Chapter 59
Sapphire
I carried Charlie out of the car, his small hand tight trouble. I smiled at him,
I hand tightly gripped in mine. His eyes, big and round, turned up to me with the worry of a little boy in
“Am I going to be grounded?” he asked in that soft, innocent voice of his, the one that always tugged at my heartstrings.
I shook my head, offering him a small smile. “No, you’re not going to be grounded, pumpkin. But you need to be more careful next time, okay? It is not okay to go around hitting others they rescued and get some things done.
He gave a quick nod, clearly relieved, and as soon as I opened the door to the apartment, he dared inside, brading straight for his room…
“Carefull” Tralled after him, laughing despite myself “You’ll trip over something mining like that.”
I closed the door behind me. locking it out of habit, and headed to the kitchen. It had been a long day, and I still had to get dinner ready for us. I didn’t have many go–to meals, but tonight fell like a steak and mashed potatoes kind of night, with a side of broccoli for good measure. Charlie duln’t always love his vegetables, but steamed broccoli with a bit of salt usually worked out okay
I started by peeling the potatoes, the repetitive motion of the prefer against the skin oddly calming. The sharp tang of the raw potatoes filled the air as I dropped them into the pot of boiling water. I grabbed the steaks from the fridge, seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and set them aside while I got the broccoli steaming
Talways liked cooking when the apartment was quiet like this. It gave ine time to think, to process the day, even if most of it was spent worrying about how to juzzle work, bills, and making sure Charlie was doing alright. He’d had a bit of a rough week at school for some reason, some argument with a kid in his class—but 1 hoped tonight would be a chance to relax and reset
Once the potatoes were tender, I drained them and began mashing them with butter, milk, and a dash of salt. I made sure they were fluffy, the way Charlie liked them, with no lumps. The steaks sizzled in the pan as I seared them, and the scent of cooking meat quickly filled the kitchen. The broccoli was steaming gently on the side, its vibrant green color making the whole meal feel just a line healthier. I set the plates on the table. along with two forks and glasses of water, just as the timer for the steaks went off. They were perfectly medium–rare the way 1 liked them, though I’d rat Charlie’s into smaller pieces so they’d be easier for him to manage
I was just about to sit down and call him for dinner when the doorbell rang
I frowned, staring at the door. Nobody visited me. I wasn’t exactly a social butterfly: I kept to myself mostly, by chinier. I had Charlie and my job and that was enough. The sudden ring had caught me off guard.
Wiping my hands on a dish towel, I walked to the door, my heart picking up speed with every step. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and the thought of an urumunced guest was unsettling. Topened the door slowly, my curiosity and unease battling for dominance.
Lealstood there, her shoulders slightly hunched, her eyes red and puffy like she’d been crying for hours. She looked unsure, besitant, as if the wasn’t sure whether the belonged there or not.
For a second, I couldn’t process the sight of her. Leah Here. Of all people. It had been of
best terms, either. And yet, here she was, standing on my doorstep
She spoke first, her voice trembling. “Am I am welcome here!”
Lopened my arms wide, wable to stop mysell. “Of course, you’re welcome. Leah.”
over a year since I’d last seen her. We hadn’t parted on the
She didn’t need more of an invitation. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around me tightly, and I felt her tears spill on my shoulder. She sobbed quietly, her face pressed mia my hair, her body trembling as she held on to me like she was afraid I’d let go.
“I missed you” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I messed you so much
*1 missed you too,” I said, my own voice barely above a whisper. And I had. Despite everything, despite the silence and the time apart, I had missed her more than 1 cared to admit.
After a few moments, she pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. I stepped aside and motioned for her to come in
Leah glanced around as she entered, taking in the modest apartment. She ran her hand over the back of the wom our couch her eyes darting toward the small, cozy kitchen where I’d been cooking. I could see her trying to reconcile this version of my life with the one she’d known before.
“This is nice,” she said softly, though I could tell she was being polite. There wasn’t much to marvel at. My apartment was small, lived in, but functional. It wasn’t fancy by any stretch, but it was home.
“Thanks” I replied, feeling a litle awkward. “It works for us
Leah nodded, her eyes drifting toward the kitchen table, set for two. “I didn’t mean to smernupt dinner.”
“You’re not interrupting.” I said quickly. “We haven’t even started yet. Charlie’s in his room.” I motioned for her to sit down. “Do you want to join
She hesitated, her eyes flicking toward the door like she was unsure whether she should stay or go. “I don’t want to intrude..”
“You’re not,” Lassured her. “Really. Stay. Lean set another place for you.”
She smiled weakly, but the relief was evident in her eyes. “Okay. If you’re mire”
Im sure the Montana
Chupter 39
I wrist hack to the kitchen, quickly grabbing another plate and setting it on the table. Charlie would be thrilled to see her. He’d always loved Leah, even though he hadn’t seen her in what felt like forever.
Thave told him all sorts of stories even when he was in the swimming pool.
As I set the extra plate down, Leah sat at the table, looking more at ease than when she’d first arrived. I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Despite
everything, it felt good to have her here.
I missed my best girl so much.
1521 D
