by Marie Harte
Behind him, Cash cleared his throat.
Smith glared at him over his shoulder, but Cash raised a brow, looking from Erin to Smith. “Fuck. Fine. Erin, this is Cash. Cash, Erin. He’s Reid’s brother.”
“Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.” Erin sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Smith, put me down.” He did, and she held out a hand to Cash.
Cash shook it and smiled, the soft expression odd on his normally frowning face. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you too. I heard about you from Reid, but my other brother here hasn’t said much.” Cash smirked. “Tough to deny how much you look like me, little man.”
“Oh, I’ll give you a little man,” Smith growled and took a step in his direction.
Erin stopped him by putting a hand to his chest. She stared between them. “Wow. You guys really do look alike. I’m so glad you came,” she said to Cash. “Tilly means a lot to me and Smith.”
“We were on the job when he got the call. But the asshole left too quick for me to catch up. We both got stuck in traffic, but I picked him up from the accident and—”
“Accident?” Erin turned and looked Smith over, running her hands over him. “Are you okay? What happened?”
He felt both embarrassed and thrilled that she fussed. “I’m fine.” He ignored Cash’s amusement. “Some drunk hit my car, or I’d have been here sooner. Sorry for that.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” She drew him down for a kiss he was happy to give her. “Let’s go get something to eat, and I’ll tell you what happened.”
In the cafeteria, the three of them sat and ate a late lunch.
“I was bringing Tilly her supper for later, but she wasn’t home. And I remembered I had laundry to do. But after I threw my load in, I saw her cane by the bathroom door. She’d fallen and hurt herself in the bathroom but couldn’t move on her own to get help. That’s when I texted you for the keys.”
“Damn. Good thing you were there,” Cash said.
“Yes.” She shivered, and Smith put his arm around her, not liking how sad and tired she looked.
“So, what’s Tilly’s deal?” Smith asked.
“The doctor took her for X-Rays, but I haven’t heard back if her hip’s broken or just bruised. Her pain isn’t so bad, according to Tilly. Then again, she didn’t want to be here, so she could be covering up how much it hurts. The good news is she seems in good health except for the hip.”
“I want to talk to her.”
“You should. She’ll listen to you.” Erin gripped his hand on the table.
He finished off his burger but refused to let her go. And he knew Cash saw it, though the guy made no mention of it.
They made small talk about work when Erin asked them about it. And they even got her to laugh a little. When she excused herself to use the restroom, Smith waited for the comments.
Cash just looked at him.
“What?”
Cash shrugged. “Erin seems nice.”
“She is.”
“And this Tilly. She’s your landlady, but you seem to be friends with her too.”
“So what?” Smith felt as if Cash were trying to corner him into admitting something.
“So, when you got that call, your face turned white, and you ran like a motherfucker for your truck. I knew something bad had happened. I didn’t know what.”
“Your point?”
Cash gave an awkward shrug. “I don’t know. I’m just curious about the old lady, I guess. How long have you known her?”
It felt weird to talk about Tilly with Cash, though Smith didn’t know why. “Look, she gives me a heck of a deal on my rent, and I do repairs around the building. It’s no big deal.”
“She means something to you.”
“So?”
“Nothing. I just… that’s cool. I’m sorry she got hurt is all.”
“Okay.” They watched each other warily.
“Ah, if something happens to you, do you have, like, an emergency contact person?” Cash asked. “You had to have fill that out on your application form.”
“I don’t remember.” No. He had no one.
“Well, I mean, something like this happens to you, you might need to put someone down.”
“I should add Erin’s name then, I guess.” Would she mind? Would that be presumptuous on his part?
“Sure, sure.” Cash tapped is fingers on the table, jumpy.
Smith frowned. “You okay? You seem kind of wired.”
Cash scowled. “I’m fine. I was just going to say you could put my number or Reid’s down, you know, in case you needed to let someone know you needed help.”
Smith froze. “Why?”
