Page 34 of Tacos & Toboggans
Was he serious? He was going to let me stay here?
“I want to argue, but my befuddled mind can’t come up with words that would make sense. I appreciate the quiet place to stay for a few days, but I won’t overstay my welcome.”
He knelt and made eye contact. “Jaelyn, you could never overstay your welcome in my home, so understand there’s no time limit. You can, and should, stay until an apartment opens. It might be small, but you have your own space here and it’s quiet. There’s plenty of parking once Ivy and Shep drop off your car. Not to mention, Ivy filled the fridge with enough meals for like three months.”
“You’re serious?” I asked, and he nodded. “I can stay here until something opens at New Beginnings?” He nodded again, and tears instantly pricked my eyelids. “I don’t know what to say.”
He held up the key. “Say you’ll take this key and make yourself at home.”
I reached for it but pulled back at the last second. “On one condition. You let me pay rent.”
“Okay, but not with money. There’s something else you can do for me.”
I waved my right hand and popped up off the bed. “Oh, I don’t do that. No, sorry.”
He tipped his head in confusion as he grasped my arm to keep me from tipping. “Do what?” It took him a moment, but then his eyes widened. “That sounded terrible and was notwhat I meant. I can’t believe I said that.” He smacked himself in the forehead with a head shake. “Not what I meant at all.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” I said, slowly sitting again only because I wasn’t sure my legs would hold me up much longer. “Is it bad that I was tossing it around just to have a place to stay?”
His smile nearly broke my heart because it held so much kindness. “I won’t answer that since I’m not walking in your shoes, but this is a completely hands-off offer. I hope you’ll agree to stay here and make it your home without feeling indebted to me. All I meant was, maybe you’d like to help me with something later, but that can wait. The cottage will be here being heated whether anyone lives in it or not, so someone might as well live in it, right?”
I nodded because that was true, and I felt like that was what he expected me to do. “It seems like you’re sure, and I wouldn’t want to insult you by arguing with you too much. Especially considering this,” I said, pointing at my arm, which only made my lip tremble. “I’m sorry.” I dropped my gaze and swiped at the tears dripping from my eyes.
“Hey, it’s normal to be scared and emotional after an injury. Do not apologize to me when I’m the reason you’re in so much pain.”
A smile touched my lips as we made eye contact. “You might have caused the latest round, but I did most of it to myself. Thank you for being so kind to someone you don’t even know.”
“The time we’ve spent together over the last month has told me all I need to know about you, Jaelyn. Get comfortable while I grab the stuff from the car. I think you’re going to like it here.”
“Already do,” I said, climbing into the bed after he pulled the covers down and arranged the pillows. “The added bonus is I don’t have to feel guilty for bothering my friends about a place to stay.”
“One thing I know for sure is that your friends weren’t bothered. If they were, then they weren’t your friends. Right?”
I nodded against the pillows. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t feel guilty about it. I thought I’d make it until spring before thehouse sold, but then an offer came in above the asking price, and the estate manager said I couldn’t turn it down unless I planned to buy the house. It wasn’t like that would happen, since I obviously would have already done that were it possible. Suddenly, I was out on the streets just a few months before winter. If New Beginnings doesn't have a place by January, I'll have to leave Bells Pass.”
“Not anymore. Now you can stay in a town you love with the people who love you,” he said, gently brushing the hair out of my face. “Sleep. Your body needs it.”
When I smiled, he returned it, and that was the last thing I remembered. As I drifted off to sleep, my body and mind accepted that I was finally safe.
Chapter Twelve
When I woke next, the low light in the room told me it was late afternoon. It was cloudy, and rain was on the way, but a look out the window told me it hadn’t started yet. My arm throbbed to the beat of my heart, and I looked around, confused about my surroundings. Where was I?
I sat up, ready to bolt, until I remembered Major bringing me here from the hospital. His cottage. That reminded me of the accident that put me in this position, and I gingerly adjusted the towel under the splint, wincing slightly. It was time for more ice and medication. The cottage was so cozy and the bed so warm and comfortable that I’d slept through the dose I should have taken at noon. That was a mistake, but I would remedy that as soon as I figured out where Major had put the pills.
There was a soft knock at the door. “Jaelyn, are you awake?”
After glancing down to make sure I was still fully dressed, I called for him to come in.
"How are you feeling?" he asked once he closed the door behind him.
"Sore, but thanks to you, I got the sleep I needed," I replied, managing a smile despite the pain. “Time for some pain medication, though. That’s what woke me.”
"Good to hear," he said, walking to the kitchen. “That you got good sleep, not that you’re in pain,” he clarified. When he returned, he had two pills in his hand and a glass of water. I accepted them with appreciation and swallowed them, sucking down the water as though I’d just run a marathon. Wisdom told me I should be careful, so I didn’t throw the pills back up, but instinct won out.
“Thanks for checking on me,” I said, handing the glass back to him. “Sorry if I’ve ruined your day off.”
He pulled up a chair and sat, leaning over onto his thighs. “You’ve been here less than eight hours and sleeping for all of them, so in no way have you ruined anything. That said, let’s talk about how you can’t keep apologizing nonstop for existing.”
