Page 15 of Keep Me Safe

“Don’t do anything stupid,” I add.

After Jared leaves, we settle into the living room, planting ourselves on opposite ends of the couch. The soft hum of the TV fills the space as Kira grabs the remote, flicking through channels before landing on some kind of reality show. The screen flashes with over-the-top arguments—two women in cocktail dresses gesturing wildly at each other over a candlelitdinner.

I steal a glance at Kira. She’s completely absorbed, her brow furrowed in concentration.

“You know this is fake, right?” I tease.

“Of course I do,” she says without looking away.

A little impressed, I ask, “Then why do you watch it?”

“Because it’s an escape.”

“What do you mean?”

She repositions herself, facing me, our legs almost touching. Her gaze meets mine, steady and sincere. “Their lives are so exaggerated and unrealistic, their problems so minuscule, that it takes me out of my reality for a bit. It’s nice.”

I hadn’t thought about it like that, but it makes sense. She’s already been through more than most thirty-year-olds. I can see why she would want to forget about life for a while.

“I have a question, but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” she says, looking over at me.

I tilt my head. What could she ask that I wouldn’t want to answer?

“Of course, anything.”

“What happened with Jared’s mom? I’ve always wondered, but I didn’t want to push him,” she explains.

Oh.That’sher question. I sigh, readjusting in my seat. I haven’t talked about Angie to anyone in years, and I’m not sure I want to start now.

“That’s a long story,” I tell her, silently hoping she drops it.

“I have time. Unless you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay,” she says, her eyes soft.

I could tell her it’s not her business, that I don’t want to talk about it, but something in her gaze begs me to be honest with her.

“We were young when Angie got pregnant with Jared. We had only been together a couple of months, but her parents were very traditional. They pretty much forced us to get married when they found out.

I wanted it to work so bad. I had always wanted a family, and this was my opportunity to have one. We tried, or at least I did, but she was never truly happy with us. She wanted more.

It wasn’t long before I found out that while I was at the station, she was sleeping around with other guys. When I confronted her, she blamed it on my work schedule and left. Jared was only two.”

Her brows knit together as her russet eyes meet mine, understanding swirling in them.

“I’m sorry, Noah. You didn’t deserve that.”

I shake my head, shrugging. “We’re better off, but it has always been a soft spot for Jared.”

I ignore that it’s a soft spot for me, too. I wasn’t enough. We weren’t enough. I haven’t had a serious relationship since, and I tell myself that’s because I needed to prioritize Jared, but I think deep down, I couldn’t handle that rejection again.

We sit there in mutual silence for a few minutes, neither of us knowing what to say. That answer was heavy and probably more than she was bargaining for.

“I’ve also been meaning to ask,” she almost whispers, “How much would you like me to pay for rent? Or maybe I can take on some of the utility payments?”

“No,” I reply abruptly. “You’re not paying me to stay here.”

“Noah, I’m not going to stay here and not contribute. I can’t do that.”

“You can and you will,” I insist.

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