Page 73 of Inferno

Blinking, I stare at Bay, wishing I’d been listening to him instead of having an internal breakdown.

“I’m sorry, what?” I say, sounding like an idiot.

“We want you to take the permanent job, Henry. I know you live in Bozeman and that the commute is a lot, so Penn and I talked about it, and we’d like to offer you the empty apartment above the garage. Lots of companies offer signing bonuses to graduates, so we thought that as an incentive to join us as a permanent member of the team, we’d gift you six months’ rent-free accommodation. After that, if you want to stay in the apartment, you’ll start paying rent.”

He keeps talking, and I hear him speaking and understand the words he’s saying, but they don’t make any sense.

“You want to give me an apartment rent-free for six months so that I’ll take the job working here full-time?” I repeat back to him.

Smiling at me amusedly, he nods. “Yes. We know that you’re overqualified for the job here. We know you could find a better job elsewhere that was more challenging or with more long-term career prospects. Now, I can’t make this place anything more than a small-town garage. I can’t make it a job that you can rise up the ranks in, but what I can offer is somewhere safe to live, a community that is friendly and welcoming. And friendship and even family if you want it. You’re one of us, Henry, and we’d love for you to take the job, move to town, and become part of the family we’re creating here.”

My mouth opens, then snaps shut.

“I know it’s a lot. But think about it.” Pushing out of the chair, he turns and walks away, leaving me overwhelmed and confused for the second time today.

It feels like a lifetime, but it’s probably closer to an hour later when Parker bounds through the door.

“Bay says we can take a long lunch; do you want to go to the diner again?” she asks.

My thoughts turn to the brown bag lunch that Anders made for me that’s sitting in my backpack. When he gave it to me, I was beyond touched. Now the idea of even opening it makes my stomach go sour.

“Long lunch? Why?” I ask, blinking as I remember Parker is still in the room.

“Well…Danny came to visit,” she says, her expression darkening. “And Bay said he thought you had stuff to talk about, too?”

“No, I’m fine,” I rush to say, not wanting to talk about Anders and then realizing Bay meant about the job and apartment he offered me, not my disastrous almost relationship.

Shrugging, Parker says, “Well, I have stuff, and we’ve both been crazy busy the last week, so let’s do as the boss says and enjoy a little downtime.”

Nodding, I finish what I’m working on, then follow her out of the garage and down the street to the diner.

Once we’re seated at a table, I ask Parker about Danny, not ready to talk about me, Anders, or the job and apartment offer just yet. She talks, and I ask questions while she explains the weird sexual games she and Danny have been playing. For a moment, her situation almost feels similar to mine, but Danny is making it obvious he wants them to be together, and the only person who doesn’t seem to realize that is her.

“I spoke to Danny about you moving in with us,” she blurts suddenly.

“What?” I gasp.

Her expression softens, and she smiles warmly. “I know we haven’t known each other long, and I know you’re absolutely capable of taking care of yourself, but I saw two drug deals and the cops arresting someone minutes from where you live when I drove you home the other day. I almost turned back around to come and get you, I was so worried about you. I know that rent in Rockhead Point is expensive, but I also know that you really want to take the job at the garage. So, the perfect solution is for you to move in with Danny and me. The house has three bedrooms, there’s plenty of space for you, and then we can ride to work and back together,” she says, getting more and more excited.

Shaking my head, I start to speak when she interrupts.

“Don’t say no. Just say you’ll think about it,” she pleads.

“This morning, Bay offered me a job again, and this time he offered me an apartment too,” I blurt.

“He did?” she gasps, her eyes wide.

“Apparently both Bay and Penn kept apartments over the garage for when they were working late or just wanted privacy. After they met their wives, they rented them out, only one of the renters moved out six months ago, and they haven’t bothered finding a new tenant.”

“That’s amazing,” she shrieks. “Can you afford the rent?”

“That’s the thing, they offered me the apartment free for the first six months, as a signing bonus.”

Grinning, Parker drums at the table excitedly. “I’m so happy for you. This is amazing. So, when do you move in?”

“I haven’t said yes yet,” I admit.

“What? Why not?”

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