Page 144 of Those Who Are Bound

Elliott

Thatevening,Elliottstoodon her deck, perplexed. She watched as Killion unloaded his truck, moving into the space she’d only that morning offered. Coffee cup cradled in her hands, she noted the smaller beat-up pickup, the peeling Army sticker in the window, and what appeared to be a hodgepodge of new purchases along with belongings in black trash bags and a couple of duffels.

Lucy’s perky little car was parked beside his, but she was nowhere to be seen. Obviously, she was around, because someone had let him into the unit.

Killion came back out of the warehouse and glanced up, noticing her. He smiled and paused, his expression cocky. “Is that your realm there, boss lady?”

Elliott huffed out a laugh he couldn’t hear, but she called down to him, “This isallmy realm, Killion.”

“Damn. Yes, ma’am. I stand corrected.”

Lucy came bounding out of the lifted doors of the warehouse, seeking her out. “Oh, hey!” She glanced at Killion and then back at her. “Do you have a second?”

Elliott nodded, the action indicating that “the second” was more of a requirement, considering a man was prematurely moving onto her property.

Lucy slipped around the front of Killion’s truck and scurried to the stairs. The look on her face was an exaggerated expression of “Please don’t kill me” combined with hopefulness. Elliott hid her amusement behind the mug as she took another sip.

Before she’d hit the top stair, Lucy started explaining at mach speed, “I know, I know. I couldn’t help it. He’s homeless, and he’s been couch-surfing for months, and when you offered this morning, I know he didn’t show it, but he was so excited—”

“Slow down. Breathe. He hasn’t signed any paperwork; he isn’t employed yet.”

Lucy assured her, “He will! I can do it tonight, or first thing tomorrow morning. I know it’s not ideal, and it’s fast, but… he was going to be here at some point, right?”

Elliott glanced over as Killion pulled an Ikea box proclaiming that it was a bed frame out of the bed of his truck. “The room hasn’t been cleaned out.” And she wasn’t certain her heart had been prepared for them to move this fast. The last person who’d occupied it…

“He’s so stoked, Elliott. I mean, this is on me. I can tell him to go somewhere else tonight; I’ll put him in a hotel room if you aren’t ready, but he’ll make it what he needs—he already is. He is super handy. But, a bed of his own? I just…” Lucy looked over the railing toward the warehouse, the expression on her face conflicted. She shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself. I was excited for him.”

“I get it, I do.” Sighing, she added, “He’s here now; there’s no sense in sending him away for the night.”

“And you’ll have someone on the property while we’re on the canoe trip,” she chirped. “Built-in security. Really, the timing couldn’t have been better.”

Elliott side-eyed her.

“And he’s already looked at the sink in the men’s room and will be fixing that tomorrow.” She added quickly, “After all the paperwork is completed.”

“Hmm.”

“Are you mad? Don’t be mad.”

Elliott shook her head. “I’m surprised.”

“I should have let you know, but… after you left today? He called his mom. His first phone call was to his mom. He told her about the job, about a place to stay and told her he was going to be okay, that she didn’t need to worry about him anymore.” Lucy flapped her hands in front of her watering eyes. She looked over the deck as though checking to make sure Killion couldn’t hear her. “I mean, he didn’t do it in front of me, but I overheard him, and it broke my heart.”

Elliott looked over the deck as well. He wasn’t in sight any longer. It broke Elliott’s heart a little, too. “You’re right; what difference is one night?”

Obviously relieved, Lucy offered, “Do you want to come down and see what he’s done so far?”

“So far? How long have you been here?” It was a disconcerting thought, that they’d been on the property that long, and she’d been clueless. Of course, she’d been on the back deck, brooding over Jonah’s dismissal of her, his effortless control over himself while she’d returned home and melted down.

Andshewas the one who was supposed to walk away. Right.

“We’ve been in and out. After church, we had a celebratory lunch with Jonah. I didn’t think you’d mind if Killion saw the place before he made a final decision, although… it was pretty much a clincher with the whole place to live. And, it snowballed from there.” Lucy looked at her, expression solemn. “It’s a good thing you did.”

Elliott frowned. “Why didn’t you just tell me that he needed a job? You’d hired him for the party.”

Lucy shook her head. “Because it’s your place, your decision. What if you met him and hated him? I didn’t want you to feel obligated. But I’m glad you chose him.”

Elliott looked back at the beat-up truck. “He’ll earn it.”

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