Page 20 of Take My Hand

The guys set it down carefully and stand up with a sigh of relief.

“I think you’re more than capable of handling large objects, sweetheart,” Walker says to Scar with a wink.

“Shut up.” Scar scoffs at the same time Hayden says, “I don’t need to hear that.”

I snicker, and Walker shoots me a grin, satisfied that his humor is earning at least one nod of approval.

“Nice place,” he comments, looking around.

“Thanks, it’s a work in progress but it’s coming along.”

I shift my eyes over to Hayden, unsure how to greet him. Is he going to be cold or amiable?

Wiping the sweat from his brow and pushing his hair back, he gives me a soft hello and a shy smile. It reminds me of the same smile he gave when we first met all those months ago on the night of the first show and everyone stood around introducing themselves. While the entire crew and all the artists chatted excitedly with each other and buzzed around the groups mingling, he stood in the mix but was almost like a shadow. If someone looked his way and engaged with him, he would talk enough to be friendly.

But the second someone excused themselves from a conversation, his shoulders relaxed, relieved to go back to observing everyone else talk.

I smile in return, and it’s then that something behind his eyes relaxes the tiniest fraction. As if he was unsure of how I’d react to him.

Maybe he’s been overthinking our interaction just as much as I have.

“Sorry for making you do this. I could’ve had it delivered in the unit, but they charge so much extra just to have them bring it to my door,” I say to everyone.

“That shit’s a scam.” Walker waves me off. “And please, I just made this couch my bitch.” He flexes dramatically, and Scar lets out an annoyed sigh at his antics, but melts the instant he pulls her into his side and kisses the top of her head.

“Are those other boxes down there yours too?” Hayden asks me.

“The two propped up against the wall out front? Yes.”

One is a new bookcase, and the other is a set of drawers for my bedroom. Both came disassembled, so I have a lot of building in my future.

Hayden walks out without another word, grabbing Walker by his T-shirt to drag him along.

“I was going to cook dinner tonight for you guys as a thank you for helping. What are you in the mood for?” I ask Scar, walking into my kitchen and grabbing a few bottles of water out of the fridge to set on the counter for the guys.

“You don’t have to do that.” Scar waves me off. “No need to dirty up a bunch of dishes and go through the hassle of cooking a meal.”

I offer her some water and grab one for myself. “C’mon, let me do something to say thank you.”

“Then order some pizza. We’ll stick around and help you put some of this stuff together.” She gestures to the piles of desk pieces in the corner. “And that way, you don’t have to do any extra work but everyone still gets fed.”

Even though I feel guilty about taking the easy way out, I know she’s right. It’s going to take a while to put everything together, even with the four of us.

And I honestly do not feel like cooking in the slightest.

“Fine,” I say, grabbing my phone and pulling up a pizza place I found a few blocks over. “Do you know what either of the guys like?”

Before she can answer, Walker calls out, “What are you wondering if I like?” as he walks in carrying one of the boxes; Hayden following behind with the smaller of the two.

“Pizza,” Scar answers.

“Fuck yeah. I’ll eat whatever is on it.”

“Same,” Hayden says, his eyes finding mine in silent question of where to drop the box he has.

“By the couch, please,” I tell him and turn to Walker. “Do you mind putting that one in the bedroom?”

Walker nods and heads over through my bedroom door to deposit his box.

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