I don’t want to cry, but can’t help myself once I feel the warmth of his embrace.
After I manage to calm down a bit, he takes the seat beside me, picking up a toss pillow and smelling it. “What did you do to this place?”
“It needed my help. It’s the least I could do for still being here.”
“I never said I required payment.” I can’t help but notice he’s a bit more comfortable than he was earlier in the morning.
“I don’t like using people.” I peer down at my hands and notice they’re shaking, so I tuck them between my legs. “It’s just… I’ve sort of put myself in a terrible predicament. I kind of threatened Peter today after I learned Nick plans on leaving with him. I think I’ve only fueled him worse.”
Buck leans forward in the chair, spreading his legs apart and folding his overworked hands between them while giving me all of his attention.
I’m panicking, nervous and scared this is going to be a disaster.
Here’s the facts.
I’m about to be homeless.
I don’t have the funds for a new place, especially one that will require first and last months rent, and a security deposit, so my only option would be to sell the bar, since it’s all I have of value. There’s just one hiccup. The way it’s deeded to me states that it can’t be transferred to anyone outside of my family. It doesn’t say blood, but a relative by any nature.
With that information in mind, I know what I’d have to do, and sort of have an idea of what I’m about to ask, though I have absolutely no clue how this unpredictable man is going to take it. This isn’t a normal conversation, nor is it going to go well with a man who is too stubborn to move on and see what’s right in front of him.
Buck breaks my concentration with worried questions regarding my confrontation with Peter. “Did he come here? Were you able to speak to your parents?”
I shake my head, and find comfort knowing he’s concerned about me. It’s another reason I’ve always been interested in Buck. “No. It happened at the high school. He’s not going to leave town, not without Nick, and I’m afraid of what’s going to come next. He also said he wants our family back together. He’s gone mad. Poor Nick is being brainwashed. My own son thinks I’ve been keeping him from his father for selfish reasons. He resents me. He thinks Peter didn’t deserve to be in jail, and that I’m at fault for the whole ordeal. Can you believe that? I don’t know how to talk to him. I’m a wreck.” I’m fighting my emotions, hoping to keep it together so I’m able to have a serious conversation with this beautiful man I admire more by the second.
“Teenagers are hard to deal with. He’ll come around.”
“No he won’t, and now I’m probably going to need a place to stay on top of everything else.”
“That bad?”
“I’ve screwed up and said something I don’t know if I’ll be able to fix.” I toss up my hands for him to wait and hear me out. “Before you give your opinion, I want you to know I haven’t had a very long time to think about this. I’m at the end of my rope, Buck. I can’t remember ever feeling so threatened. Maybe I should taunt him so I can put him back behind bars where he belongs before he can take Nick somewhere I’ll never be able to visit.”
“Perry, I think that’s a terrible idea.” It’s funny that he keeps forgetting to call me by my first name, but for some reason I sort of like the difference from the way Peter says ALICE, like he’s there to rip me to shreds.
“I’d die before I let that bastard take my son from me, but Nick’s right. It’s not my decision.” I can’t hold back the tears. I’m terrified and broken.
“So, are you asking me for money? Are you planning on running? I can give you a ride if you don’t want to be seen in your car. I don’t have much of a savings, that’s why I was interested in the bar. I need something I can fall back on when I’m unable to do
After I manage to calm down a bit, he takes the seat beside me, picking up a toss pillow and smelling it. “What did you do to this place?”
“It needed my help. It’s the least I could do for still being here.”
“I never said I required payment.” I can’t help but notice he’s a bit more comfortable than he was earlier in the morning.
“I don’t like using people.” I peer down at my hands and notice they’re shaking, so I tuck them between my legs. “It’s just… I’ve sort of put myself in a terrible predicament. I kind of threatened Peter today after I learned Nick plans on leaving with him. I think I’ve only fueled him worse.”
Buck leans forward in the chair, spreading his legs apart and folding his overworked hands between them while giving me all of his attention.
I’m panicking, nervous and scared this is going to be a disaster.
Here’s the facts.
I’m about to be homeless.
I don’t have the funds for a new place, especially one that will require first and last months rent, and a security deposit, so my only option would be to sell the bar, since it’s all I have of value. There’s just one hiccup. The way it’s deeded to me states that it can’t be transferred to anyone outside of my family. It doesn’t say blood, but a relative by any nature.
With that information in mind, I know what I’d have to do, and sort of have an idea of what I’m about to ask, though I have absolutely no clue how this unpredictable man is going to take it. This isn’t a normal conversation, nor is it going to go well with a man who is too stubborn to move on and see what’s right in front of him.
Buck breaks my concentration with worried questions regarding my confrontation with Peter. “Did he come here? Were you able to speak to your parents?”
I shake my head, and find comfort knowing he’s concerned about me. It’s another reason I’ve always been interested in Buck. “No. It happened at the high school. He’s not going to leave town, not without Nick, and I’m afraid of what’s going to come next. He also said he wants our family back together. He’s gone mad. Poor Nick is being brainwashed. My own son thinks I’ve been keeping him from his father for selfish reasons. He resents me. He thinks Peter didn’t deserve to be in jail, and that I’m at fault for the whole ordeal. Can you believe that? I don’t know how to talk to him. I’m a wreck.” I’m fighting my emotions, hoping to keep it together so I’m able to have a serious conversation with this beautiful man I admire more by the second.
“Teenagers are hard to deal with. He’ll come around.”
“No he won’t, and now I’m probably going to need a place to stay on top of everything else.”
“That bad?”
“I’ve screwed up and said something I don’t know if I’ll be able to fix.” I toss up my hands for him to wait and hear me out. “Before you give your opinion, I want you to know I haven’t had a very long time to think about this. I’m at the end of my rope, Buck. I can’t remember ever feeling so threatened. Maybe I should taunt him so I can put him back behind bars where he belongs before he can take Nick somewhere I’ll never be able to visit.”
“Perry, I think that’s a terrible idea.” It’s funny that he keeps forgetting to call me by my first name, but for some reason I sort of like the difference from the way Peter says ALICE, like he’s there to rip me to shreds.
“I’d die before I let that bastard take my son from me, but Nick’s right. It’s not my decision.” I can’t hold back the tears. I’m terrified and broken.
“So, are you asking me for money? Are you planning on running? I can give you a ride if you don’t want to be seen in your car. I don’t have much of a savings, that’s why I was interested in the bar. I need something I can fall back on when I’m unable to do
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