Page 6 of Knot So Sweet
"Did you ask her name?"
I pause, my hands stilling on the counter. “Violet.”
I lie. Shit, I didn't ask her name, but she gave it to me anyway.
"Did you tell her yours?"
Another pause. "What does it matter? She isn’t staying."
Xaden shakes his head in disbelief, droplets of sweat flying from his dark hair. "Jesus, Garrick, it's like watching a caveman try to conduct a diplomatic summit."
"The poor dear is probably terrified," Meredith's tone annoys me.
"A young omega, alone, broken down in a strange town, and the first person she meets is..."
She gestures vaguely in my direction with one perfectly manicured hand.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I say dryly.
"Oh, you know I love you, dear, but you're about as welcoming as a root canal when you put your mind to it. That girl's been hurt, mark my words. I've been around long enough to recognize the signs. No one ends up sleeping in their car, in a strange place, unless something bad happened to them. No one."
Something cold settles in my stomach. I push it away. "Not my problem."
"Garrick!" Meredith's sharp, teacher voice rings out. "How can you say that?"
"Easy." I busy myself scrubbing flour off my fingers."I'm not a charity for every stray that wanders into town."
Xaden moves closer to the counter, expression serious now. "You know, for someone who benefited from kindness when you wanted to start this place, when you had a chip on your shoulder and a bad attitude, you're being pretty fucking heartless."
I shut the water off, hard enough to rattle the faucet.
"That was different."
"How?"
"Because I wasn't..."
I trail off. Because I can't finish that without sounding like an asshole.
"You weren’t her. That’s the difference. You had options." Xaden’s voice goes hard-edged, that old military tone he used when patience wore thin and someone needed a verbal smack upside the head.
"Because I didn't cop an attitude when someone asked me to move my broken-down piece of shit away from their business," I snap, grabbing a clean towel.
"Fuck, Garrick." Xaden runs a hand through his damp hair. "You really are determined to be an asshole about this, aren't you?"
"I'm being practical. This town doesn't need whatever drama she's running from. We've got a good thing going. I'm not interested in complications."
"That's what you call a young woman who needs help? A complication?" Meredith asks.
I toss the towel onto the counter. "I worked my ass off to build this place. Build a life that doesn't involve other people's problems landing on my doorstep."
“You used to give a shit about people.”
“Yeah, well Rebecca taught me a great lesson. The only person you can count on is yourself.”
"You know what?" I move to the cash register, punching keys. "I'm done with this. I'll call Tom and have him tow the car to his lot."
"Garrick!" Meredith gasps. "You can't be serious."
