Page 15 of Chasing Shelter

“Sorry,” Steve said, wincing. “That probably sounds creepy if you’re not from a small town. Are you?”

I shook my head. “New York.”

“City?” he squeaked.

“Manhattan. All my life.” One that carried more scars than I wanted to admit.

“Whoa. Wait, you Linc’s sister?”

Of course, my brother had already made friends within the teen gossip mill. “I am.”

“He’s the coolest. Paid me a hundred bucks to bring pizza out to Arden’s place when she was recovering. That’s baller.”

It was my turn to laugh, and the release of tension was more than welcome. “He’s not opposed to a bribe now and then.”

“I am very bribable.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know.”

“Thanks.” Steve shot me a charming smile. “You need a tour around town, just stop by the shop and let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I took the pizza from his hands. “Thanks for this.”

“Anytime. Just call.”

“Will do.”

I shut the door and locked the deadbolt, the scent of cheese and veggies filling the air. My stomach rumbled, and that stinging sensation in my nose was back. Trace must’ve been on the phone with the pizza shop as he walked away from my house. Trying to remedy the one thing he could.

It was such a simple gesture. Nothing over-the-top like Bradley’s apologies or my father’s bribes. This was simple kindness. An effort to ease the sting of a rough day in a new place. But it meant more to me than anything else I’d ever been given.

I suddenly didn’t want to eat the pizza. I wanted to find a way to preserve it for eternity so I could remember how this felt. My stomach growled as if to argue with me.

“Okay, okay.” I carried the pie into the kitchen and set it on the table. The room still smelled like smoke, but I had nowhere else to eat, so it would have to do. Flipping open the box lid, I snapped a picture of the pizza, marking the memory. Not for social media or to send to anyone. Just so I would remember.

Before I could sit, my phone dinged again.

Bradley

Pizza? Really? Not sure you can afford those calories.

My blood ran cold, and I suddenly didn’t have any appetite at all.

5

TRACE

I reachedfor my coffee and downed a healthy slug. There wasn’t enough caffeine in the world for how I felt today. I’d tossed and turned until well after two in the morning, thinking about my new neighbor. And when I finally fell asleep, my dreams were full of her, too—dreams I didn’t want to look at too closely.

My phone dinged, and I swiped it off the table.

Cope has renamed this group to Anyone Got Any Singles?

I frowned at the screen. What the hell did that mean?

Cope

I heard from a little birdie that Trace did a striptease last night.

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