Page 73 of Riot of Autumn

“I couldn’t see them as the water pushed me farther and farther away from the boat. I don’t know how long I stayed in the water. An hour? Longer than should have been possible for me to withstand the cold. Another boat found me. It was frankly a fucking miracle that they were out, no less that they spotted me.”

All I can do is hold on to Ezra, squeezing my arms tightly around him. I knew the basics about his parents’ death, but I never knew this. He must have been so scared, felt so helpless. I hate that for him, because I know what that feels like too. Ezra’s always so strong and capable, it hurts to think of him being defenseless. Knowing that it was his dad that put him in that position makes me so angry on his behalf. I don’t care how many years ago this happened.

We really do all have shitty families.

Ezra drops his cheek to the top of my head, hugging me back just as tightly.

“Therapy helped me work through my fear of the water and getting back onto a boat, but the apprehension never really goes away. I just shove it down and pretend it’s something I can handle. I’m better about it now, but I doubt I’ll ever be joining Davis out there for his late-night swims.”

“Who would want to do that, anyway? Davis is an idiot. Why would you want to be like him?” My voice is rough with emotion that I wish I could hide. I want to be strong for Ezra, the way he had to be strong for himself. He deserves to have someone to lean on and take some of the burden off his shoulders.

“He does think swimming in the ocean in December is sane.”

I laugh, but it’s patchy.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I whisper against his chest, feeling the heat of his skin and the thump of his heart.

“Thanks, Cube.” Is all he says as we watch Axil bounce around in the water, happy as a kid in a candy store.

“Here, I brought these out.” Ezra hands me a dog treat. They’re the same ones that I get from Fairy Cakes. Which means he already had some at his house, because he hasn’t had time to go get any since Axil and I got here last night.

I release him from my death grip and take the treat from his hand. Keeping my gaze level, I take a bite out of the treat. Ezra’s head tips back and laughter bursts from his throat.

“That was for Axil.”

“He’ll have to come and get it.” I grin up at him and then take off down the dock, running up toward Ezra’s house. The sound of Ezra chuckling on my heels, and Axil barking as he chases us both, lifts a weight until I feel lighter than I have in a long time.

25

RUBY

“Let me see it.” I’m sitting on a stool with my belly up to the bar at Paul’s.

Old Sal is nursing a beer and watching a baseball game a few seats down.

I’m attempting to get Rhys to show me this tattoo that apparently has my face. He keeps dashing away to do things that are not urgent, like straightening bottles and refilling drink garnishes that are already overflowing.

“Just be patient, Rubes,” Rhys says, popping an olive in his mouth.

“Why? I’m not waiting for the bus to arrive. All you have to do is push up your sleeve.”

We decided earlier that we’d all meet at Paul’s, including our new friend Emric, to hear his plan. I spent the day on the phone with insurance and utility companies, trying to figure out what needed to be done with my house. This is the kind of shit no one tells you sucks balls as an adult. You think it’s all buying liquor and being able to rent a car. When actually, it’s just a series of having to make decisions that will probably come back to bite you in the ass. And you have no one else to blame for it, because you’re the freaking adult who made the call.

I huff and take a drink of the orange juice Rhys poured for me. My eyes drift down to the sundress I’m wearing, and I cringe. It’s a soft pink and, well, it’s cute, but it feels all wrong. After this meeting, I’ll be heading to Rhys’s apartment to find any of my clothes that Zara has up there. Then tomorrow I have a trip to Tatterstocks planned to find something more my style.

I’m the first one here, besides Rhys. Zara’s upstairs and should be headed down any minute now. Everyone else is coming from work. I already had the day off, although I think Tecia would kick me out of Puck’s if I tried to show up today. She called in a panic as soon as she heard about the fire, and I had to spend fifteen minutes calming her down.

Ezra wanted to skip work today as well. After he heard me bitching out the insurance lady on the phone, he gave me a kiss and got out of my hair. I didn’t need an audience to watch me get annoyed.

The door swings open, and Ezra walks inside with Archer and Lena. He’s wearing a pair of worn jeans, a hoodie with his veterinary clinic’s name across the front, and a pair of brown leather lace-up boots that hit just above his ankle. Archer is wearing his customary suit, although he’s fancied it up with a vest today. Lena, as usual, looks completely put together in a tight pencil skirt and a blouse with a floppy, loopy bow. I scowl down at my sweet dress, feeling like I’m wearing someone else’s skin.

Ezra heads straight for me, but instead of kissing me like I expect, he grabs my ass.

“Ah, hello to you too,” I say with a surprised blink.

“You said I could grab your ass in front of all our friends.”

The corner of my mouth tips up in a sly grin. I slide my hand around his waist, down over his muscular butt, and get in a squeeze of my own.

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