Hard to Handle (Caine Cousins #2)(28)

Wolfe swatted her on the butt, making her yelp before she trotted up the steps toward Reagan. The woman’s eyes scanned the two rocking chairs, but she didn’t say anything, for which Reagan was grateful.

Figuring Lynx didn’t have anything else to say, and certainly nothing that could be said in front of his cousin, Reagan followed Amy into the house.

“I … uh… Are you gonna sell the house?” she asked, blurting the words out quickly. Like ripping a Band-Aid off.

“Actually,” Amy said, turning to face her, “I was thinkin’ maybe you could stay here. I really don’t want to sell it, but I don’t want it to sit empty, either.”

Reagan nodded, trying to play it cool although the relief she felt was fierce. “Of course.”

“If you could cover the utilities, I won’t charge rent if you could … uh … maintain it.”

Reagan smiled. She liked Amy. A lot. She considered her a friend, even if they hadn’t spent a lot of time together.

“Absolutely,” she assured Amy. “I can even mow the yard.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m the one who should be thankin’ you,” Reagan assured her.

“And if you want to move into the master bedroom … I was … uh … gonna leave my bed here.”

Reagan grinned. She’d slept in Amy’s bed a few times when the futon became too much for her tired body to deal with, but she’d felt weird about it.

“I just might do that.”

Amy peered around the room. “And feel free to decorate however you like. Consider it … uh … your place now.”

“Are you sure about this?” Reagan asked, sobering somewhat. “Not that I’m questionin’ how you feel about Wolfe and Rhys, it’s just…” She knew the hell Amy had been through, had heard the story more than once, and it still resonated with her.

“I’m sure.” Her tone was wispy, like a girl in love. “I know I haven’t known them long, but…”

“It feels right,” Reagan filled in for her. “Don’t need to convince me, Amy. I got your back.”

Amy smiled and the next thing Reagan knew, Amy was hugging her. “Thank you, Reagan.”

“For what?” she asked, confused.

“For being my friend.”

Tears welled in her eyes at the sound of Amy’s voice. The woman sounded pained, as though she never thought she would have friends. Reagan could relate somewhat. Sure, she had friends in Embers Ridge, but she’d isolated herself from most people because of Billy. She’d been embarrassed about their relationship, about the fact that she didn’t love him but stuck around and put up with his shit. And he had treated her like shit, not caring who knew.

“Like I said, I’m the one who should be thankin’ you,” Reagan replied softly. “And if you ever need anything, you know where to find me.”

Amy pulled back and grinned. “At Lynx’s house?”

Reagan rolled her eyes. “Definitely not. We’re just friends.”

It was obvious Amy didn’t buy that line, but whatever.

“Okay, then. I guess I’ll grab … a few things.”

Reagan had been over every square inch of the house multiple times, mostly when she got bored and had nothing else to do. Amy didn’t have much of anything in the house. Some secondhand furniture, clothes, toiletries, a few plastic dishes in the cupboard, a mop and broom, and one cheap vacuum cleaner. There weren’t any trinkets decorating the walls, no pictures. Reagan hadn’t gone snooping or anything, but she didn’t think Amy even had jewelry of any kind. Granted, Amy had more material things than Reagan owned, but it still wasn’t much. She could probably load everything in Wolfe’s truck right now if she really wanted to.

“I’m leaving the furniture and all that stuff,” Amy said as she turned toward the bedroom. “If you decide you don’t want it…”

“It’s perfect,” Reagan called after her. “I promise, I won’t throw anything away.”

Amy reappeared in the doorway. “Seriously, Reagan, I want you to feel like this is your home, not mine. So … do whatever you want.”

Reagan nodded curtly. “I will.” She met Amy’s gaze. “And thank you. Really.”

Amy would never truly understand what she’d done for Reagan. Giving her a place to stay was more than Reagan had ever had before. She had thought about leaving Billy a million times, but the idea of living with her mother and her grandfather had made her cringe. She loved them, but her grandfather wasn’t known for his kindness and her mother did not support her breaking up with Billy in the first place. Amy’s offer had been the swift kick in the pants that Reagan had needed to finally move on with her life, something she’d ached to do for so long.

Sure, she could’ve gone to live with her brother when she finally left Billy, but she knew Rhys. He was her big brother and he was overprotective at times. More so since their father had died. Her brother would’ve given her a hard time, and Reagan was tired of being under someone’s thumb all the time.

For the first time in her life, she actually felt … free.





12


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