Page 39 of You Were Invited
Owe me?
Skeptically, Annie leveled her gaze at him.
“I know...” Julian paused. “I don’t want to owe you... er, I’m not spitting this out right. You probably have better things to do than wait on me hand and foot.”
She gave him her most earnest smile, but his indelicate attitude got to her, and it fell from her lips. A piece of that morning resurfaced in her mind; indeed, she had felt as if coming over was like going to work, rather than coming over to spend time with a friend. Now she felt guilty for thinking like that.
How could she have been so selfish? He was in a sore spot, though. It would be too callous to leave him be. But, it did scare her that the carefree nature of their little relationship had disappeared. The fun, easy-going joy in her vacation was no more.
She murmured, feeling bewildered, “Explain then.”
He closed his eyes. Several seconds passed, and she waited for him to gather his thoughts. “Your kindness is appreciated. I’m not denying that. But you’ve already done a lot for me.”
She struggled to read his tone. Sure, she wanted her help returned as gratitude just like anybody, but would she come after him, asking him to repay some insurmountable debt? No. Was he really so scared that she’d expect the world in return for hertime and energy? “I’m cooking you food, not giving you a house loan…? Julian, don’t youneedsomeone to help you?”
When he opened his eyes, the look in them was gentle but guarded. “I’m not worried about taking care of myself, by myself. Please don’t ask me again.”
“Oh...” Although she could tell he tried to be delicate with her feelings, it hurt that he refused to take her help. That he thought her kindness came with strings attached. “Ah, I see.” She put on a smile to hide the smarting in her chest.
Julian’s face went flat for a moment before he licked his lips and his expression became relieved but impassive.
Why did his rejection even bother her? They barely knew each other. She was under no obligation to help him, and now he’d freed her to focus on herself. He’d as much made it clear that she wasn’t needed. Simple as that. “I’ll get out of your hair.”
He followed her to the door, and watched her as she put her coat on. She wished to dig them both out of the discomfort of that moment. But all she could think of was to leave. Give him space. She avoided looking at his face, mostly to hide her own.
“Annie,” he finally said, his voice gentle. He sighed. “You don’t have to help me anymore. That’s all I meant.”
She adjusted her collar and pulled her hair free. “Okay. I got it.”
“Annie.”
To her surprise, he reached out and grabbed her hand. She finally looked at him.
“It doesn’t mean you can’t visit when you like. I do like your company. You’re funny and clearly very sweet. I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness. I don’t want to become a responsibility when it feels like you have a lot on your plate. ” Relief crossed his face. “There.That’swhat I meant.”
She blinked at him.Ohhhh…
She felt suddenly silly for taking his refusal too personally. But he hadn’t answered one of her questions. At the risk of pissing him off, she asked, “Okay, but how do you expect to take care of yourself with only one hand?” She raised a brow and gestured to the good hand that still held hers. “I do genuinely feel bad about not helping when youclearlyneed help. If you don’t want to owe me, can’t anybody else help you?”
She expected him to at the very least make a joke, and at worst yell at her. But just stared at her like a deer in the headlights.
“No,” he finally admitted. “I don’t have anyone.”
Nobody?He lived out in the middle of nowhere, but he really had nobody? No reliable friends? No family?
Maybe that was why he was hesitant to call all those people who’d doted on him at the restaurant his people. Were they just on-the-surface type friends?
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad for me.” He let her hand go, the look in his eyes disconsolate.
“I’d rather take care of someone like you a hundred times over than repeat even a day of my years taking care of my father,” Annie said, meaning it purely and without shame, as if laying an offering at an altar.
Half a second later, though, her emotions turned into an even bigger mess than they already were.
He didn't need to know that. He just wants to be a big strong man who owes nobody anything. You definitely don’t owe him a word of your past.
Annie’s face turned crimson.
“I gotta go,” she said, spinning and reaching for the door.
