Page 9

V ee snuggled deeper against the pillow and smiled. Whoever said it was hard to sleep in unfamiliar places had never experienced the bed in Iron’s guest room. She blinked her eyes, catching the time on the digital clock out of the corner of her eye, and drew in a quick breath. It was nearly ten o’clock in the morning. She rubbed her eyes and threw her legs over the side of the bed. Iron’s low voice was muffled beyond the closed bedroom door, but he was speaking with someone, and that someone was most definitely female.

Her first thought was that Hannah had arrived home early or maybe somehow Thalia had found her. She jumped up and raced down the short hall, wincing at the way her feet still ached from running barefoot through the woods. Still, she moved quickly through the living room, anticipation tingling in her chest, then slid to a halt when she saw the three women at the door. None of them were familiar. The thick socks Iron had loaned her had no traction and she crashed right into Iron who stopped her forward progress by wrapping one arm around her waist.

“I told you she was going to wake up,” Iron muttered. He dropped his hand from where he’d stopped her from sliding across the floor but remained close.

“Sorry.” A woman with straight black hair and bold blue eyes offered her a sheepish smile. “I’m Brynn.” There were several large shopping bags at her feet.

“We were really excited to stop by and meet you.” A petite woman with a sleek blonde bob rubbed her rounded belly. “I’m Sam.”

“And I’m Addy.” The willowy woman with round glasses and rich golden hair moved into the entryway and hugged her. “Welcome into the fold. We are all so thankful you’re here and safe.” Addy gestured toward the other women. “We’re friends of Hannah. Brynn is engaged to Ransom and Sam is with my brother, Julian, or Joker, as everyone else calls him.”

“Are you with Silver?” Maybe this was the woman who had her other rescuer grinning down at his phone.

A furious blush pinkened Addy’s pale cheeks. “We’re just friends. My connection to everyone is through my brother.”

She couldn’t stop the smile from forming on her lips but nodded politely. Silver would totally fall for a woman like Addy. “Why don’t you all come in?” She glanced at Iron. He probably didn’t appreciate her offering up his house. “If that’s okay?”

“’Course. If that’s what you want, that’s fine.”

The women moved farther inside and shut the door behind them. Brynn shuffled forward with the shopping bags and placed them to the side. “We wanted to bring you some supplies to hold you over until you’re able to go shopping. Hannah said you couldn’t leave with much.”

There was a tingling sensation behind her lids. “Thank you,” she whispered softly looking from the bags to the women and back again. These people didn’t even know her. They knew of her from Hannah alone, and yet they’d gone out of their way to help make her comfortable. Everything about Iron’s world seemed so surreal. She was almost afraid it was too good to be true. She hadn’t encountered any hidden agendas, demands, or malicious intents since running away from her rehearsal dinner. Well, except for her parents’ visit to the hospital in Texas and the constant text messages that were no longer a problem because Silver and Iron had taken that burden off her shoulders.

Iron’s cell phone started ringing and he fished it out of his pocket. “Iron Auto,” he answered and turned toward the kitchen, listening. “Of course. I’ll have two tow trucks meet you a quarter mile from exit twenty-three. If there’re no injuries, we can drive the car owners and passengers right to the shop. Okay. They’ll be enroute in no more than five minutes.” Iron ended the call and started another.

“Danny, we’ve got a three-car crash on exit twenty-three. All cars and passengers need a tow back to the center.” A frown settled on his face. “Shit. You’ll need another set of hands then. I’m home. I can be there in fifteen. Right. See you then.” Iron tucked his phone back into his side pocket and scrubbed his hands over his face.

“Vee, I hate to do this, but I need to go into the shop.” He touched her arm tentatively, searching her face. “My team is up to their ears in crashes and body work today. You can either come with me or stay at the house if you’re comfortable. I don’t want to leave you stranded here, though, without a car.”

“We can stay here.” Sam’s face lit up.

Brynn tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and sauntered into the kitchen. “When we’ve worn out our welcome, we can bring Vivienne by the collision center.”

She wasn’t sure how Iron would feel about the women staying in his home while he was gone. The last thing she wanted to do was take advantage of his hospitality. It was bad enough that he felt responsible for her.

“Can I have a minute?” Iron asked, offering her his hand. His rough palms shouldn’t feel so good against hers, so gentle.

“Of course.” When they turned toward the living room, his fresh scent caught her off guard and made her want to bury her face in his soft cotton shirt.

“I wanted to talk to you privately to make sure you were comfortable with Sam and Brynn’s suggestion. You’re welcome to come with me to the shop or you can stay here with them. I also have no problem telling them to get lost if you need some peace and quiet.”

“No, please don’t. If you’re okay with us being here alone, I wouldn’t mind them staying. I’d like to get to know Hannah’s friends.”

“All right. I trust them. They’re nice people. I wouldn’t leave you in a bad position, stuck with women who weren’t being genuine.”

