“The buyers don’t want the furniture?”
“They aren’t acting like they do.”
“Wish I had a place to stay,” she said. “I’d gladly take the furniture.”
That statement sent the gears of my mind immediately turning. Now I knew there was no way I could let her go back to that fucking motel of hers.
“I’ll need help with it,” I said.
“Gray, don’t do that. I already have a job,” Michelle said.
“It’s only cleaning and packing here and there. We can work it around your schedule,” I said. “But if you want the job, I’ll pay you the same rate I did before along with free room and board.”
“Gray—”
“Come on, Michelle. Just say yes and spare us both the back and forth. Whatever you think I think of you, it’s not true. However you see yourself, it isn’t how I see you. I see a hardworking woman with an entire life ahead of her. I see a woman scrambling to piece together a decent life for herself after being tossed out by some bullshit excuse for a man. You see weakness where I see strength, so stop fighting and just say yes.”
I looked down at her and could see how torn she was. But the shock of my statement also parted those plump lips of hers in surprise. Michelle was one of those women that attempted to hide her thoughts, but they broadcast themselves all over her face. It was easy to read her. From the way she carried herself, to the way she spoke, and to the way her eyes told her entire story. She was adorably innocent and wildly untamed, and it did things to my insides I had no idea how to reconcile.
“I really appreciate the offer, Gray. But I have my job at the diner. I can’t quit it to come work for you temporarily. I need something long-term.”
“I’m not asking you to quit. I’m asking you to work around the hours you’re already working. Like a second job,” I said.
“I do have to sleep and eat at some point in time.”
“You’ll do all those things. I won’t take up all your free time. Come on, Michelle. Don’t do this.”
But I could see it in her eyes that I was losing her. She was backing away from me, and nothing I said got through to her at all.
“We really should keep things professional if this is something that’s going to happen,” she said.
“Define professional.”
She giggled and shook her head. A sound I felt I would still be robbed of even though she was about to take me up on my offer.
“If I’m going to take this as a second job, I’m going to treat it like one. Which means no living with my boss,” Michelle said.
“Miche—”
“No, Gray.”
The harshness of her voice took me by surprise.
“This is a temporary job. I’ve taken great strides over the past month to get over a lot of things, and throwing me back into Anton’s house isn’t going to be good for anyone involved.”
The sadness that filled her eyes laced my tongue with every curse I could pile onto it. Because I knew she was talking about more than Anton’s death.
She was talking about me.
“The halfway point between the diner and Anton’s house is Cecily’s. I’m sure if I talk to her, she’ll let me stay with her.”
“That isn’t necessary,” I said. “You can sleep anywhere. Hell, Michelle. Anton’s got a guest house out back. You could stay-”
“This isn’t up for discussion. I won’t be there long. I have the next couple of days off work, so the plan was to go apartment hunting for myself anyway. But it’ll make the journey from the diner to Anton’s and back again easier from Cecily’s. If you want the help, I’m more than willing to give it. But I’m not staying in Anton’s house with you. I can’t.”
The idea of her living right next to that damn ex of hers made my blood boil, but if she took the job that meant I was guaranteed more time around her. And she said it herself. She wanted to go apartment hunting. Something I could definitely help her with. Which meant I could keep an eye on her and make sure things weren’t getting out of hand with Andy. It was the only compromise she was giving and I wanted to be around her too much to turn it down.
“Okay,” I said. “The job is yours. Let’s go get your things from the motel and I can drop you off at Cecily’s.”