Page 76 of Middle Ground

Declan’s eyes twinkle as he says, “We’re here to help.”

I eye him in suspicion. “Help with what?”

“With rebuilding the storage room.” He pats the box he’s carrying. “We’ve got all the tools. This way, you don’t have to worry about hiring someone.”

“What? No.” I shake my head. “You guys don’t have to do that. I can figure it out.”

“We’ve all been talking, and wewantto help you, Meyer. I know you don’t like accepting it, but that’s too damn bad.”

I choke on a laugh. “I guess I can’t say no, can I?”

He grins. “No, you can’t.”

The doorway fills again, and then Pippa and Jackson are entering the room. Jackson has ditched his suit again in favour of a t-shirt and jeans. I won’t lie and say that I hate seeing him in his suits, but there’s something about seeing him in casual clothes that makes my stomach dip.What is happening to me?

I pin Pippa with an accusatory look. “Did you know about this?”

She throws her hands up in surrender. “I swear I didn’t. This whole thing was Declan’s idea.”

I glower. Until I feel the weight of someone’s arm settle over my shoulders. Strangely, I don’t have the urge to shrug him off, and that alone should worry me. Itdoesworry me. I’m not supposed to like him being this close to me in a non-sexual setting.

“Let them help, Ellison. They want to be here for you,” Jackson says.

“For both of you,” Declan amends.

Jackson chuckles. “Of the two of us, I think Meyer has earned the goodwill of the townspeople more than I have.”

“I think you’ve managed to work your way into their good graces, too,” Pippa says. “Despite the rough start.”

My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”

Jackson’s jaw drops. “What does she mean? Basically the whole town had a vendetta against me when I first got here.”

“I feel like that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”

Declan shakes his head. “It’s not. Everyone kinda hated him.”

“But people love you! It’s beyond infuriating,” I say.

“They don’t love me when they know you hate me. I wasglared at forweeks,” Jackson explains. “You underestimate your influence here.”

I knew the people of Fraisier Creek could be protective, but I didn’t realize my distaste for Jackson being here had spread so widely.

I offer him a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”

He shake his head, but an amused smile sits on his lips. “No, you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not.” Then I clap my hands, stepping out from under Jackson’s arm. “Alright, let’s get to work. We’ve got a mess to clean up.”

With the group of us, it still takes us all day to make any headway, but considering the fact that I was expecting to do all the cleanup by myself, I’m happy with the outcome. Hours fly, and by the time everyone is ready to call it quits, I’m a tired, sweaty mess.

But I’ve also never been more thankful in my life. I have my frustrations with living in a small town sometimes, but nothing beats this community and the way it shows up for people. It’s easy to forget, when I get in my own head about my insecurities, but I’ve always had a place in this town.

I tie off my last garbage bag and then lean against the wall. My whole body aches from everything I put it through today.

I close my eyes for a minute, wishing I was already showered and in the comfort of my bed. When I open them again, Jackson is making his way toward me. His eyes are trained on his phone. When he looks up, I notice a streak of soot on his cheek, and the sight makes me smile. His expression turns quizzical, his head tilting.

“What?” he asks.