Page 15 of Hiding for the Holidays
“Look, someone was banging on my door in the middle of the night. I was scared, so I pulled out the knife, but it slipped and I cut myself.”
“Was someone trying to break in?”
“Where do you live?” They both ask at the same time.
“It was just a noisy neighbor. Everything was fine. Well, except that I cut myself.”
Asher inspects the knife as he asks, “Where did you even get this? It’s blunt and in bad shape.”
“The secondhand store.”
He grunts. “You shouldn’t carry a weapon if you don’t know how to use it.” He places it on the counter and moves to open the first aid kit he’s placed on the other side of the sink.
“Isn’t it better to have something to protect myself with?”
“What do you need protection from, Clara?” Grant asks seriously.
“I just mean in general.”
“Do you?”
I frown at him. There is no way he knows my situation, but between the bruises on my neck that he’s probably seen, the story about my neighbor and the knife, and the state of my clothes, he probably knows I’m not exactly living a normal life.
But the fewer people who know about what I'm runningfrom, the better. If it got back to Scott I was here… I swallow nervously. My eyes dart to the staff entrance as if I expect Scott to suddenly step through the door.
At that exact moment, someone steps into the doorway, and a small shriek escapes me as I jump back and smack the back of my head against the upper cupboard.
“Sorry shortcake, didn’t mean to scare you,” Leo says, stepping into the breakroom as he sets a tray of coffees down on the table.
“You just startled me,” I say with embarrassment as I rub the back of my head.
“Are you okay? Let me see,” Grant says, gently guiding my head down so he can inspect the back of it.
“I’m fine, just a little bump.”
“Hey—what’s going on?” Leo asks, suddenly serious. I lift my eyes from where they’re currently glued to the tray of delicious-smelling coffee to see what’s caught his attention.
Oh right,my hand.
“She cut her hand on a pocketknife,” Grant points to where it’s sitting on the counter.
“Let me see,” Leo pushes in and gently takes my hand from Asher, inspecting the cut. “Okay, you two out, give me some space to take care of this.”
My eyes widen at the change in his voice.
Grant places his large hand on my thigh, getting my attention. “Leo will take good care of you.” He gives my leg a small squeeze, then grabs the knife, leaving me alone with Leo.
I look back at Leo as he rummages through the first aid kit. He finds a small tube of ointment then washes his hands. He squeezes the ointment onto his finger then gently rubs it along my cut.
“Are you okay?” I ask, trying to take my mind off of the stinging in my palm.
His brows furrow as he glances up at me. “AmIokay? Clara, you’re the one with a nasty cut on your hand. I should be asking you that.” He grabs some gauze and starts to cut it.
“You look upset.”
“I am upset.” My brow knits in confusion as he places the gauze on my palm and wraps a bandage around my palm.
“With me?” I finally ask.