“Why else, asswipe? For an emergency contact. You know, you’re dying or some shit, and you need to let someone know.” Cash’s eyes glittered. “It’s not a big deal. Something happens, you need someone to water your plants or pick up your car or mail or some crap like that, you have someone to help.”
“You have Reid.”
Cash nodded. “And Jordan. Evan and Aunt Jane too.” His eyes narrowed. “Did you call her back yet? Aunt Jane thinks you don’t like her.”
“What?” Smith blinked. “That’s not true.”
“So, go have breakfast with her. Don’t be a douche. She’s old and has feelings.”
“I’m old and have feelings,” Smith muttered. “Why can’t I just keep to myself?”
Cash sighed. Loudly. “Look, dickbag, you have family now. You need to learn you have emergency contacts, people to hang out with, dinners to go to. You know, responsibilities.”
Smith cracked a smile. “Seriously? You’re giving me a speech about being responsible and family oriented? Okay, Dad. What’s next on our afterschool special?”
“You are such a fuckhead.” Cash called on his patience—Smith could see him trying to be nice and had to laugh at the guy’s effort. “I can’t help that you grew up without anyone. I had Reid; he had me. And though we never really thought about it, we could have had Evan and Aunt Jane too. Sucks that you had nobody, that Meg fucked you over. But man, now you have people. Looks like Tilly’s special, and for damn sure you have Erin. Dude, she was clinging to you like a burr.”
“So what? I like her.”
“Exactly. And she likes you. You want to be pathetic and all needy with her? Or do you want to show her you have friends and can be social? Because most chicks seem to like social guys.”
“Must be hell for you, eh?”
Cash groaned. “You have no idea. Reid and Evan are great with people. I think people suck.”
“They do.”
“Yeah. But the Vets on the Go! gang are okay. I mean, I love Jordan, and Naomi’s cool. She liked Erin a lot.”
“That’s a no-brainer. Erin’s easy to like.”
“I can see that.”
Smith frowned. “You look pretty damn smug about something. What?”
Cash watched him for a moment, then said, “I wasn’t kidding about Aunt Jane. She’s really nice, and for some reason she likes you a lot. It could just as easily have been her in here, breaking a hip. Life is short, bro. Don’t waste the time you have.” Cash stood and stretched. “I have to get back. I’m thinking you can get a ride home with Erin.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay then.” Cash took a step and stopped. “In case it’s not obvious to you yet, brainless, ask Erin to go with you to Aunt Jane’s. Take your girl to your aunt’s house and make everyone happy. Aunt Jane gets to see you, Erin feels special since you invited her to meet family, and I don’t get nagged anymore to talk to you about how much you’re hurting one of the kindest, gentlest women on the planet.” He glared.
Smith rolled his eyes. “You are so dramatic. Fine. I’ll call her and set something up. Okay?”
Cash’s dark expression vanished. “Great. Thanks.” He left without another word.
Smith stared after him, confused.
Erin rejoined him. “Everything good?”
He patted the seat next to him. “
It is now. What the hell? I thought you’d fallen in.”
She blushed and scowled. “First of all, you do not ask a lady what she was doing in the bathroom.”
“But you’re no lady,” he teased.
She grinned. “No, I’m not, am I?”
“You look pretty happy about that. What am I missing?”
She ignored the question. “Secondly, I saw you two sitting together and figured you needed time to talk. So, I got a coffee.” She held up a cup he hadn’t noticed. “Everything okay? Cash seemed nice.”
“He’s an asshole,” he said bluntly. “But he was okay. Was giving me a ration of crap about listing him or Reid as my emergency contact people.”
Her eyes widened. “You know, that’s a great idea. And me. Put my number down.” She paused. “Would it be okay if I listed you in my phone as an emergency contact?” She flushed. “I have my mom and dad down, but they’re kind of far.”
“Stupid question. Of course.” He took her phone from her and plugged in the info. Then he did the same to his phone with her number. When finished, he saw her watching him. “You okay?”
