Page 84 of Interference

I didn’t sleep for shit, and I didn’t expect to. I was too worried about what was coming next, and I also didn’t want to close my eyes and miss these last few precious hours of warmth and comfort.

I didn’t want to overstay my welcome, though. It was time. Knowing Anthony, we’d at least eat breakfast, but after that, it was up to him when I grabbed my gear and left. Would he at least drop me off somewhere? Because it was a long walk across the 520 bridge to Seattle, and the loving folks of the Eastside weren’t exactly accommodating to people like me taking up space in their parks and woodlands.

Well, if he did give me a lift, that would be awesome. If not, I’d figure things out. I always did.

I left my gear in the bedroom for now, packed up and ready to go, and headed into the kitchen with Lily.

To my surprise, Anthony looked like shit. Even worse than he had the morning after Thanksgiving. He had dark circles under his eyes, and the heavy scruff on his jaw made his face look even paler.

I was about to ask if he was all right, but he spoke first.

“Listen, I was thinking…” He handed me a cup of coffee and avoided my gaze. “You, uh…” He chewed his lip, drumming his nails on the counter. Then he met my eyes and declared, “You don’t have to go.”

I froze. “What?”

“I know I said you could stay until Lily finished her meds.” He met my gaze. “But… I mean, I don’t feel right, sending you two back out there. At all.”

My heart flipped. I felt guilty for how hopeful I was that he meant it. I was afraid to say a word because he might rescind the offer. If I came on too eager, or I tried to insist I couldn’t stay even though I desperately wanted to, or I just said the wrong stupid thing, he’d say, “You know what? Forget it,” and I’d be out on my ass after all.

So I said nothing. I wasn’t sure I could’ve spoken anyway. I just stared at him.

Anthony shifted his weight. “It isn’t right, you living out there like that. Especially not in the winter.”

My throat tightened around my breath, and the whole night’s worth of fatigue came crashing in, making me waver on my feet. “Are you… Are you serious?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I haven’t felt right since we talked last night, and I couldn’t fucking sleep because I just…” He raked a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “I can’t think of any rational reason why you two are better off out there than in here.”

My mouth had gone dry, but I managed to croak, “You don’t have to do this.”

“I don’t care. I don’t think I could live with myself I said you guys couldn’t stay here.”

“But I don’t…” I swallowed hard, torn between desperately wanting to accept his offer and also not wanting to abuse his generosity. “The offer is amazing, don’t get me wrong. I just don’t want…” I shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t want you to be stuck with me. Or feel like you have to let me stay indefinitely.”

“I know,” he whispered. “And I’m not stuck. If we figure out we can’t live together, I can help you make other arrangements. But I’ll never be able to sleep at night or look at myself in the mirror if I know you’re out there when I could’ve done something.”

The lump in my throat was too thick to swallow past.

“And if it helps,” he went on, “it’s not just because of your situation. If it was, I’d still be offering to let you stay because I can’t…” Shaking his head, he looked right in my eyes. “The point is I want you and Lily to stay.”

I blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah. It’s been nice having someone else here. This place is fucking huge. I… like having the two of you here.” He chewed his lip. “Maybe that’s pathetic. I don’t know. But you and Lily can stay as long as you need to.”

I closed my eyes and exhaled, reveling in the weight of the world slipping off my shoulders. “Thank you.” I met his gaze again. “You really, really don’t have to. But if you’re serious…”

He nodded. “Completely serious.”

“I’d be stupid not to take you up on it.” I paused. “And… I like it here, too. Not just because it means I’m off the streets. Living with you and the cats has been nice.”

Anthony’s smile was beautiful. “I think they’ve enjoyed having you here, too. Even if Bear still can’t quite figure out Lily.”

I chuckled, dizzy with this profound relief. “Eh, they’ve been playing a lot, so I think he’s figuring her out.”

“Oh, really?” He laughed, lighting up the whole world. “How have I missed that?”

“You haven’t noticed them getting the zoomies together? It shakes the whole house.”

“Eh. With these two running around”—he gestured at his cats—“you kinda stop noticing when the house shakes. Hell, we had a minor earthquake last year and I thought it was just these idiots wrestling.”

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