Page 31 of All I Have Left

“Grayson, I—” I can’t finish when my eyes meet his, the sadness now so evident.

Grayson reaches for my hand, his fingers gracing my knuckles. That touch is why I can’t be mad at him. Why I don’t want to.

“I can’t do this right now. I’m sorry. I’m late for work.” I pull my hand away and close the door.

16

EVIE

To my relief, Shane doesn’t show up at my house that morning and I’m able to get to work. I know it’s not because he’s letting it go, but more along the lines of biding his time.

The coffee shop, Roaster Brew House, where I work is up the road about a mile right off the side of the highway as you head into Dothan. Small and looking like an old barn with chipped blue siding and a few spiders that I’m friends with, it’s popular with most of the locals and anyone passing through our small town. Having lived here most of my life, I’ve developed a sort of following. To say I have my fair share of local farm-stalkers as I call them, is an understatement. Usually the dirty old men come in at least three times during my six-hour shifts. How they can drink that much caffeine and not have a heart attack is beyond me.

It’s a good job though and the tips are amazing, but it’s certainly not a career choice. I attempted college two years ago, but when my mom lost her job with Toyota as an office manager, sacrifices had to be made. So I dropped out and picked up shifts here at the coffee shop and The Point when Quinten needed me.

Mom has been through so much to have us… not helping her wasn’t an option. Between the three of us, we are able to live comfortably, but if it wasn’t for Ethan and me, she couldn’t afford her house.

It wasn’t like she didn’t look for a new job, but it took her six months to find something else. That’s where Ethan and I came in. Mom wasn’t happy about us helping her pay bills, but what could she say? She needed us. She did everything she could to make our lives better and we would do the same for her.

Grayson’s parents, Wyatt and Julia, got wind of our situation. They wanted to help out so Julia got Mom into landscaping. She found an entry level position for her with Larson Landscaping in Dothan and she loves it. I’ve never seen her so happy and confident in herself. When I think about how I got messed up with Shane, it all goes back to my mom’s job and my need to make sure she keeps it. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her happy.

Looking across the parking lot, I see Shane’s car parked by the dumpsters. He’s sitting there watching me. Trying to give me the message he won’t be pushed aside easily. My situation isn’t good. Any way I look at it, someone gets hurt. I’m suffocating. I have no choice, but I’ll be damned if that person will be my mom.

Sheriff Hicks comes through the line at some point and notices Shane is parked outside the dumpsters, watching me. “Is he causing ya problems, Evie Stevie?”

I don’t look toward Shane’s mustang. “No, sir.” Do you notice the waver to my voice or the shaking of my hand when I take his money?

“Would you tell me if you needed help?” he asks as I’m handing him his coffee, his eyes on my trembling hand. Or maybe he notices the sadness in my eyes that scream “help me,” but won’t ask for it.

Would I? No. I wouldn’t. It will only piss Shane off even more. I nod, knowing the lie about to slip through my lips. “I would. Thank you.”

Hicks pauses, watching my face, maybe looking for a hidden message, but he lets it go.

As Hicks pulls away, I lean out the window enjoying the breeze on my face, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I catch sight of Shane’s car and notice Courtney is standing next to it, talking to him.

I watch her, my eyes drawn to her golden legs. Long, tan, she’s got the kind of legs that capture people’s attention. Hell, they captured Grayson’s at one point.

Shane notices me, obviously, because he rests his arm out the car window and slides to the back of Courtney’s thigh.

Fucking asshole.

Eventually Courtney walks away. She smiles at me, giving me that little parade wave she gives everyone in town. “Hey, girl,” she says in passing. But then she stops and my heart jumps into my throat.

“What?” I ask, wishing I could slam the window on her pretty face and steal her red hair. I once tried to dye my hair red after Grayson kissed Courtney in the fourth grade. I looked like an orange highlighter exploded in my hair. It wasn’t a good look for me and Grayson made fun of me.

Courtney’s smile is shy when she says, “Word around town is that Grayson’s back.” I hate the way his name sounds on her lips. It doesn’t belong there.

“Yeah, he got back yesterday.” I push some authority into my tone. Like I know everything there is to know.And he almost had sex with me last night, so there. Take that!

I smile but don’t say any of that. Fuck her.

“Tell him I said hi,” she says, walking away.

I won’t.

After my shift, I’m tired and think maybe I’ll get the chance to go home and sleep, but Shane shows back up.

As I walk to my car with my head down, Shane blocks my path with his car and gives me a head nod. “Get in.”

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