Page 32 of Matthias’s Protective Embrace (Cardinal Falls #3)

Chapter Twenty

FRANK

Shit . Not again. I swear I didn’t leave the light on in my car.

If I did, I’m sure I’d still be able to see it lit up. That fucker never gives in. The whole car battery can die, but that little dome light is going strong. Apparently, that one bulb is the most resilient part of Squeezy.

Three times. Three times in the last year I’ve walked out to find her dead. Every single time, it’s been my fault. My lack of attention when I turn her off at the end of the night. I thought I’d finally worked out a system to ensure I got everything off.

Apparently not.

I turn the key one more time—just to be sure—and there’s no chance that it’s going to turn on. I know that sound well enough to know that sitting here, repeating the action, isn’t going to do anything. Which leaves me with limited options for how I’m going to get home. Walk or ride share .

Neither one is particularly appealing. Given my current finances, paying to get home on top of having to pay for my car to be jumped isn’t happening.

With the impending eviction from the basement, I need to save every penny for a deposit on an apartment.

I can swing the monthly payments, but with first month and security deposit, I need more of a buffer.

That’s why I’m at the college in the first place.

Classes might be over for the semester, but I’m still trying to work out what I might be able to do next semester.

I registered for classes in case I figure something out.

I can always drop them at the beginning of January before I pay the tuition.

I met with one of the financial advisors tonight to see if there was any chance of getting more aid.

Apparently, my options on that are as limited as my options for getting home. Guess I’m taking a nice long walk.

I go through my backpack and take out everything I don’t need tonight.

No need to make it even worse than it is.

Once I’m back home, I can figure out something.

Maybe one of the guys on the crew will drive me back here tomorrow and help me jump her.

Hopefully, that’s the only issue. If I end up having to tow it somewhere…

I can’t even think about that right now.

I don’t want to know how much that, plus a new battery, plus whatever else she needs, will cost me.

Too much. That part I know for sure.

If it comes to it, I can ask Matthias to help. Not for the money, but to get back to my car. Tonight, he’s working late, but tomorrow he might have time.

It’s not getting any earlier, so I take my lighter backpack and start back toward my house, calculating how long it might take me. The community college isn’t that far away, but it’s at least a ten-to-fifteen-minute drive on fast roads. That must translate to at least an hour of walking.

Ugh . Just when everything was going so well. I’m not the best at things like turning off the light in the car, but I swear it’s not my fault this time.

Probably.

The walk is as miserable as I expected. Thankfully, it’s at least on the sidewalk instead of the edge of a highway.

The downside is that I keep getting stuck at lights, waiting on the walk sign.

It slows me down more than expected. It doesn’t help that it’s fucking cold.

It’s supposed to snow later tonight. I hope I can make it home before the first flakes start to fall.

A car pulls up alongside me, and I let out a loud sigh. This is the last thing I need today. I turn, ready to tell whoever it is to fuck off.

“Frank?”

Shit . “Hey, Aaron.”

“What’re you doing?” He puts the car in park next to me.

“Oh, um, walking home. My car won’t start.” I don’t know why I feel the need to keep explaining. “I think the battery’s dead. I left the light on.” Maybe.

“Get in. I’ll drive you.”

“That’s okay.” I don’t need any extra embarrassment in my life. Things with Matthias’s friends went well. Other than a few awkward moments, being around them was comfortable. They made me feel included the whole time.

And, if it got me some clarity on my relationship with Matthias, well, that’s simply a bonus.

“Frank. Get. In.”

Well, someone’s bossy today. Lucky for him, the fight left me a few blocks back. I’m tired. And sore. “Okay.”

I sling my backpack onto the floor before I get into the passenger seat.

“Here, type in your address.” Aaron offers me his phone.

I do as I’m told, putting it in and hitting start on the GPS.

I could give him directions, but this seems easier.

It also involves less talking. “Are you okay?” he asks when I hand it back.

“Do you need anything first? Need to go back to your car for anything tonight?”

“No, it’s fine.” In a moment of complete betrayal, my stomach growls. I clasp my hand over my midsection, hoping that’ll muffle some of the noise.

