Page 26 of Wish I Didn't Want You Back

I had no answer. At least not one I was willing to admit to. I didn’t know how to reassure her without exposing everything I was feeling.

She shook her head and pushed off the doorframe. “That’s what I thought.”

I ran a hand over my face. “Harlow, you are jumping to conclusions. You overheard one half of a conversation. You are not a burden, okay? I just didn’t expect to be in this situation. I’m doing the best I can here, but know this: if I didn’t want you here, you wouldn’t be here.”

She stood there, arms crossed, with a guarded look on her face as if she was trying to decide whether she could believe me. “Okay. I’ll stay. Thank you.”

I nodded back and walked past her, heading to my room to get ready for work. I should have said more. I could have been honest. Instead, it felt like I screwed up.

I shut my bedroom door behind me, but it no longer felt like my space. Not with her right down the hall.

I peeled off my clothes and threw them into the hamper. I sat on the edge of my bed and dropped my face in my hands.

Every time I looked at her, I saw the girl I fell in love with all those years ago. I shouldn’t still care this much. I shouldn’t be so caught up in this shitstorm.

Yet here I was.

Tuck was right to warn me. But that didn’t change how I felt.

I should want her to leave. Hell, I could help her find a place. It would make my life easier and less complicated.

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

CHAPTER NINE

HARLOW

Ipushed the door open with more force than necessary and kicked my wet shoes off on the mat. My entire body ached from spending the day trudging through my flooded house, listening to plumbers and contractors rattle off estimates, and spending hours on the phone with the insurance company. According to the trust, my mom’s attorney, who was the trustee of her estate, was responsible for the upkeep and renovations. He responded to my email politely, letting me know he was on vacation and would look into the matter when he returned.

The house was all I had left of my mom. I would be dammed if I let it all turn to shit because her lawyer couldn’t be bothered with making a phone call while on vacation.

The entire day was overwhelming, and the idea of spending another night at Brooks Dawson’s house was sending me over the edge.

While I was grateful that he allowed me to stay, the man drove me crazy.

Speak of the devil. “You didn’t need to slam my door open.”

“I didn’t slam it,” I shot back and crossed my arms. “It’s not my fault the damn thing is hard to open.”

He raised an eyebrow and kicked his boots off. “Of course, my door is the problem, not your attitude.”

“What do you expect? Your contractors told me it would take months—months! To repair the damage. If your guys are as good as you say they are, then they should be able to get it done quicker.” The words slipped out before I could shut my mouth. I didn’t mean them; I was simply frustrated. It wasn’t his fault I was in a mood.

He smirked. “You’re welcome to find someone else who can do the job on such short notice. Good luck finding someone, though, who can do a better job than me and my team.”

I huffed and turned toward the kitchen. “Whatever. I’m too tired to argue with you right now.”

I heard his steps follow me over to the wine rack. “Careful, princess. You’re starting to sound a little ungrateful.”

I spun around as he casually leaned against the counter. “I’m not ungrateful. I’ve been through hell these past few days. I went from living in a high-rise in the city and a thriving career, to being homeless, and you treating me like I’m some clueless little girl who can’t make her own decisions.”

His smirk disappeared. “I’m trying to help you. But, sure, let’s make me out to be the bad guy. Does that make it easier for you?”

I huffed. “Nothing about this situation is easy.”

“I’m not the one who fucked up your house,” he fired back, his tone matching mine. The tension between us was growing so thick that I almost choked on it.

We stood toe-to-toe in some type of standoff. His eyes were locked on mine. His jaw was tight with tension. For a moment, I forgot why I was even angry.

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