Page 2 of Because You Rejected Me

Sam came around the desk. “It’s okay,” he said, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Everything is going to be fine. You came to the right place. We’ve got a room for you.”

I just stood there and cried. It was incredible how totally shattered and relieved I felt in that moment. I was safe at last from the outside world, no longer wandering across the countryside. But it also solidified how terribly alone I was now. How alone I would be for the rest of my life.

The permanence was what scared me the most. There was only one person I could rely on now for everything I needed.

Me.

“Have you eaten?” Sam asked.

I shook my head.

“Let me show you to your room so you can get cleaned up, and then I’ll bring you up some food, okay?”

“I d-don’t h-have any m-money,” I sniffled, my voice still shaking.

“I know.” It wasn’t a judgment, just a factual statement. “We’ll figure that out tomorrow. There are other ways to earn your keep while you get yourself back on your feet.”

I looked up at him, fear in my eyes.

He shook his head, reading my thoughts. “Normal ways to earn your keep. Like dishes, cleaning, and helping out around here.” He pulled me toward the elevator. “But that can wait for now. You need to get some rest.”

I followed close behind him as he took me up to the top floor and down to the far end of the hallway. Taking out a ring of keys, he opened the door to the room and removed the key from the ring before handing it to me. We stepped inside, Sam flicking the lights on as we went.

“There’s your bathroom here,” he said, pointing it out. “With towels and soap and toiletries. The beds get torn down and flipped every Monday and Thursday when we do the washing. There’s a mini-fridge and a kitchenette if you want to cook. I’ll make sure you get one good meal a day down in the kitchens. I only have three rules in this hotel.” He turned around, giving me a serious look. “No prostitution, no drugs, and no fights. I have to keep on the right side of the law in this town if I’m gonna help people like you, so please respect that, and you can stay as long as you need to.”

I nodded dumbly, looking around the room with a sense of bewilderment.

“Why?” was all I could ask. “Why do you do this?”

Sam gave me a sort of sad smile. “Because when I was your age, nobody helped me.” He patted me on the shoulder. “Nobody should have to go through that.”

He started to leave but stopped in the doorway.

“Grab a shower,” he said gently, but with the full implication that I needed one. I knew he was right. “When you’re done, come downstairs to the kitchen. I’ll have some food waiting for you.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded.

Sam stepped out, closing the door behind him and leaving me all alone. I felt a surge of relief through my chest, but that same sense of intense loneliness that I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around just yet. My backpack dropped to the floor and I leaned my back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling.

The tears just kept flowing.

Chapter Two: Ace

I was up at dawn, as usual. There was no need for an alarm clock. The sun streaming through my bedroom window was all I needed. Rolling over in bed, I stretched, the blankets pulling low on my waist. Sunlight warmed my skin as I stared out the window.

Another beautiful day of solitude.

And that was just the way I liked it.

I threw the covers aside and hopped out of bed. Stepping up to the window, I stretched once more, enjoying the feel of the sun warming my naked body. It was mid-June, and the morning temperature was already high. That meant it was gonna be a hot day and that I should get out in the garden early if I wanted to avoid sweating half to death. It was better to do deliveries during the hot part of the day. That way I could enjoy the AC in my truck. Today was delivery day for the hotel anyway, so that would work out just fine.

But the first order of business was coffee.

The best part about living in a small one-bedroom house you built yourself was that everything was exactly where it should be. I didn’t have to worry about rooting through cupboards or searching for my perfect mug. There was one mug, the same one I always used, and a small coffee pot. I was a plain and simple kind of guy. Coffee was black, without any bells and whistles. Sure, I splurged a little bit on the coffee itself, making sure it was the best I could find, but there was nothing complicated about it.

I tried to keep my life as uncomplicated as possible. Ever since I’d moved to Shifter Grove at the age of seventeen, keep it simple had been my mantra. I worked my ass off doing odd jobs so I could buy a little five-acre plot of land on the outskirts of town. After that, I lived in a tent while I cleared a section of it by hand. Once the garden was planted, I began work on the house. It was an odd construction made completely out of reclaimed materials. More than likely, it didn’t meet the local zoning ordinances, but it was warm, water-tight, and had everything I needed. I even had indoor plumbing.

The house was surrounded entirely by forest on all sides, which is why I didn’t think twice about stepping out into the garden with just my cowboy hat and a coffee mug. The earth and grass were cool under my feet, still wet with dew as I walked through the garden sipping my coffee. My growing method was a bit unconventional. I didn’t really do plants in rows. Actually, the place looked pretty wild. But, if anyone looked closely, they’d realize all my plants were intercropped with beneficial partner plants. And that’s why everyone thought I was a magician with vegetables. I didn’t use chemicals or grow like traditional farmers, but my produce was always the first bought at the farmer’s market. In fact, I usually had to pack up early because I just plain had nothing left to sell. My customers were ravenous.

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