Page 37 of Under Pink Skies

“So, I now have the IRS breathing down my back, asking for documents from several years ago that I’m pretty sure we don’t have.” I pressed two fingers into my temple to rub away the dull ache forming there. “All that to say, I need the money from this job. The rural development grant has allowed Trent and the council to offer me a very generous salary, and I need to do a good job. I can’t afford to screw this up. Literally.”

I inhaled, finally lifting my gaze from our cleared table to meet Connor’s eyes. His gaze was soft, his chest inclined toward me.

It had been so long since I’d been able to offload my feelings without fear of judgment. A warm feeling filled my body at the knowledge that he was listening. He wasn’t trying to solve my life problems, as Imogen often did. Connor was simply listening to me. Hearing me. Offering encouragement and support in the way only he could.

I tucked a piece of my brown hair behind my ear and gestured for him to speak.

“Truth: I always felt awful when Tilly and Malcolm paid for me when we went places,” Connor began, sitting back in the booth and throwing his right arm over the side of the booth. His gaze wandered to the door as he drummed his fingers on his empty coffee cup.

“I was your boyfriend. I should have been the one taking you out, and instead, I couldn’t even rub two pennies together to get my girl an ice cream cone. Even worse, your parents were amazing people, who never blinked an eye when they said ‘all together’ at the cash register when we went out to eat.” Connor shook his head, cracking his neck to the side to dispel some of the tension bracing his body. “I worked so hard when I was a teenager. I did everything my uncle ever asked of me, and by the time I left Watford, I didn’t have a cent to my name. When I got my cammies at boot camp, that was the first time in over three years that I’d received brand new clothes.”

I inhaled sharply, unable to look away, even though a raw aching pain shot through me. I wasn’t naive enough to think that Connor’s life had been sunshine and rainbows since he left. I wasn’t stupid enough to think that I was the only person in this world capable of hurting.

But in that moment, I realized I had gravely underestimated who Connor had been. I’d been so in love with this boy, infatuated with him in what was a borderline unhealthy way, and now that I was sitting across from him, four years of real-life experience between us, I suddenly realized that maybe we never knew each other at all.

“All that to say, I understand that money comes and goes, and I am more than happy to pay for this meal. And it’s not because I feel like I’m repaying a debt. It’s because I want to. You’re not a burden, Abbie, financially or otherwise,” he finished.

“Neither are you,” I whispered, my hand reaching for his out of pure instinct. His warm, calloused hand enveloped mine, and something loud and damning locked into place inside my heart. “You have never been a burden, Connor.”

Connor’s gaze locked with mine as he squeezed my fingers tightly. My eyes fluttered shut. There were so many questions I needed to ask. So much I needed to say. But I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth.

I would let myself have this moment. My brain screamed at me to pull back, knowing that all of this—Connor’s presence in my life, his closeness—would be restricted to a small sliver of time that would be gone in a flash. I’d be left picking up the pieces of my life all over again.

But as the comforting sound of eggs frying on cast-iron pans surrounded us, with the familiar scent of chicken and waffles wafting through the space, and the feeling of Connor’s calloused hands holding mine, I couldn’t pull away.

Chapter 12

Connor

Thenextmorning,Kameronarrived at our cabin. Kam and Lucas were both hunched over their laptops at the dining room table, sipping their respective beverages—coffee for Lucas and that God-awful green smoothie Kameron seemed to like so much. I poured myself a mug of coffee and opened the screened door to allow some of the fresh mountain air to circulate the cabin. I inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent of evergreen pine and black coffee settle over my bones. I sat down at the table across from Kameron.

“How was your drive?”

Kameron shrugged, running a hand through his hair. He looked tired in a way I hadn’t seen from him in months.

“The drive was fine. I’m sorry again that I couldn’t be here earlier in the week. The guy that showed up was in a bad way. Ended up checking out of the program early, despite my efforts to get him to stay.” Kameron blew out a breath. “I contacted the local precinct according to the address he gave us, but I’m worried about him.”

I pressed my lips together. This was perhaps one of Kameron’s only personality flaws, if one could call it that. He was so passionate about his work that he sometimes got too close to the people who came through. Kameron knew he couldn’t save every struggling soul, but that didn’t stop him from trying like hell to do just that.

“It’ll be alright, Kam,” Lucas chimed in. “You’ve done more for him in three days than most would do in a lifetime. It’s ultimately up to him whether he takes those resources and uses them.”

I nodded. “Lucas is right. You’ve done what you can.”

Kameron laughed. “I’m not sure that will ever be enough.”

“For you, my perfectionist? It will never be enough.”

Kameron smiled, jerking his chin in my direction.

“Lucas gave me the rundown on the work he’s done this week. Making some good connections with the locals?”

Lucas sniggered into his coffee, and I shot him a death glare.

“Something like that,” I said, rubbing my chin. My stubble was getting long, and I knew I needed to shave, but part of me wanted to see how long I could grow my beard out, now that I wasn’t required to shave every day. “I’ve had several discussions with Abbie. She’s looking forward to working with us for the festival, and she’s got some great ideas about how to bring local businesses and resources together to make the event a success.”

“She sounds amazing,” Kameron said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Instead of gushing about Abbie and putting up with that ridicule for the rest of my days, I launched into an explanation about the vendor fair, and Abbie and my’s plans to involve local businesses for sourcing. Lucas shared an idea he had about setting up a designated kids’ section at the festival, so there would be a safe space for families to enjoy their food while their kids explored. Kameron was a huge fan and gave Lucas the lead on that effort. To my surprise, Lucas seemed genuinely interested in assisting with the project. I was learning more about him with every passing day.

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