Page 18 of Drifting Hearts
Though I could feel my heartbeat in my leg, and the sweat trickled down my spine from the exertion, the day wasn’t half bad. The weather was turning colder now that fall had arrived, but today was almost summer-like. The sky was cloudless and the whole world was still and windless. A few parents taking their kids to the playground nearby gave me sideways glances. It was probably the cast and the boot. They probably thought I’d been in an accident of some kind. To be fair, it had felt like I’d been hit by the karma bus.
Eventually the parents took their small ones home and I still sat on the bench. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but apparently it was enough that a search party had been sent for me. I happened to seeKieran approaching from the street and I stood to meet him halfway. Well, not halfway because I was a lot slower than I used to be.
“Have you been here the whole time? Mom called me saying you went to the corner and she thought you’d be back by now.”
Guilt hit me so hard it made me sway. “I didn’t mean to worry her. I just—I’m going fucking crazy, okay?”
Kieran’s intense gaze didn’t stop me from blathering on about my problems. It wasn’t like I had anyone to talk to. Well, my therapist, but it wasn’t like I had her on speed dial. Or even a phone.
“I don’t go anywhere. I don’t do anything. I sit. I move from room to room like an awkward ghost that needs to be fed. I don’t know if therapy is working because I’m never anywhere that temptation might get me. Which isn’t bad for the short term, but I can’t be in therapy forever. I don’t have a plan, or a job, or fucking anything.”
Mortification swamped me and I nearly collapsed. The only thing that kept me on my feet was my iron-willed determination not to further humiliate myself in front of Kieran, who was still scowling at me, but the scowl was different somehow. The furrows between his brows were more pronounced and his mouth was tighter than usual.
“Sorry. Tell your mom I’ll be back soon.” I started to hobble back toward the house, the one that might as well have been ten million miles away. A strong hand grabbed my good arm. My head whipped to the side. All week I’d dreamed of having Kieran’s hand on me, but not like this. It hadn’t been my arm he was touching in my dreams.
But I’d take what I could get.
Kieran’s hand was strong—his whole body was. He steered me toward his truck and helped me into the passenger seat. Clearly, he was pissed about something, but I couldn’t figure out what I’d said that would’ve made him mad. Most likely he was just sick of me and mydrama. My emotions had been on a pendulum lately, swinging back and forth between miserable andmeh.
Instead of taking me back to Patricia’s, Kieran drove me to Bennett’s and cut the engine. Unable to figure out what was going on, I watched as Kieran hopped out of the truck and stormed around to the other side. The door opened and Kieran stood there, his scowl back in familiar territory.
“Come on.”
In no position to argue, I unbuckled the seat belt and slid carefully out of the truck. He didn’t ask if I wanted or needed help; he just walked beside me and slowly escorted me into the diner. The black and white checkered floors and red booths looked like something out of a movie. He steered us toward a booth close to the door and sat down opposite me.
A woman came over to the table and beamed at Kieran. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and it was clear she knew him. Hell, it looked like she was into him. My guts twisted at that thought, even though I knew I had no right to be jealous.
“Kieran, good to see you. How’s your mom?”
“She’s good. Busy. You should stop in some time. She’d love to see you.”
“I’ll do that. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Iced tea for me.” Kieran cut his gaze to me. “Thirsty?”
I managed a nod.
“Make that two. And can you bring a couple menus?”
“Sure thing. I’ll be right back.” She scuttled away, her long brown ponytail swaying back and forth as she walked.
“She doesn’t mind me saying, so don’t think I’m gossiping, but Josie left her abusive husband and stayed with Mom for a while beforeshe got back on her feet. She got a job here and it’s been really good for her. She’s put a lot of hard work in, but it’s paid off for her.”
Time slowed down. I felt the way my heart expanded and contracted as it pumped in my chest. “Why are you telling me this?”
Kieran shrugged a shoulder. “You looked like you needed a reminder.”
“Of what?” My throat was dry as a desert and I barely got the sound to come out, but somehow Kieran heard me.
“That life isn’t over just because it’s different than it used to be.”
I stared at Kieran. Unable to move or breathe or even blink as something that felt dangerously close to hope unfurled in my chest.
Chapter 10
Kieran
Whatever the fresh hellhad Shane been thinking when he decided to help Clayton? I wanted to drive to his place and shake him until he got a clue. He’d gotten too used to just solving things with money. I realized that if Shane hadn’t stepped in, Clayton would be homeless and/or dead by now. And while the alternative hadn’t been an option, the current situation wasn’t much better.