“I know that.” She gave him a soft smile. Despite what he thought about himself, he’d shown her with his actions that she could trust him. “Would it be alright if I took them to sit out on the deck?”

Iron let out a chuff. “Vee, while you’re staying here, this is your space too. I don’t give a shit what you do.”

“Thank you for trusting me too.” Her parents wouldn’t have dreamed of saying something similar about their own home. “I promise we won’t snoop through your closets or put our feet up on the furniture, or—”

“First, you want to go through my drawers, have at it. Same with the furniture. I don’t know if you’ve looked around, but this isn’t exactly a showplace. I have the basics. Haven’t had the need for much more. If there’s something you want to help you feel more comfortable though, you’ll tell me, right?”

The uncertainty warring in his eyes had her grabbing his hand and giving him a quick squeeze. “I’m more at home here after one night than I ever was in the estate.” She reluctantly released his hand.

“Pleased to hear it. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”

She really believed he meant that. At least for right now. “If you decide it’s not working though, or you’d be more comfortable having your space back, you’ll tell me, right?”

“I don’t do anything I don’t want to, Vee. You wouldn’t be in my house if I had doubts about you staying here. Have fun with the girls and if you get sick of them, don’t be afraid to show them the door. I’m sure that they’re going to talk your ear off.”

“I can’t wait, and I’m excited to see your business later too.”

“Looking forward to giving you the tour.” Iron turned to walk away, but she reached out and grabbed his arm.

“What you’re doing for me isn’t typical. I want you to know how much I appreciate it. You’ve given me a place to stay where I feel safe. Honestly, the thought of staying in Hannah’s home by myself was terrifying. The thought of being away from you at all is a bit scary. You’ve made me feel comfortable here. So much that I got a full night of sleep and didn’t even wake up once. My stomach was full, and I was content and cozy, so thank you.”

A wave of emotion filtered over his face before he masked his expression. “No need for you to thank me. I certainly never mind helping a friend.”

She wasn’t ready to unpack why her stomach clenched every time Iron put her in the friend zone. He was the first to help her when she left that reception, not to mention saving her life. Both of those things, not to mention countless others, were impacting her feelings. Still, the connection she felt with Iron, the urge to be close to him wasn’t anything she’d ever experienced before.

As they walked back toward the other women, Iron cleared his throat. “Lock the door behind me while I’m out. I’m going to get you a spare key. That way you can come and go as you please.”

She stared at him, then realized her mouth was hanging open. “You’re gonna give me a key to your house?”

A ghost of a smile made his lips twitch. Watching the rare expression had her heart rate picking up. “Yeah. I am. See you in a bit.”

Iron grabbed his keys from a holder on the wall and quickly said goodbye to the women, making them promise not to make her uncomfortable.

Once Iron’s SUV had backed out of the driveway, it suddenly occurred to her that she was still in Iron’s shirt and sweatpants. She’d jumped out of bed and raced to the door without brushing her hair or teeth. She cringed and started to excuse herself when Brynn spoke.

“You’re good for him.” Brynn’s eyes twinkled. “I’ve only met Iron at Jacob’s baseball games, that’s my fiancé’s brother. He has cerebral palsy, and I was his nurse. That’s how Ransom and I met. Iron coaches and sponsors the team Jacob and Collin play on. Wait until you see Jacob’s smile when Iron pushes his chair around the bases.” A wide grin spread over Brynn’s face.

“Iron was telling me about the team. I’d love to help.” She smiled, keeping her lips closed tight as she remembered she’d failed to brush her teeth. “If you don’t mind waiting in the living room, I’m going to change. Then maybe we can go for a walk on the beach?”

“That sounds great.” Sam moved toward the couch. “I don’t think I’ll be taking strolls for much longer.” She chuckled and sat with her hands clasped lovingly over her belly. How must it feel to find a partner to go through life’s challenges with? To carry their baby? She nearly sighed with longing watching Sam, but then remembered they were waiting on her. She started to turn down the hallway, but Addy called her name. “You might find some useful things in here.”

She blinked quickly. “That really was so thoughtful of you.”

“We take care of each other,” Brynn said softly.

“And as we might’ve mentioned,” Sam said, “we were very excited to meet you and want you to feel welcome here. Like you have people you can lean on.”

“It must be something in the water here, because I’ve never been surrounded by so much kindness. Thank you so much.”

“Now go change so we can see Iron’s amazing beach.” Addy handed her the bags and raced down the hall to her bedroom. No, not hers, but Iron’s. She was just lucky enough that he was sharing it with her. Everything in Iron’s world seemed so liberated, not without its challenges, but like a hazy dream that she might wake up from at any moment. She’d made more decisions and choices in the last few days than she ever had in her whole life. It was a privilege to be so free, and even though she was far from independent, she was intoxicated by her newfound freedom. If this was a cruel dream, if the people weren’t as genuine as they seemed, it would break her heart.

