Page 35 of Bought For Us

Get a hold of yourself, Kimmy. She’s just a woman.

A pretty woman. Nope, sexy woman. The girl you had the hots for in high school and didn’t fully understand.

“Like before,” she whispers and then clears her throat. “I mean, with–”

“So much sugar you're gonna get a cavity and enough cream there's hardly any coffee?” My lips twitch.

Her eyes lift and I feel like it’s a victory on my end. “Yeah.” She nods.

“We have coffee pods if you want a flavor.” I tell her, turning back to the coffee machine.

“I don’t usually have the fancy stuff.” She laughs forcibly. “Couldn’t afford them.”

My heart sinks and my fist clenches around my mug. But I take a deep breath and grab the holder with all the k-cups. “Well, we have lots to choose from. Caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, even some fun ones like marshmallow.” I shoot her a grin. “I remember how much you loved those.”

She smiles softly and nods. “I’ll try that one. If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Not at all.” I grab the pod and stick it in. “Do you want it hot or iced?” I remember she liked it both ways but mostly leaned toward iced.

“Iced please.” That has me grinning to myself.

I grab some ice from the machine on the counter top and start the coffee. “Are you hungry?”

“Kimmy, you don’t need to feed me.” Why do I love her saying my name?

“I do.” I shoot her a cheeky grin. “Because you’re a guest in my house and it would be awfully rude to let you go hungry.” I bring over the cup of coffee and place it on the table.

Cora takes a seat and grabs the cup, bringing it to her nose and smells. “Mhhm.” she hums then takes a sip. “Shit, that’s good,” she moans.

I bite the inside of my cheek at the sound.

“Look.” I sigh and take the chair in front of her. “I’m gonna be a little forward, but I want to be honest.”

She swallows hard and seems to brace herself as if she’s going to get some bad news.

“Okay.”

“I missed you. So damn much. I’ve thought about you a lot over the past ten years, and there hasn’t been a day that went by that I didn’t think about how you were doing. What you were up to and if you were okay. Hearing what we heard last night, I hate myself because I didn’t help you.”

“Kimmy.” Her face falls. “You didn’t know.”

“I know. But I could have tried to find you, to get in contact with you. I did try to find you on social media but your accounts haven’t been active in years.”

“Because I haven’t been on since the day before I left.” She looks at her cup of coffee. “I didn’t want to be tempted to search you both up and find you living this amazing life without me.” Her eyes are sad when she lifts them to mine. “And you did. You made something for yourself. And I’m so proud and happy for you both.”

“You're not alone anymore, Cora,” I tell her, my hand itching to reach across and take hers.

“I’m not going to come back into your life this way and impose on it.” She looks down again.

“You're not imposing, Cora. You never would be.” I sit back in my seat. “Where are you living right now?”

“Nowhere.” She sighs. “I was in a crappy apartment that I could just barely afford and then when I agreed to come to the auction, I decided to just start over, and make a new life here. I’m staying in a motel, but once the money goes through, I’m going to use a bit of it to get an apartment. Then start job hunting.” She shrugs. “I have nothing but bad memories there and want to get away from them. It’s not like I have any friends or family I’m leaving behind. I’m alone in the world, just like I have been for a very long time.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes. I want to offer her a home, a job, everything, but I don’t want to overstep. Cora has always been a prideful person, but with everything she’s been through, it has changed her way of thinking, her way of living. She’s been in survival mode for years and I fucking hate it.

“You're not alone anymore.” I take her hand this time, and give it a little squeeze. “We didn’t have any kind of falling out and we didn’t leave on bad terms. It was all just one big fucked up situation. And now, I see this as a second chance. If you're staying here, I need you in my life, Cora.”

“Why?” she asks softly. “You’ve got this amazing life, great success and I’m sure a line that’s a mile long of friends. I can’t offer you anything you don’t already have.”

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