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His expression softens. “I know, but we’re going to get them back. It might take some time, but I promise we will.”
I sigh. “Do you always make such big promises to girls you barely know?”
“No. The only people I usually make promises to are my brothers … and Scarlett, when she’s around.” He starts to reach for me again, I think to touch my hair, but then he pulls back and stuffs his hands into his pockets. “And I always do everything I can to follow through with my promises.”
I still don’t understand why he’s helping me. He barely knows me. We’re not even friends. From my experience, that’s not how people generally work. Like my dad. He never helped me even during the darkest times when I felt like I was going to sink underneath the murky water. Then again, he was drunk all the time and rarely home and there were times I often wondered if he forgot he had daughters he was supposed to be taking care of.
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I still don’t understand,” I say quietly. “I mean, why are you even promising me anything? I’m just some girl who lives next door to you. A girl who also told you to go fuck yourself the first time you met her.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of helping you?” His lips tug up into a teasing grin.
I shake my head. “No. I’d never do that—not with this anyway. I just …” I shrug. “I don’t understand.”
“I kind of don’t either.” He offers me a confused smile. “I usually don’t get involved in other people’s problems—I have way too much of my own. But … I don’t know, I just …” He shrugs. “I understand what you’re going through.”
“And that makes you want to help me?” I question, still ever the skeptic.
Another shrug. “I guess so.”
I’m not buying into his reasoning, but I guess it doesn’t really matter. What does is getting my sisters back.
“All right, well, I guess I’ll let you help me then.”
“Let me, huh?”
I nod, totally joking, but manage to keep a straight face. “Yep. And it’s a pretty awesome privilege.”
He carries my gaze. “I guess I should consider myself lucky then.”
His gaze makes me feel all squirrelly and restless, but I refuse to look away. “You definitely should.”
He chuckles, shaking his head and I can’t help smiling too. It feels good and strange, to be laughing and smiling after the shitfest that was last night. Part of me feels guilty about it, that I’m here, living my normal life, laughing with the pretty boy neighbor while my sisters are who knows where.
Tears burn my eyes, but I rapidly suck them back and lock them away. I may have allowed myself a five-minute meltdown last night, but not today. Today I’m Hadley motherfucking Harlyton, the girl who can handle anything, the girl who has handled almost anything.
When Blaise notes my expression, his laughter fizzles. “Do you want to hear the good news now?”
I bob my head up and down. “Yes, please.”
“Well, Darla—that’s my old social worker—also said that she’s going to call up a friend of hers who still works for Social Services and see what sort of information she can get about your sisters. And she’s going to see if she can arrange for you to get a sooner visit than what’s normally allowed, maybe even by tomorrow.”
I perk up at that. “Are you serious?”
He nods. “More than likely she’ll come through too. Darla’s pretty good at making things happen.”
Holy freakin’ motherload of all reliefs.
I’m so excited that my heart starts to race inside my chest, pumping adrenaline through my veins. Before I can even fully comprehend what I’m doing, I jump off the counter and throw my arms around Blaise.
“Thank you,” I say, hugging him.
He slips an arm around my waist. “You’re welcome.”
He seems a little shaky.
I feel a little shaky.
I think my heart might be shaky. But that’s got to be from the excitement.
