Page 25 of All Our Ghosts

She winces before steeling her features as she stares at me but it’s too late, I already see that lingering fear from the night we met. Her shoulders pin back, and her entire body becomes rigid. I can see her body fighting between challenging me and submitting to my command, but I don’t know if it’s because she wants to or if it’s a knee-jerk reaction for survival.

“You need to do laundry, I truthfully could use a cigarette and a break from here so...” I tug the passenger door open as she tries to formulate a response. “Let me do this.” My eyes find hers searching them and hoping she’ll just get into the truck. “Please.”

She studies me for a moment, and just when I think she’s going to tell me to go fuck myself, the tension in her shoulders uncoils. “Fine.”

I nod and wait for her to climb inside the tow truck before shutting the door once she’s all the way in. I climb in and already I can tell she’s nervous about going somewhere with me and, honestly, I don’t know how to relieve her nerves. All I can do is hope this night doesn’t end in complete disaster and we’re back to not speaking.

The laundromat is on the other side of town across from Lee’s; I wonder if I can get her to eat something aside from the pretzels I saw her eating earlier in the office. When we get to the laundromat I pull up out front all ready with a plan. I get out and open the door for her before she can, but I pause at the entrance.

“You aren’t staying?” She asks, looking up at me, and I can see we’re both surprised by her question.

I shake my head. “I’m gonna grab some food but I’ll be back.”

“Okay…” She says and pushes past me into the shop.

I hate that she gives in so easily, that she doesn’t ask for anything, and I hate that her perfume wafts past me. Vanilla and something floral that raises the hair on the back of my neck with how much I want to bury myself into the smell.

With a sigh, I jump back into the truck and drive over to Lee’s, picking up two specials for us. Then, I head back to the laundromat. I’m thankful Maggie isn’t working tonight, otherwise I would probably miss the window I have with Kadence.

I find Kadence tucked in the back corner, reading a magazine that looks to be from the eighties. She’s pulled her long dark hair into a ponytail and, for once, looks somewhat relaxed. I’m almost mad at myself that I’m about to interrupt her peace. Still, I clear my throat and hold up the bag of food.

When she glances up her brows furrow. “What’s that?”

“Dinner…”

I bite my lip to hide the smirk as her frown deepens with my answer.

“You bought dinner? For me?”

“Well for us—”

“I don’t need you to take care of me Holden,” she snaps as she sets the magazine down. “Why did you do this?”

My fists clench as she starts to reprimand me for being nice. For trying. “Because pretzels aren’t a fucking meal, Kadence, and you drink way too much coffee not to have something substantial in your stomach.”

Confusion rolls through me as she balks and then narrows her jade gaze at me. “What I consume isn’t any of your business.”

I set the bag down on a folding table. “What the hell happened in the twenty minutes that I was gone?”

“What?”

“Why, all of a sudden, are you pissed off at me for trying to be nice?” I ask, trying to hide the brewing anger.

“Because I don’t need to be taken care of Holden!” She snaps again. “I don’t need a babysitter and I don’t need you to fight my battles for me!”

“Is that what this is about? Because I punched Quinn?”

“I didn’t ask you to do that!” Her voice raises and I feel the other patrons' eyes on me. I’ve spent the last month hiding from this town, from all the whispers and doubts that I didn’t have anything to do with my sister's death. Now, here I am fighting with a woman I barely know for everyone to see.

“You didn’t have to!” I boom back. “But you know what? I don’t need this and clearly you’d rather sit here alone and starve.” I snatch one of the containers from the bag and leave it for her. “Eat it or don’t, Princess, I don’t give a shit.”

“Whatever Holden.”

“Yeah,” I laugh bitterly. “Goddamn this was a mistake.”

“Seems about right,” she says, just as bitterly, and plops her ass back down in the chair.

Huffing, I turn and grab the sack of my food and leave. I don’t care how she gets back. I do and I’ll probably tell Cole I left her there, which will be another fight, but right now I couldn’t give two fucks. I have no idea what has changed in the past twenty minutes and why she’s so fucking scared, but it’s irritating. I don’t know if I came on too strong, hell, I don’t know anything anymore apparently.

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