Page 14 of The Heiress

“One of my first memories is of Sam. She’s been my best friend since the day we met. No, we haven’t seen each other in a long damn time, but I think that was for the best. I needed to deal with shit and she needed to be free of me. But I never stopped loving her and there isn’t anything that could get me to leave now. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

Of course he meantlovingin the friendly, brotherly way because, as I stated firmly and clearly to Hazel just yesterday, Jace was like a brother to me.

Brother.

Best friend.

Love.

Yeah, even I couldn’t ignore the way that word made me feel different. Like half of me had been missing for years and now someone was dangling it just out of my reach. A tingle shivered over my skin and something happened inside my chest. It was as heavy as the grief I’d been carrying around, but altogether different. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was Jace’s fault.

“Good morning.” Hazel said as I entered the kitchen. “I heard you rustling around so I made an omelet. Here’s your coffee.” Hazel set everything out on the counter.

I grabbed a stool. “You didn’t have to do that.” But damn did it make me feel better to be taken care of.

“It’s a cultural thing. When I don’t know what to do or I want to be helpful, I feed people.”

Which was probably why I ate dinner at Hazel and Yara’s so much. Well, that and Yara’s cooking. Don’t get me wrong, Hazel could cook, but Yara was next level.

“Speaking of which,” Hazel opened the freezer, “I stocked you up on some staples. I froze a fresh loaf of bread, some of those protein muffins you like, there’s a lasagna—don’t worry I used Yara’s recipe, not mine—and paella.”

“Wait, you made paella already today?” I double checked the time but it was only noon.

“No. The seafood market had some fresh that smelled amazing.”

She was too good to me. “Thank you.” I wanted to say so much more, but finding the words on a weird night of sleep was hard, so instead I infused my feelings into those two words and hoped she heard it.

She covered my hand with hers. “You’re welcome. I enjoy doing this. Please let me know if you want anything else in the future. I can package it up in a cooler to send with you. Also, here’s a shopping list for next weekend.” She slid a square piece of paper across the counter.

Salad mixings

Half and half

Orange juice

Ask Jace over for lunch.

I shot her a look.

She shrugged. “You should. That man misses you and you need a local friend. Sifting through all this alone, weekend after weekend, will not be good for your mental health.”

And I couldn’t ask Hazel to come with me every time. She was right. I folded the note and tucked it into my purse. “I heard his voice.”

“He fixed the fans so I suggested the toilets needed a once over.”

“How is he?” Yes, I was fishing for information.

“Extremely competent with a toolbox. Bodes well.”

I arched an eyebrow. “For what?”

She shrugged again, rinsing out the pan she’d just used to make my omelet and setting it on the drying rack. “Things.”

Speaking of Mr. Competent, he appeared in the doorway holding pieces of the toilet’s inner workings. “You need a new kit. I can grab one now or I can get one this week and come back next weekend to install it.”

He was clearly trying to assess my comfort level but instead of askingAre you okay with my being here and can I come back next weekend?he asked about toilet parts. “Next weekend is fine.”

He didn’t smile straight out, but he might as well have the way his face lit up. It was…well, quite frankly, it was adorable. I missed him.

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