She closed the bedroom door behind her and put the bags on top of her unmade bed. She’d have to work on that later. She didn’t want Iron to figure out that she was secretly a disaster. Not that she’d ever had the opportunity to pick up or clean by herself. God, what would Iron think if she told him she’d never done her own laundry before? He’d show her how. That was exactly what he’d do, and she really wanted to learn.

She tucked the thought of asking Iron to help her learn some basic skills away and started to sort through the bags. Her throat constricted with each thoughtful item she removed. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and clothing items. There was a pair of butter-soft jeans in her size. She pulled them on immediately, loving the way they clung to her body like a hug. Next, she put on a sports bra, T-shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt. After brushing her teeth and quickly washing her face she went back to the living room. She didn’t want to keep Hannah’s friends waiting.

“I can’t believe you bought all of that. For me. This is the coziest outfit I’ve ever worn. I might never take it off.”

“We’re a very casual group of people.” Addy smiled and took her hand. “Lead the way.” They walked out onto the back deck and the second she opened the screen door, a gust of saltwater air greeted her. She breathed the refreshing ocean mist deep. Sighed when the wind tangled and threaded through her hair. The path to the water was lined with swaying seagrass and the occasional piece of driftwood. She led them along, consciously trying to keep her pace slow for Sam.

“Let me know if I’m going to step on a crab or something, I can’t see my feet anymore,” Sam said, and the rest of the women laughed.

Being with them felt good and comfortable, but she also wanted to know how Iron was doing at the shop.

“So, if you’re going to help Iron coach the baseball team, does that mean you’re staying?” Brynn slipped off her sneakers and left them by the dunes as they moved closer to the bright, blue water.

“I want to be close to Hannah. I want to have a chance at a normal life. I don’t know what that will look like, but I guess I’ll figure that out as I go.”

“I think it’s fantastic,” Addy said. “Do you want to continue your career? Hannah mentioned you were a model and a social media influencer.”

“I don’t think I ever wanted that career. It was just something attainable. I want to find something that feels…more.” Putting her desire to do something meaningful into words was difficult, but the women around her were nodding readily, as though they understood just what she meant.

“This is incredible,” Sam sighed and looked out at the water.

“It’s beautiful,” she agreed. “And approachable, which is even better.”

“So are you.” Addy slipped her hand into Vivienne’s again. “I’m ashamed to admit I judged a book by its cover. I’ve never met someone famous before, and your social media profiles and ads made me make assumptions that just aren’t true. You’re warm and open. Beautiful, yes, but you’re also approachable. I owe you an apology.” Addy’s eyes swam with shame.

“You don’t owe me anything.” Vivienne laughed and tilted her head to the sun. “I’ve been judged by my looks my whole life. No one’s ever apologized for it, but I’m touched you’d consider my feelings.”

“We’re going to be great friends.” Brynn reached down to pick up a shell. “Ransom and I are getting married three weeks from now and I’d love for you and Iron to be there. Nothing fancy. Just a big, fun party surrounded by friends.”

“I… You would? Of course, I’d love to. Thank you for the invitation,” she stammered, caught off guard by the kind gesture. A wave lapped the shore and tossed a butterscotch-speckled shell at her feet. She instantly bent to lift it up and clasped the treasure in her hands.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. What a stupid, insensitive thing to bring up.” A look of pure horror dampened Brynn’s expression of joy.

“What is it?” Vivienne asked. “What’s wrong?”

Brynn stopped and turned to her. “I shouldn’t be mentioning my upcoming wedding when you had to make such a difficult decision about your future. It must’ve been hard to make that decide to leave.”

“It wasn’t easy, but not because I was in love with my fiancé. Our marriage was arranged by our families. Once he started showing his true personality, I was scared, not excited by the prospect of marrying him. Leaving my rehearsal dinner with Iron and Silver is the best decision I ever made.” She sunk down on the sand, so the tips of her toes touched the water when it rolled up the beach.

“Hannah said you were incredibly brave standing up to your sister Regina. That by distracting her, you saved Hannah’s life. Thank you for being strong enough to do that.” Sam dropped down beside her.

“She really said that?” Goose bumps raced down her arms and pain lodged in the back of her throat. That was by far the kindest thing someone had ever said about her. “Hannah, Collen, Branch, Iron, Silver—they were the brave ones. I wouldn’t be here if Iron hadn’t jumped on top of me to shield me from a bullet.”

“What do you think about Iron?” Addy rolled up the hem of her pants, until they were mid-calf and stepped into the water.

“I think he’s the kindest person I’ve ever met.” Flutters filled her stomach. She shouldn’t have such an infatuation with her rescuer, but Iron was appealing to her in every way.

The women said nothing, simply smiled. “What is it?”

“Well, our men are very similar. They fall fast and hard, so watch out.”

“Oh, it’s not like that. I’m sure he feels very much responsible for me. He’s just helping a friend. He’s said so himself.” Maybe someday, though, when she was settled into her life here, standing on her own two feet, she’d enjoy trying to change his mind.