Page 17 of Brazen Being It

She shakes her head, “Gary sent me home as soon as I got there. Said it was slow and he needed to cut the payroll.”

“Been on the road all damn day. Need to clean up.”

She gives me a soft smile and before we can talk more, a woman opens the door from her room and begins yelling her name.

The woman is clearly strung out and struggling.

“I’m sorry, Drew, I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

Later that night, I can’t sleep. I don’t know if it’s anticipating her call, wanting her to call, or just generalized worry for her after seeing her mother’s state.

Toon’s out like a light, snoring on the bed closest to the door, one boot still on and a half-empty beer bottle on the nightstand. I lie flat on my back, staring at the water-stained ceiling, my mind stuck on one thing: Cambria.

There’s something about her I can’t shake. Not just the way she looks at me like I am a lifeline—but the way I see myself in her. Same grit. Same hunger. Same sense that the world has screwed her over more times than she could count, and she is still standing anyway.

I roll over and grab my phone. I scroll. Her number isn’t saved, but I know it’s there. Still sitting in my recent calls. I hit dial.

It rings three times before she picks up. Her voice is groggy. “Hello?”

“It’s me.”

There’s a pause. “Drew?”

“Yeah.”

Another pause. Then, “You always call people in the middle of the night?”

“Only the ones I’m thinking about.”

She snorts softly. “That’s a line.”

“Is it working?”

A beat of silence.

Then, quietly, she replies, “Maybe.”

We don’t talk long before her mom is crying out for her to help her again. This call is just enough for me to know she’s still up. Still breathing. Still hanging on.

When I hang up, I stare at the ceiling a little longer.

Something’s pulling me toward her.

And I’m starting to think I don’t want to fight it.

FOUR

DREW

Every moment in life is a chance at an unexpected gift.

Business done.This is an easy day. This is the trip home. By the time we shower and load up to leave, I’m itching to check in on her again.

I tell Toon I’m gonna gas up while he grabs snacks for the road. I mean that is my plan, but I have a pit stop in mind.

Rather than go for food first, I head across the parking lot to her room.

I knock twice on the door and wait.

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