AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That you’re a part of. Where’s all the food?”
“I have plenty of food.”
Sadie pulled a half-empty box of rice cakes from the cupboard, and a mostly full box of ice pops from the freezer. “Do you make sandwiches with these?”
I clenched my jaw. The last thing I wanted right now was a lecture on my eating habits.
Sadie grabbed her phone. “Pizza or Chinese?”
“Pizza.” Not Chinese. Not again for a long time. The pit in my chest ached at the thought. How many other memories had been tainted?
Sadie made a few more swipes, than dropped into a chair across from me. “Ordered. You’re in idiot, by the way.” She met my gaze unflinchingly.
What was I supposed to say to that? Only I got to call me names. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Because I’d fallen for the bull Owen and Kingston fed me? “What happened isn’t my—”
“It’s not your fault, I know. I agree. The stuff with those assholes? Not your fault in the slightest. “The not eating? The shutting us out so you’renot a bother? That’s on you.”
Unbelievable. “This is your idea of supporting me?”
“You’re one of us, Lyn. You’re not a burden or a third wheel. We want you in our lives because we like you for you.”
I didn’t care for her plucking thoughts out of my head that were meant for me alone. “That’s not what this is about.”
Sadie raised her brows. “Isn’t it?”
“No.” Maybe a little?
“I’m not trying to be mean,” Sadie said. “But I’m not taking back what I said.”
“You called me an idiot.” Like I hadn’t done the same to myself countless times.
She didn’t flinch. “Idiotwas harsh, but I needed you to listen. You can be heartbroken. Take all the time you need to heal. You deserve so much more than being led on. You’re worth more than that.” She sighed. “My point is I wish I could show you what we see in you.”
I didn’t know what to say, and I was tired of feeling. “I’m going to lay down until the pizza gets here.” I pushed back from the table.
“Wait.” Sadie grabbed my wrist before I could walk away. She stood and threw her arms around me and squeezed tight. “You’re amazing and wonderful and smart and successful and beautiful and so many other words that would take me all night and into next week to list. No one, not even you, should be allowed to tell you otherwise.”
I didn’t know what to do besides hug back, and fail to swallow past the lump in my throat.
****
THE FIRST THING I DIDMonday morning was drop a check in the mail, for a normal loan payment amount, addressed to Kingu Kafe’s corporate offices. I couldn’t pay them back all at once, but there was no way in hell I was taking anything from Kingston and Owen, especially money.
Sadie became my shadow, going so far as to get up when I did, and make me breakfast. I’m pretty sure she would have force fed me if I hadn’t eaten voluntarily. With her company, it was easy to distract myself from my thoughts.
On Friday, a letter arrived from Kingu Kafe. My torn up check was inside, along with a note written in simple block letters.The money was a gift. Non-returnable. We miss you. Owen.
I used a baking blow torch to light the entire thing on fire in a steel bowl in the café’s kitchen, while Sadie watched.
“Are you going to send them another one?” she asked.
It was tempting. “What do you think the odds are they’ll send it back the same way?”
“Is either of them as stubborn as you?” Her question was kind.
