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“I’m so sorry, Courtney,” I gush, hugging her tight.
“What’s the damage?”
“None,” Tyler cuts in. “It was just smoke that set off the alarm.”
“Oh, thank God,” she breathes, her hand on her chest.
“I’m so sorry,” I say again. “Kyle called and I got distracted. He said some things, and I just…I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear the timer and the lava cakes leaked and turned to burned rocks, and there was a lot of smoke. But no fire. I promise you I’m not irresponsible, Courtney! I just…he just…”
“Shh, it’s okay.” She pulls me in for a long hug, rubbing my back. “You’re okay, and the café is okay,” she whispers. “Don’t worry about anything else.”
My throat is thick with emotion, and I choke out a breath. “Thank you,” I whisper, hugging her tighter than I have anyone in a really long time.
A few more tears leak from my eyes and drip down to soak the shoulder of her t-shirt.
“It’s okay, Ellie. You’re fine,” she muses, trying to calm me.
“He said such horrible things,” I whisper in her ear. “I don’t know why I even answered his call.”
“What the fuck did he say to you?” Tyler cuts in angrily.
I guess I wasn’t whispering as softly as I thought.
“Nothing, Tyler.” I sniff, pulling away from Courtney. “I’m fine.”
“Like fucking hell,” he growls. “Walk with me, sugar. The others can sort everything out.”
He takes me by the arm and starts to pull me away from Courtney, but I keep my eyes on her.
“It’s okay. Go with him. I’ll make sure everything is okay here. We’re good, I promise.”
“Okay.” I nod methodically, going with Tyler.
He brings me over to the fire truck and sits me down on the ledge where no one is around, ensuring our privacy.
“I’m going to check you out, and then we’ll talk.”
“Check me out?” I ask, confused.
“Medically.” Going for a medic bag, he takes my vitals, listens to my lungs, and checks my eyes.
When he asks for a deep breath, I cough, still tasting the burnt smoke I inhaled.
His eyebrows draw together in concern. “You need oxygen.”
“No. No, I’m good. It’s just a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Let me get you a water.” Going inside the truck, he hands me a bottle of water, and I quickly down half of it, not realizing how thirsty I was.
“What did he say to you, Ellie?” he finally asks.
I look up at him and take in his imposing figure, seemingly ready to swoop in and save me.
“A lot of things,” I whisper. “But mostly that I wasn’t good enough for him. To keep him interested. That I’m the reason he cheated.”
Squatting down in front of me, Tyler takes my hands in his. “El, baby. He’s a fucking idiot. You know that, right? Any man who blames the woman for not being able to keep it in his pants isn’t a man at all. His insecurities and shortcomings arehisissues, not yours. You’re amazing, beautiful, talented, and if you’ll let me say, a dynamite to fuck.” Giving me his best smile, he cups my face with his larger, warmer hand, and I can’t help but lean into him, giving him a small smile at that last statement.
“It’s just…hearing him say everything I’ve already thought, out loud, was a lot. I should’ve just hung up on him.”
