Resisting my Roommate (Sycamore Falls #3)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ABBEY

“Are you going to tell me what happened between you and my brother?” Dylan asks as I pour a few lagers for a handful of golfers. “Or do I have to get you drunk to finally get you to come clean?”

“What are you talking about?” I ask dismissively, purposefully avoiding so much as stealing a glance in the direction of the brewhouse.

It’s been almost two weeks since the nursery incident, and I’ve spent every minute of them doing my best to avoid Jude.

Truthfully, it hasn’t been difficult.

He’s been just as eager to avoid me, spending his days locked away in the brewhouse and not coming home until long after I’ve already gone to bed. Hell, some days I’m not sure if he’s even come home. In fact, I’m certain he hasn’t, since I’ve shown up to work more than once, only to find him wearing the same clothes he wore the previous day.

I don’t know what hurts more — him telling me to find somewhere else to live or the fact that I feel like an intruder all over again. Like I don’t belong.

“I’m not stupid.” Dylan narrows her gaze on me. “Or blind. Up until last week, my brother was smiling. He was happy.”

I part my lips to argue, but she cuts me off.

“And I know it’s because of you,” she continues, her voice dropping.

“We’re not. We haven’t?—”

“I’m not saying you were sleeping together or anything, but he’s definitely been more tolerable. At least he was. Now he’s back to the way he used to be. Since all I’ve been able to get out of him are a few grunts mixed in with the occasional ‘fuck off’, I’ve decided to come to you instead.” Her expression softens with genuine concern. “What’s going on, Abbey?”

I stare at her for several long moments and chew on my bottom lip, unsure what to tell her.

Will she be just as upset about my actions as Jude was?

She’s the closest thing I have to a friend, and the idea of losing her because of this guts me. It’s one of the reasons I told Danielle I couldn’t get together for coffee this week.

But I don’t know how much longer I can carry this weight. I need to tell someone.

I look around to make sure none of the other servers are eavesdropping, then admit, “I found the nursery.”

My confession hangs in the air, echoing around me, drowning out the music playing in the background.

She straightens, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Based on her response, she knows exactly what room I’m talking about.

“You… How?”

I lick my lips before answering in a hushed tone, “I was cleaning and couldn’t find a mop, so I went upstairs to look in what I thought was a closet. But it wasn’t a closet.”

“It’s not,” she says with a hint of remorse. For what? Not warning me?

What would she have even said?

Hey, just so you know, don’t go into the closed room on the second floor because there’s an untouched nursery?

It wasn’t her job to warn me.

“Everything in there… It’s like time just stopped. I know I should have left the instant I realized what it was,” I add quickly in my defense. “I couldn’t help it. It was so…”

“Sad?” Dylan offers in understanding.

“Heartbreaking, Dylan. It was fucking heartbreaking.” I grab a dishrag and start to wipe down the bar in the hopes of distracting myself from the memory. I can only imagine how it must affect Jude.

“And let me guess… You mentioned it to him,” Dylan remarks, leaning against the counter and taking a sip of her water.

I slowly shake my head and lift my eyes to hers. “He found me in it.”

“Fuck…,” she exhales.

“He completely lost it, Dylan. I’ve never seen anyone so angry before. And then…”

“Yes?” She leans closer.

“He told me it was best if I found somewhere else to live. So that’s what I’ve been doing when I’m not here. Sitting in the library and using one of the computers there to search for a job and a short-term rental. There are a lot of vacation rentals around, but they’re all booked solid. I was able to get on a few waitlists. I guess a part of me is hoping to hear back about a job. It doesn’t make sense to go through the hassle of finding somewhere to live if I’m not staying. I’ve thought about taking what money I’ve saved and just...leaving. Maybe go to Reno while I figure out what’s next.”

“Do you want to leave?” She arches a brow.

That’s the million dollar question. One I haven’t been able to wrap my head around. Leaving is probably the smart thing to do. What makes the most sense. After all, I was only supposed to stay until I got back on my feet. Since I haven’t had to pay any rent or other bills, I’ve been able to save quite a bit of money.

But the idea of leaving this place and never seeing any of these people again makes my stomach knot.

“I… I don’t know,” I admit as I stare into space.

“Listen, Abbey…” Dylan steps toward me. “As much as I’d like to tell you the story behind that nursery and why seeing you in there set Jude off, it’s not mine to tell. It’s Jude’s. And Krista’s.”

“His ex?” I ask cautiously.

She nods solemnly.

“I saw her photo in the nursery. She’s very pretty.”

“You actually remind me of her.”

“I do?” I ask, unsure how to feel about that. Did Jude only show me the kindness he did because I remind him of his ex?

“She was incredibly optimistic, just like you. It didn’t matter how bad things got, she always looked on the bright side. But Jude…” She trails off. “He’s been through so much. That nursery? It’s part of it.”

“I was just starting to feel like I had a home here and now…” I trail off.

“You do have a home here.” She grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Jude’s just... He’s carrying a lot. Sometimes he doesn’t know how to handle it.”

“I get it. I do. Especially after seeing that nursery. But I don’t like feeling unwelcome, which is exactly how he’s made me feel.”

“Don’t give up just yet, okay?” She gives me an encouraging look. “He’ll come around. I know it. You just have to be patient. Plus, I really don’t want you to go.”

“Why? Because then you’ll have to work more hours at the taproom again?” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

“No. I mean, yes. There’s that.” She rolls her eyes.

Once I started working here, she only had to come in to cover a handful of shifts, giving her some much needed time to herself. Lately, however, more and more people have been calling out. Probably because they don’t want to deal with our moody boss.

“But that’s not the only reason I want you to stay.”

“It’s not?”

“You’re my friend.” She shrugs. “And I’d rather not lose my friend because of my idiot brother.”

Her words tug at something inside me. Maybe I don’t have a family, but in some weird way, I’ve started to build one here without even realizing.

“You won’t lose me,” I assure her. “No matter what, we’ll remain friends. Idiot brother or not.”

“Good.”

“On that note…” I place the beers I just poured onto a tray. “I should drop these off before they complain to the boss about slow service. He’s been impossible lately.”

“You’re telling me,” Dylan retorts.

Carefully balancing my tray, I head toward the patio and drop off the beers. After taking an order from a group of tourists who just sat down, I make my way back inside, purposefully looking anywhere other than the brewhouse.

Which is when someone stands from a nearby table, stepping in front of me.

“Excuse me.” I attempt to sidestep him.

But he wraps his hand around my arm, preventing me from doing so.

“What are?—”

The question on my tongue disappears as I peer into a pair of familiar blue eyes, sending my heart plummeting to the pit of my stomach.

And I thought today couldn’t get any worse.

I was wrong.