Page 39 of Same Thing
She had no clue what had just happened with the insane dynamics here, but whatever it was, Liam clearly approved.
Nory walked around Liam’s truck and scanned the edge of the charred rubble, then picked up a tiny sliver of burned wood with a bent nail hanging out of it.
“What are you doing?” Liam asked from where he was watching her.
“For the memory box,” she said, holding up the little piece of wood. “Can I have this?”
“I thought the memory box was for good memories,” he said softly.
“You let me in, and showed me your home, and told me the plan for the rebuild, and I met some of your Pack, and you stuck up for me, and Vic was kind of funny, even if he was super-naked, and we have a place to stay tonight, and Jackson can’t reach me here, and you kissed me in the truck, and you held my hand two times today, and maybe I found a friend. Who says this can’t be a good memory?”
The very corners of Liam’s lips curved up into the slightest smile, and he nodded. “Well, I guess you can keep it then.”
Chapter Eight
“Maybe I should go talk to him,” Nory said, watching Nate out the window as he chopped wood with a violence she didn’t understand. “Maybe if he knew me better, he wouldn’t hate this so much.”
“I don’t think it’s you,” Liam said from where he stood beside her, watching his Packmate slam an ax into another log on the chopping block. “I’ll talk to him. We’ll figure out something more permanent tomorrow. I can take the day off work, and we can go look at apartments for you.”
“Chh, I still have to figure out where I can get another four hundred dollars. I don’t have enough in my savings to break the lease.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Nory,” he rumbled, looking over at her. “I’ve got you.” And with that, he made his way out of the house and strode across the clearing toward Nate.
I’ve got you.Never in her life had she heard those words from a man. Those words didn’t happen for girls like her.
“They’ll be out there for a while,” a soft voice said from behind her.
When Nory turned around, Delta was standing there beside the stone fireplace. She looked like she felt awkward and rested her hand on the stones, then dropped it to her lap and fidgeted. “Sometimes their talks last an hour.”
“They’re friends?” she asked.
“None of this Pack are friends.” Delta looked at the kitchen and back at Nory. “Do you want something to eat? I can make macaroni and cheese for us. I mean, if you’re hungry.”
“Don’t you need meat?” she asked. “I Googled it, and the internet says werewolves live on a mostly-protein diet.”
Delta shrugged up her shoulders. “I don’t know how to cook very much. I was raised by a single dad. There’s macaroni, or I can add stuff to macaroni. I can put tuna in there.” Her voice faded to almost nothing at the end.
“You are such a relief,” Nory said, absorbing her energy.
Delta frowned slightly and then smiled. “Really?”
Nory nodded. “I’m an introvert. Loudness gets to me sometimes. You’re just…easy.”
Delta huffed a laugh and dropped her gaze, but Nory had seen it. There was a blush of pleasure in her cheeks.
“I can cook us something,” Nory offered. “We can take it to the boys when their talk winds down. A full belly will put them both in a better mood.”
“Oh, that’s way too much trouble, and you’ve clearly had a long day. You don’t have to do that.”
“Honestly? Cooking is my happy place.”
“Oh.” Delta moved toward the kitchen and took a seat on one of the two stools that sat under a ledge on the small island. “Do you mind if I watch?”
“I prefer it. Do you mind if I go through the fridge and pantry?”