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The trailer glowed in the dark, warm lighting coming from the windows and lanterns adorned the white decking that surrounded the front. It was all cream with sky blue shutters hugging the windows.
It was cute.
She still held the keys, and she raised a shaky hand to unlock the door. Part of her didn’t want to go inside, she wanted to ignore the home. Pretend it wasn’t there but her petulance faded the longer she looked at the adorable blue shutters and the glowing lanterns.
She stepped inside. The low ceilings made the home cozy and snug. The cream-colored walls continued throughout the home and a chrome kitchenette was all set up with the necessities. Shenoticed a full stock of raspberry tea and her stomach did a little flip as she realized it was unlikely the home came with those: Will had picked them out for her.
She trailed her hand along the countertops, the cool chrome effect making her shiver. Opposite the kitchenette was a little living area with a TV, coffee table and plush corner sofa that her aching back begged her to sink into.
She continued to explore, following the hallway through to a bedroom in the back. Sage green walls calmed her mind the moment she entered and plush white carpeting snuggled her feet. The light wood furniture and bed with its thick comforter welcomed her and she sighed before turning away to find the small bathroom that had a shower, toilet and sink. Toiletries adorned the slim unit next to the sink and there was shampoo and conditioner in the shower stall. She longed to get under the warm water and her chest expanded with an excited breath.
She wanted to hate it, but she couldn’t.
It was perfect.
She couldn’t have picked a better place herself. She went back to the bedroom and placed her tattered clothes in the top drawer of the wooden dresser and put the rose candle on the end table next to the bed. Bryan jumped onto the bed and circled a few times before flopping down with a deep rumble and immediately went to sleep. She guessed he was happy enough here too.
She went back into the bathroom, stripped off her clothes and turned on the shower. Stepping underneath the warm water, she sighed and let the stress of the day trickle off her skin along with the water. She popped open the cap of the shampoo and immediately the scent of Will surrounded her. She brought the shampoo to her nose and inhaled deeply, sea salt and sandalwood, and goosebumps rose along her skin.
When she finished her shower she went into the kitchen and opened the fridge, her stomach rumbling sharply when she tookin all the food stocked inside. She gorged herself on meat, cheese and fruits and when she went to bed, trying to squeeze under the soft comforter around Bryan, her belly full, her body clean, she felt better than she had in a long time.
The scent of Will surrounded her and at first, it irked her, then after a while she found the rich, earthy aroma comforting, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Chapter 8
He shouldn’t have left her last night.
He should have stayed.
He shouldn’t have been so harsh.
He should have made sure she was okay.
He shouldn’t have taken her meager belongings.
He should have insisted he move in so he could look after her.
But he couldn’t. He didn’t think he would be able to go inside the trailer, too many memories of his childhood made his stomach clench if he thought about them hard enough. Like it clenched when he realized she had beenlivingat the shelter. Probably hadn’t been eating properly. Had definitely taken her clothes from the lost and found that was likely at the laundromat she said she’d been going to.
Will had all the money for ten lifetimes over and here was this hardworking, dedicated woman who was barely scraping by because some asshole didn’t provide for her adequately and then died.
The struggles he imagined she must’ve been through recently blew his mind. No wonder she was standoffish. No wonder she wasn’t a lady to be charmed by his award-winning smile. No wonder she refused help and was so independent. She’d had to fight for every single thing she had. Nothing had been handed to her.
In a way it reminded him of his mother and how she had done what she needed to in order to survive. Rebelle had done the same and it broke his heart.
As soon as he’d finalized the deal on the home, now officially the most satisfying deal of his life, he knew she would fight himevery step of the way. But he was right in what he’d said, even if he shouldn’t have said it quite the way he did. If she couldn’t,wouldn’t, help herself then he would help her whether she liked it or not. And she definitely hadn’t. She really wouldn’t like what else he wanted to discuss with her but he decided to wait until she was settled before he suggested anything so huge to her.
Will wanted to confront Blake and Justine about Rebelle’s situation, frustrated that no one else had realized and sought to help her sooner. But then he remembered how much he fought to hide his past, not just for him but for his mom. Maybe no one knew about Rebelle’s situation, and she hid it for a reason. He wouldn’t break her confidence, wouldn’t reveal her secrets.
As he approached the shelter, Black Sabbath blasting out from his car’s state of the art sound system, he wasnervous. He didn’t know what kind of reception he was going to get from Rebelle. Had she stayed in the shelter or had she stayed in the home?
He slowed as he approached and spotted her outside the shelter, bent over a cardboard box. She pulled back the flaps and covered her mouth with one delicately boned hand.
He slammed on the brakes and was out of the car and by her side in seconds. “Belle? What is it?”
She looked up at him, her brows knitted then pointed down at the box and his gaze dropped to where a calico cat reclined on a soft blanket. A very fat calico.
His blood boiled, anger rushing through him, his fists balling at his sides. “What sort of fucking person dumps a cat in a box?” he shouted.
