Page 54 of Escaped
“Listen, can we meet up sometime?”Erin’s gaze flitted open.“I really want to see you.”
“I’d like that.”Chelle’s voice was hoarse.“When are you coming home?”
“After the funeral.”Once more, Erin’s attention landed on me, the unanswered questions aboutwhat came nextdancing in her gaze.
We hadn’t yet delved too deeply into the cascading aftermath, choosing to focus on doing the next ‘right thing’ on our collective list, but one thing was for sure, whatever happened and wherever we ended up, I wasn’t planning on leaving her side.
“Come to Mum’s and we’ll talk,” Chelle offered.“It’ll be lovely to see you.I’ve really needed a friend.”
“I’ll be there.”Erin managed a small smile.“If you need anything before then, just call me.”
“I will.Thanks, Erin.I’ve missed you.”
“I’ll see you in a couple of days,” Erin replied.“Hang in there, Chelle.”
She ended the call, allowing the phone to fall to her lap as she turned to me, but rather than the relief I expected to see, there was weariness in her eyes.
“She’s okay,” I prompted.“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”Lifting her hand, she cleared the loose strands of her hair from her face.“I wanted to tell her about you and me, sir, and I know she’s going to resent how close we’ve become.”
“Because of James.”Suddenly, it was all clear in my head.
Chelle had lost the man she’d loved, and on the same trip that had taken him—a fate she might well blame me personally for—her friend had found affection and hope in the ashes.I could see why that news would be difficult for Chelle to hear.
“Exactly.”She slumped forward.“This thing we’ve found is the only good thing to come out of the hell of the last week, and I want to share that with her, but…” Swallowing, she stared at her hands.“I feel bad for even intimating at our happiness.”
“You shouldn’t.”I reached for her nearest hand.“A good friend would want you to be happy, little girl.She’d know you merited that much.”
“You don’t know Chelle.”Her voice was sad.“That’s not how she’ll see things, and I know she won’t understand the power dynamic between us.”
“So, leave that out when you meet and tell her about us.”It was none of Chelle’s business anyway.“But tell her how you’re feeling—about the trauma, your mum, and about me.I’m sure she’d want to know.”
“Maybe.”She pressed her lips into a hard line.“Looks like I’m heading back home after the funeral, sir.I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s a little late to ask now you’ve already told her you’ll be there.”I wrapped my palm around hers and patted her hand.“But it’s fine.I can wait at your place while you visit Chelle, and then we’ll decide what comes next.”
It would be interesting to see where my little girl lived.After everything we’d experienced together, it was easy to forget how little we really knew about the other person.I wondered what new clues her home would reveal about her.
“Do you have a place somewhere too, sir?”Her tone was hesitant.“It’s just that you’ve never mentioned anywhere.”
She was right.In the frenzy of Hawkins and everything that had happened since, we’d never really talked about the practicalities, but it was time we did.
“I sold my house after Hawkins kindly had me kicked out of my employment.”Sighing, I tried not to allow my thoughts to return to the worm who’d created so much of my woe.“I rented a little place by Niantes while I worked there, but it’s tiny and subsidized by the park authorities, so it cost me virtually nothing.The agreement’s due for renewal in a month or two, and I have a lot of money saved up, so I can be flexible about where we go.”
So long as we were together, I was happy.
“Youcan be flexible?”She stifled laughter.“Well, that’s a first, sir.”
“Don’t push your luck, little girl.”It was good to see her smiling again, even if my balls did twitch at the idea of yanking her over my lap again.“Wherever we are, you still belong to me.”
“That’s good to know, sir.”Placing down her phone, she edged closer along the bed until only inches separated us.“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Recriminations
Erin
