Page 9 of Deception and New Direction

I’d woken this morning to pain in my foot and leg from my injury and pain in my arm fromDash, who was currently lying on top of it.Sometimeshe slept with me in my bed, but usually he would get too hot and eventually move down to his bed on the floor.Notlast night.

I wondered if he could senseIwas hurt and wanted to be near me or if he was just nervous about a man being in my apartment.Eitherway,Iwasn’t about to complain.Hewas the best emotional support oven mittI’dever had.

It made me smile becauseIhad never really had anyone in my life who truly loved me affectionately and unconditionally likeDash.Itfelt weird to have someone’s undeniable trust like that, even if that someone was just a dog.

I was awake and had been awake for a little while, butIwas avoiding leaving my bedroom.Partof me wanted to avoid seeingJack.Theother part of me wanted to avoid the inevitable move toJack’splace thatIknew was on our agenda today.Ihated thatIdidn’t have any other viable options, mostly becauseIdidn’t trust myself to be alone with him.

As much asIwishedIcould stay in bed all day and just avoid it altogether, my bladder won out—andDash’sbladder likely couldn’t go much longer either.

I grabbed my crutches leaning up against my nightstand and carefully made my way out of bed and started to the bedroom door, whereDash, having jumped from the bed, was now eagerly waiting for me.

Dash sprinted out right away, but instead of heading for the main door, he made a beeline forJackon the couch.Idecided to letDashannoy him for a bit whileIwent to the bathroom.

I heard the scratches ofDash’snails on my floor and the sound of my door closing, soIknewJackhad taken him out to do his business.Thankfullythis would buy me some extra time, since these new crutches would not allow me to be fast at doing anything anymore.Igrabbed some clothes and headed into the bathroom.

AsImoved to wash my hands,Ilooked up at the mirror and caught my reflection—wild hair and a dark bruise forming on my right jaw where the man who attacked me had clocked me.NotmuchIcould do about the bruise, butItook my comb out and tried to fix my hair then brushed my teeth and made my way out to the living room just in time forJackandDashto return.

“That was fast,”Isaid asDashtried to charge over to me.Jackstill had the leash on, so he held him back so he didn’t knock me over.

“I don’t think he liked being away from you,”Jackresponded. “Hedid his business and bolted right back up the stairs.”

I lowered myself onto the chair so thatDashcould come to me without knocking me over.Ilooked up atJack, who was staring at me.Helooked good.Hishair was getting a little longer, and he had that fresh rumpled look.Hehad on aT-shirt and athletic shorts.God, he was too handsome for his own good.Cockybastard knew it too, judging by the face he was giving me after he caught me checking him out.

“Dane andArcherwill be here soon to help us grab whatever you want to take over to my house,” he said. “Myguest room has a bed, nightstand, and small dresser, but if you want your bookshelf or a chair or anything from here, we can take that too.EllieandWadewill meet us later at my house.”

“I’d like to take my desk and a few other things if you don’t mind.”

Sure,Ididn’t need a physical desk for the occasions thatIworked weekends, butIwanted it because then it would also give me an excuse to hide away in the room ifIwanted to avoid him.

“No problem.Whydon’t we grab a bite to eat, and then you can start packing up clothes and whatever you want to bring while the guys andIload it up?”

I nodded at his suggestion and made my way into the kitchen.

* * *

I felt guilty thatIwasn’t able to help move anything.Iwas mostly just in the way.Iwanted to help.Ineededto help.Ihated letting other people take care of me and do all the work.

My father reminded me a lot thatIrequired too much of people.Hetold me, “Noone likes a leech,” andIdidn’t want that to be me.Yet, that was exactly whatIfelt like today as everyone but me carried boxes and furniture back and forth.

When we finally made it toJack’shouse,IfiguredIcould at least unpack stuff and move things where they needed to be.Jackset me up in his spare bedroom, which was actually quite large.Ithad a queen-size bed, a small three-drawer chest, and a nightstand.Butthere was empty space in the corner, soJack,Dane, andArcherput the desk and chair from my apartment there.

The guys had already carried in some boxes of clothes and shoes.Ifigured those would be light and easy to unpack.

My plan was to get on my left knee, with my right leg extended outward to keep from putting too much weight on my cast, and push the boxes forward by sliding them on the carpet.Bigmistake.WhenIpushed them forward, they moved, but the box on top kept moving from the momentum and toppled over, spilling all the contents inside all over the floor.

“Holy nutsack ofSatan!”Icried out into the empty room around me asItried to clean up all the spilled contents, while also not hurting myself.I’dtaken some pain meds this morning, but the over-the-counter stuff wasn’t nearly as strong as the meds they gave you at the hospital.Ididn’t need the constant dull pain to get worse by twisting funny or moving in an awkward way.

“What did you just yell?”Jack’svoice sounded from the doorway.Iglanced up to see a grin on his face, likely amused by whatIhad just said. “Here.Letme help.”

“I’ve got it,”Itold him, trying to shove his hands away as he reached down to pick stuff up.

“Ruthie, it’s not a crime to let people help you,” he replied.

I knew he was right, but it was also the contents inside.Ireally didn’t want him picking up my bras and underwear.

“Ruthie!”IheardEllieyell from somewhere else in the house.

Perfect timing.I’duse her as my distraction.

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