“Today, all I could think was that you’d come and make everything better.” She didn’t seem pleased about that. Instead she seemed…worried. “Is that a lot to live up to?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Is that an unrealistic expectation? I mean, I don’t want you to have to make my world right. It’s just, you’re always so strong and capable. Do you feel like I’m pushing you to be something you’re not?”
“Where the hell is this coming from?”
Erin looked sad and worried, and that fear triggered his own. Did he do something wrong? Had he failed her in some way?
Afraid of Tilly being hurt, he’d had a mini panic attack on his drive over, freaked the fuck out that she might die and leave him alone. Smith didn’t know how he’d handle Tilly not being there. For all that he’d only come to know her the past eight months, Tilly felt like family. He liked her, damn it. And he wanted her to be around. She gave as good as she got, and she never minded if he was crabby or late or just quiet.
And now he had Erin, a woman who made his heart sing. He liked being with her more than anything. He didn’t feel the need to imagine himself as better than he was, because around Erin he felt as big and strong as his heroes. She made him feel that away.
When she’d mentioned getting closure with Cody, fear had nearly stolen his ability to speak. He didn’t want her getting back together with the loser. Knowing she had history with the guy she’d once loved, he didn’t want her seeing him or talking to him. Not until Smith could convince her that she would never find anyone better than Smith Ramsey at her side.
He needed time to woo her, to get her to want to accept his key as more than a means to use his kitchen, but as a step to moving in together. To being a permanent couple.
He’d thought about it a lot. He’d never had a woman matter so much to him. In just a few short weeks, she’d come to mean so much.
He forced himself to sound calm. “Erin, I don’t understand.”
* * *
Neither did she. Erin knew she shouldn’t have mentioned anything, not now, with Tilly in the hospital and them both on edge. But fear for Tilly, needing Smith so badly, and her talk with Cody had scrambled her thought processes. And now she felt like an idiot.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean anything by it. I just don’t want to be a burden. And today, I kind of felt like I need you a lot more than you need me.”
“That’s bullshit,” he said, his voice so low she had to lean closer to hear him. “You’re fucking awesome. I love being with you, and I’d be with you more if you didn’t freak out so much at us being together.”
“What? That’s not true.”
“You looked like a startled deer when I handed you my key. I knew if I moved the wrong way, you’d take off on me.” He sighed. “I’m happy when you’re with me. I’m glad you found Tilly when you did. She was in shock. She could have died, you know.” He glanced away, cleared his throat, and continued. “I don’t know how it happened, but I care for the old bat. Don’t tell her I said that.”
She felt so much for him right now, seeing him vulnerable. “I won’t.”
“I want to see her as soon as we can. You know, to let her know not to worry about anything.”
She loved him so much right now. “Because you’ll take care of the place.”
“Yeah. She just needs to work on getting better.”
“Speaking of work, are you in trouble for leaving early?”
“Nah. And I have off tomorrow, so I can stick around and do whatever she needs. Or you need. I know you were working today. I hope this didn’t put you behind.”
Cody hadn’t appreciated her job, since she didn’t go to an office to work and didn’t make much money. The job fulfilled her financial needs and satisfied her independence. Smith talked about her editing and cooking as if they really mattered. They did, but that he recognized it showed her he knew how hard she worked.
“Thanks, I’m good.” She kissed him, a soft gesture of thanks. Of love. “I’ll be glad you’ll be home though. I miss you when you’re gone.”
“Me too.” He smiled, his expression lighter than it had been. “I’d like you to be with me tonight and tomorrow. When you’re not working, I mean. You always rush away to work in your apartment. I don’t mind if you do your edits at my place.”
She searched his gaze. “Are you sure?”
He sighed. “You always do this. Yes, I’m sure. If I didn’t want you over, I’d tell you. I don’t hold much back, you know.”
She grinned, relieved. “That’s true.” Cody might have been too worried about hurting her feelings to tell her the truth. But Smith didn’t seem to have the same hang-ups. “But if you ever—”
“Yeah, yeah. If I ever feel like you’re over too much, I’ll kick your ass out. I got it.”
