Page 66 of Winter Ends
Daniel: You didn’t wake me up.
I grinned as I typed out my reply.
Me: I tried. You refused to get up.
All I got in return was an emoji sticking its tongue out. At least he hadn’t seemed all that upset about it. I pocketed my phone and went back to wiping the bar top when Chase slid next to me.
“Is he okay?”
I stopped to stare at him for a moment, then went back to wiping the counters. “He’s fine.”
Chase didn’t like that I’d basically brushed him off. “Look, I get that I sort of went protective gorilla on your ass... but you need to understand where I was coming from.”
My hands paused as I looked up at the other man. “I do understand. And we’re working on things. He needs help that you and I can’t give him.”
It took a moment, but Chase nodded in understanding before he leaned against the bar and let me get back to getting ready for the day. “You’ll keep your word, won’t you? You’re not going to hurt him?”
It took everything in me to keep cleaning. It felt wrong to say it to Chase and to my father first because, if anyone deserved to hear it before someone else, it was Daniel. “I don’t hurt the people that I love.”
A reassuring hand landed on my shoulder. When I looked up, Chase gave me a warm smile. “I’m glad to hear that. Now’s the part when I tell you that you’re stuck with me behind the bar tonight.”
Such a hardship. If there was anyone that was going to help me, I’d want it to be him.
The night flew by, going more smoothly than I’d anticipated. At least I’d had proper help. When we closed for the night, it didn’t take long to count down tills and get ready to leave. I was throwing on my jacket when Chase approached slowly.
“Is it—is it okay if I come by?” He shifted from side to side as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. My goal hadn’t been to hide Daniel away from his friends, and it would probably do him some good to see a familiar face.
“Yeah. Totally cool.”
Chase smiled. “Awesome. I asked Nate not to come get me. It was a little bold considering I hadn’t asked yet—”
I held up my hand to cut off his rambling.
“You’re good. Let’s go.”
I led Chase to my car, and the ride to the apartment was silent. It didn’t make me uncomfortable like it would have in the past. Would Chase approve of the way I’d been taking care of his friend? He’d been ready to rip me apart back at the cabin for even touching him.
The apartment was quiet when we got inside. A dim light illuminated the hallway, letting me know that the bedroom light was on. I flicked on the living room light and motioned for Chase to make himself at home on the couch.
Daniel was sitting up in bed when I entered the room. He had Nacho in his lap, but he was still in nothing but his underwear.
“Hey, you.”
Daniel grinned. He held the kitten to his chest as he approached me in the doorway and placed a soft kiss against my lips. “Hey back at you.”
A throat clearing down the hallway had us jumping back from one another. I scratched at the back of my neck as I looked between Chase and Daniel. “We, uh—we have a guest?”
Daniel chuckled, not caring about his state of undress as he made his way down the hall to his friend.
“Holy shit, am I seeing this right? Daniel Morgan is willingly holding a cat?”
“Weird, right?”
The two stood there fussing over the kitten while I watched. We all moved to the living room and sat on the couch, Daniel tucking his legs beneath him as he handed the kitten off to his friend.
“Does this mean that I don’t need to lock up poor Oreo any time you come over?”
Daniel laughed. “I don’t know, dude. Something about this little guy. He’s different.”