“Dinner?”

“I’ll eat at home.” There are likely leftovers in the fridge for something I can eat. Though, right now, I’m in favor of skipping it entirely and going straight to sleep. My stomach clenches at the thought of leaving it empty until morning.

“Of course you can, but how about we go somewhere? I’d appreciate the company. My treat.”

Great, now I’m taking charity from his friends. “Okay.” I agree to it without thinking any further. Shitty night all the way around at this point. My final semester—for now—of college is ending with quite the bang. Not fireworks, simply explosions blowing up bridges I worked so hard to build.

“There’s this great diner up ahead that I was planning to hit. Is that okay?”

“Sure.” I don’t mention that I know the diner well since it served as my second home for a while. Instead, I let him pull back into traffic and drive us there.

“So, where were you coming from?” he asks when we’re seated in one of the booths near the back. It’s different from being at the counter, cozier.

“A meeting at CFCC.”

“Oomph. That’s quite a walk. Why didn’t you call someone?”

“I figured I’d walk tonight and figure it out tomorrow.” He doesn’t need to know that my phone is completely devoid of contacts who would drop their evening plans to come deal with my mistakes.

Aaron stares at me over the top of his menu. It must be easy for someone like him. He’s got that whole crew, plus I’m sure he’s got plenty of other friends at work who can help him out. Maybe even family nearby.

“Did you call Matthias?”

“He’s working,” I answer quickly.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“No, I didn’t call Matthias.”

Aaron folds his menu and sets it on the table. “He’s going to be pissed,” he says, leaning back in his seat.

I don’t get the chance to respond before the waitress comes back over to take our orders. I get a coffee—which Aaron gives me a look over—and a chicken sandwich. Aaron orders meatloaf and water.

“Matthias will be upset that you didn’t call him,” Aaron says once our waitress has collected our menus and gone to put our order in.

“He’s busy tonight.” He mentioned client meetings.

Of course he said I could come over to his house still, but I don’t like being there without him.

It feels empty and sad when I’m alone. “Besides, I can take care of myself.” I know I’m younger than all these guys.

I’m sure they give Matthias all kinds of crap for it when I’m not around.

I don’t want them thinking that I’m some loser youngster who isn’t good enough for their friend .

“I’ve known Matthias for over a decade. He works his ass off at that job, which I absolutely hate, but there has never once been a time that he was too busy to help one of his friends.”

“I—”

“Nope, whatever you’re going to say, don’t.

” Aaron puts a hand up and shakes his head.

“You might not have fourteen years under your belt with him, but he’s your boyfriend.

” It’s weird hearing someone else say that word.

I’m not sure I’ve even said it out loud other than in a discussion with Matthias.

Only in my head—repeatedly. “If you called him, he would’ve dropped everything and come running.

And, if for some reason he couldn’t, he’d have called one of us.

” I open my mouth to say something, but Aaron cuts me off again.

“And any one of us would have come to get you. No questions asked.”

“So, we could say that it worked out the same?” I’m starting to question whether I made the right choice tonight.

Matthias works hard, and I know he’s got a big interview coming up for a promotion.

I’m also aware that I take up a lot of his time.

Not only with fun dating things but also studying.

Sometimes, he sits next to me and works, but often, he’s helping me better understand my calculus homework.

With finals, the time we spent on me went way up.

I love that he’s willing to give me that, but I also feel guilty that he’s neglecting things that are important to him. Things he’s worked hard for.

Aaron shakes his head and laughs. “I don’t think he’s going to see it that way. Look, I know Matthias can be a little overprotective.” I nearly choke on my sip of coffee. When I catch Aaron’s eye, I can tell he knows that Matthias is a—my Daddy. “But it’s because he cares so much about you. ”

“I know. I just don’t want to screw things up,” I admit.

“I get that, more than you might think.” For a moment, I wonder if he had a crush on Matthias at some point, but the look on his face says that he’s thinking about someone else.

“I think the biggest way you can mess this thing up is by not being all in. And all in for Matthias means letting him help you with your problems. Even if you sometimes have to tell him to back the fuck off and listen.”