Page 71

“She’s helped me out with Mom.” I shrugged. “It’s only fair for me to repay the favor.”

“But you’ll end up working yourself into the ground.” She groaned, her usually bright eyes dark with concern. “Then we might as well just reserve a bed next to your mom’s, is that what you want?”

Exasperation coiled an icy fist around my lungs.

I was so tired.

“It’s not forever,” I said, my voice sounding thin, even to my ears. “Just until Mom gets out and everything at the store… settles.”

Nikkie didn’t say anything, but in her silence I heard the words she wouldn’t say out loud.

I didn’t want to think about the possibility that Mom might not leave the hospital.

I shrugged off the panic and reached around her again. This time, she let me through.

“I’ve never seen you this out of it,” Nikkie said quietly. “And it happened so fast. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay. But at least let me help where I can?”

“I don’t even know what I need right now,” I admitted. “I’m sorry.”

Nikkie tugged me into a hug, her chin hooked over my shoulder. “No, I don’t want to hear you apologize for something that isn’t your fault,” she said. “I don’t expect you to have all the answers. I’m just asking you to call me if you feel like you need a friend.”

I knew. And I knew she’d drop everything to hang out with me if I felt lonely.

But I didn’t want to bethatperson. I wanted to take care of my parents, the store and the employees. I wanted to take care of June’s store while she was away.

I couldn’t do that if I was falling apart.

“I’ll be okay after a nap or something,” I assured her, silently thanking her for the support she always offered. “Don’t you have work to do?”

She giggled and pulled away, some of the light sparkling in her eyes again. “The life of a travel blogger is spontaneous,” she explained with a dramatic flourish of her hands. “Even I don’t know when and where I’m off to next.”

“Just make sure you come say goodbye before you jet off again.”

She dropped a loud kiss on my cheek. “I’ll always make time for my number one.”

She waved as she left, turning down one of the aisles and jumping a little. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

I didn’t pay it any mind; people usually spent a few seconds collecting their jaws off the floor when they bumped into Nikkie.

But the voice that answered sent a bolt of dread down my spine.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Hayden turned around the end of the aisle as Nikkie disappeared, and my feet were rooted to the spot.

Her gaze lifted, her eyes meeting mine, and I forced my expression to harden. “Morning,” I said emotionlessly, turning back to my task.

She was silent, but I poured all my effort into focusing on making sure every single can faced the exact same way.

“How are you?” she asked.

My fingers stilled on the last can but I didn’t turn; I didn't want to see her face.

Or remember how she’d looked when we’d-

“Fine.”

She hummed.