Page 25 of Comforting the Grump

“Well, it’s true. And the answer is that I don’t know. It depends on who they sell to and if the new owners would be interested in keeping the current staff. If they aren’t, I’m out of a job.”

Something sad passed over his face.

“I’m sure you’ll find something else. You’re good and you have experience.”

He looked away, his face tight. “I’d better.”

It sounded ominous, but surely I was imagining that. What reason could he have to be that desperate? He didn’t have a family, no one else to provide for but him, so at least he didn’t have that worry.

I pushed my empty plate aside. Much to my own surprise, I’d cleared the entire thing, my belly fuller than it had been in a while. I tended to skip meals, especially when I was busy, and when I did remember to eat, I relied heavily on takeout.

Ennio stood and took our plates to the sink, where he started rinsing them.

“Ennio, about last night… I didn’t mean to unload on you like that. I was drunk and?—”

“Stop.” He didn’t turn around, but his tone left little room for argument. “You don’t need to apologize for getting drunk or for sharing. We all have those nights.”

His dismissal of my apology did little to ease the tightness constricting my throat. I rubbed my temples, willing away theremnants of a hangover that seemed to pale in comparison to the emotional whirlpool within.

“Thanks, but it’s not that.” My fingers drummed an uneven rhythm on the tabletop. “I’m not usually so?—”

“Vulnerable?” Ennio finally faced me with a kitchen towel in hand. His gaze was kind but unwavering, pinning me under a spotlight of scrutiny I wasn’t prepared for.

“Exactly.” It had been a long time since anyone had seen past my brusque exterior to the uncertainty lurking beneath. “I didn’t mean to put this on your shoulders.”

“Who will be there for you, Marnin, as you go through this?” he asked, a frown creasing his brow. His concern was palpable, the air charged with his silent plea for honesty.

“Truthfully? No one.” I shrugged, feigning indifference while my insides churned. “I never planned on telling anyone else. I mean, Fir knows, but obviously, he won’t talk.”

“You’re not gonna tell Auden?”

“Jesus, no. You know what your brother is like when he gets worried. I’ve seen pitbulls with less tenacity than him.”

“Then I’m glad you told me.” Ennio’s voice was firm, his conviction clear even as he resumed his task at the sink. “No one should have to go through something like this alone. I will be there for you, Marnin.”

I watched him for a moment, a part of me wanting to argue, to insist on the solitude I’d grown accustomed to. But another part, a part that had been buried deep, recognized the genuine care emanating from the man before me. And despite everything, it was comforting.

Still, I couldn’t surrender that easily, if only out of habit. “Ennio, I can’t expect you to?—”

“Stop right there.” He cut me off again, a small smile playing on his lips despite the seriousness in his eyes. It was the lookof someone who had decided on their course and wouldn’t be swayed. “I’m here for you. That’s nonnegotiable.”

His words were a life ring thrown into churning waters, and I wasn’t sure whether to grasp it or let myself sink. “I don’t do well with…this. People caring.” My voice cracked, betraying the turmoil I fought so hard to keep at bay.

“Then you’re gonna have to learn.” He leaned back against the counter, arms folded across his chest, watching me with an intensity that both unnerved and intrigued me.

The casual movement seemed to highlight every line of his body, the slim build that carried a strength I hadn’t noticed before. There was something about the way he held himself, a quiet confidence that spoke of his determination to stand by me, even when I couldn’t fathom why.

“Have to, huh? And were you planning on actually letting me finish a sentence?” I allowed a half-smile, trying to deflect with humor. But as I met his gaze, something shifted within me. The guarded walls I had meticulously built around my heart trembled at the touch of his unspoken understanding.

“Not when you’re trying to protest. I’m not listening to that BS, and you can’t make me.”

Fuck, he was bossy, but in the best way. It was disarming how someone could simply decide to be there for you without asking for anything in return. How they could look at you, see all the jagged edges and dark corners, and not flinch away. It was sweet and touching and…

Nope, I wasn’t going there. He was my best friend’s little brother. Besides, he didn’t mean anything by it. He was being kind, was all.

“Thank you,” I said, the weight of those two words carrying more gratitude than I’d expressed in years. “For everything.”

He flashed me a brilliant smile, the kind that lit up his entire face and made my chest tighten with an emotion I couldn’t quite name. “Anytime, Marnin. Anytime.”

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