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Taylor choked out a laugh. “Brooks, stop. It’sAssociation. And you can’t just get rid of his stuff.”

“Yeah, ok. It’s bullshit either way. You might want to go through the house, make sure anything that’s yours is separate from his shit. Don’t leave a sock, durag, brush,- hell not even a toenail. Nothing is to be left behind.”

Taylor watched him move toward the window, presumably checking for his people, but really just creating distance between them. She could feel it in the air between them, in the way he kept finding reasons to be near her while simultaneously keeping his distance.

“Brooks?”

“Yeah?” He didn’t turn around but looked over his shoulder.

“Thank you. For all of this.”

He nodded once, still barely facing her, “Anytime, and I mean that.”

Their eyes met. No words necessary. She headed upstairs to sort through belongings, trying not to think about how Brooks’s presence made her feel both safer and more uncertain than she’d ever been. She called his aunt, she wasn’t thrilled about helping, he’d burned that bridge but she was willing to help her, and Taylor was grateful.

Something was ending. Something else was beginning. That was life, she was just thankful, she wasn’t doing this by herself. Even if she wasn’t sure about Brooks’ motives or intentions. For now, she’d let him exist in her orbit as she existed in his.

Chapter 6

November 1st

It had been a little over a month of late-night texts, check-ins that turned into real conversations, and her trying to believe she could experience peace and safe at the same time with Brooks. She hadn’t even filed her divorce papers, and here she was, seeking out the man whose messages had become her lifeline. The man she couldn’t stop thinking about. But also, the man she needed to set boundaries with. They needed to agree on the rules of engagement.

She smoothed her shirt before stepping into Bishop Towing. She’d been in her car for twenty minutes trying to talk herself out of being there.

The way he handled her, his silence when she needed space, the safety she felt in his presence…all of itwas louder than the voice telling her to slow down.

And that was a problem. Another reason she was about to accidentally poke the bear.

She was unraveling with every word, every interaction. The more he did for her, checked on her, the more she spiraled. A line needed to be drawn. They needed to keep things platonic before someone got hurt.

Before stepping inside, she inhaled sharply and exhaled. The bell chimed above her head, breaking her concentration. Her heart picked up speed asshe progressed further into the shop and rounded the corner. When she saw his tall frame sitting on the counter she stopped in her tracks. He looked up, attention no longer on what had him intrigued moments ago. It was his smile for her. Simple, but perfect, soothing to her wishy washy soul.

“What you doing here?” He asked, jumping down to meet her with his hand extended open for hers. She placed her hand in his and the electricity that coursed through her was why she needed to hit pause. The surprise in his voice made her nervous. He’d checked in on her today and she hadn’t mentioned stopping by.

He guided her out of the lobby and into the hallway beside them.

“I came to pay you back for all your help.” She reached for her wallet, but Brooks crowded her space, softly placing a hand on her wallet stopping her. The act made her tilt her head back to meet his eyes. She tried not to notice how good he smelled today it was different from the scent that lingered in her home after he left. But she did. She had to be losing her mind.

This was her friends brother, this was Brooks.

Somewhere between that night at the diner and now, he’d turned into something that made her thoughts play peak a boo with her. The man she was discovering through his acts of kindness and service made her ache for lost time, ache for all the years she’d looked right past him and he right past her.

“You really think I’m gonna take your money? That’s the second time you did that.” His voice was low, teasing but she could tell he was irritated, offended.

“Brooks, I can’t let you-”

“Can’t let me what? Help?” Another step closer.Her back almost hit the wall, but he caught her by the small of her back before it could, and heat flooded her face. “You think I need your money?”

“That’s not the point.” She lifted her chin, trying to maintain composure despite their proximity. “Nothing in life is free, so let me pay you for your services... for all you’ve done for me.”

“Services?”

His eyes darkened and drew together into an offended glare. “Woman, what you on? Why you coming in here choosing violence? Bothering me and shit? You bored?”

“What do you mean? Nothing is up with me. You picked me up, fed me, let me -” she tried to list off all he’d done but was cut short.

“Enough Tay, I know what I did.”