and made one large one. On the opposite side of the rooms, there’s a door that leads to the small back deck and yard. At the main end of the trailer is the master bedroom with an attached bathroom that has a large garden tub and a small shower beside of it. There’s also a sink with a large counter that is surrounded by cabinets. There’s a door that leads to a decent sized closet, also.