“Good.”
He leaned closer and confided, “Here’s what I want to happen. I go in and see Tilly, make sure she’s okay and find out what she needs me to handle. Then you and I grab something to eat on the way home, so you don’t have to fix dinner. I love your food, but I figure it’s been a long day, and you’re probably tired.”
“Good idea.” Though she loved to cook, sometimes Erin needed a break.
“Then we get naked, get clean—because I’ve been moving shit all damn day—and fuck. I want you under me tonight. I need you, Erin.”
She heard something in his voice, saw it in his eyes, and prayed she hadn’t imagined the care there. She nodded, mute, and let him take her hand.
Back in the waiting room, she saw Rupert, Willie, and two other people she didn’t recognize. One of them, a pretty blond woman, stood with Rupert. The other, a tall, menacing looking man covered in tattoos, stood behind her. Smith had already left Erin to talk to someone at the main desk.
Rupert frowned, his eyes worried. “Aunt Tilly isn’t doing so well, huh?”
“She’ll be okay.” Erin patted him on the shoulder, then explained to him and the others what had happened.
Willie grunted. “Good thing you were there. She coulda died.”
“Willie,” the intimidating man said. “Jesus, go easy.”
The blond with him shook her head. “She didn’t die, and she’ll be just fine, Rupert.”
“Right. Right.” He clasped Willie’s hand in his. “Besides, no way my Aunt Tilly dies in some bathroom in the basement. She’ll either be robbing a bank or shacked up with some man forty years her junior. She’s got style.”
Willie laughed. “Sounds about right.”
The woman and man exchanged an amused glance.
Rupert seemed to realize he hadn’t made introductions. “Sorry. Erin, this is the gal I wanted you to meet. Ivy, this is Tilly’s friend, Erin. And that lug behind Ivy is Sam, her boyfriend.”
Sam nodded but remained quiet. Ivy greeted Erin as if they were old frie
nds. She had kind eyes and a firm handshake.
“Oh, sorry.” She lightened her grip. “I’m a massage therapist. Sometimes I forget I’m not at work.”
“That sounds interesting.” Erin smiled. “I edit for agriculture magazines, and I have an independent cooking show I’m trying to get off the ground.”
“Oh, food. We should talk recipes.” Ivy lead her away from Rupert, Willie, and Sam, who started talking about dogs to rescue. “Sorry. When they get started on dog and cat talk, I sometimes need a break. But I wasn’t kidding about recipes. Sam eats a lot, and I’m always looking for new things to make him.”
She glanced over at her man and smiled, and Erin saw the love pass between them. “Oh, I want that. That look where you just smile and know you have each other.”
Ivy glance over at Smith, who had kept his eye on Erin. “I don’t know. Seems like you have your own giant watching over you.” Smith gave Sam an unfriendly glare, but Sam didn’t see it, focused on an argument with Willie.
“Ignore his death glares,” Erin apologized for him. “It’s been a rough day. And when he thought something had happened to Tilly, Smith kind of freaked.”
“Smith? That’s his first or last name?”
“First.” Erin grinned. “Everything about him is a little bit different. I like it. I like him.”
“I’d say he likes you too.” Ivy chuckled. “He must be the boyfriend Rupert thought you made up.”
“He said that?”
“Yeah. But I wouldn’t blame you. I met Rupert and Willie through Sam. They’re all an acquired taste,” she said with humor and affection. “Rupert mentioned you’re new to town and trying to meet new friends.”
Erin flushed. “Why do I feel like a kid whose mom tries to set her up on a playdate?”
Ivy laughed. “That’s about right. But don’t worry. I get it. It can’t be easy to come to the city all alone.”
“Yeah. I’m over the ex-boyfriend. Rupert no doubt told you about that?”
“He did. I can have Sam go beat him up if you want.”
Erin was pretty sure Ivy was kidding. “That’s okay. It’s all I can do to keep my guy from rearraigning his face.”