castle early due to the high winds.
We try to make it quick, but this place beckons for you to stay and explore as long as possible. We start around the edges and work our way in, walking along the perfectly groomed lawns that lead toward the remains of the buildings. Surprisingly, visitors are allowed in the buildings, even though they look like they’re about to crumble on you.
Kayla has her phone out as we walk, taking pictures of everything. At one point the wind whips her scarf off and I manage to snatch it out of the air before it blows over to the sea.
“Let’s go inside,” I tell her, loud enough to be heard over the wind and roaring waves, just as her phone rings.
She nods, staring down at the screen. She grimaces and looks up at me with wide eyes. I can barely hear her. “It’s about the job!”
I swallow, my heart thudding a few beats as she answers the call, plugging up her other ear with her finger. I can only hope that this is good news – Kayla really has had her heart set on the writing position. I know that even without it, she’ll find something else and with Ruff Love, there are always work opportunities. She’ll be more than okay. But obviously I want her happy above anything.
I watch as she walks away from me and under the crumbling stone doorway into the nearest building. She keeps her back to me, walking past a family who are peering at a map in the dimness. She keeps walking until she reaches a wall and then nods a few times.
Even though the wind is kept out of the castle walls, I still can’t hear her very well. I stay back though, not wanting to intrude when she’s talking about a private matter, even though I want her to know I’m there for her.
Finally she hangs up the phone, slowly sliding it into her coat pocket, and from the way her shoulders fall, I know it’s not good news. She didn’t get it.
“Kayla,” I say gently, even though I’m not sure she can hear me. I go over to her, hovering at her back briefly before placing my hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She nods and I hear her sniff. It bloody breaks my heart already. She then turns around and though she isn’t crying, her eyes are soft and wavering.
“That, uh,” she says quietly. She clears her throat. “That was 24 Hours. I didn’t get the job.”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her, trying to pull her into a hug, though her body is stiff. “I know how much you wanted it.”
“Yeah,” she says with a sigh, nodding against me.
“But you know you’ll be okay, right? You know that. I’ll take care of you.”
Obviously I’ve said the wrong thing because she stiffens up even more and pulls back.
“I don’t need you to take care of me,” she snaps. “I needed that job.”
I can only nod. I hate feeling hopeless around her. More than that, I hate that she’s worrying and fretting about something she doesn’t need to. Her pride is just as strong as mine is, which is both a blessing and a curse. Times like this though, I wish she’d give in. Just a little. There’s nothing shameful about taking help when it’s offered to you, especially when it comes from someone who loves you, who only wants what’s best. Fuck, it took me a long time to grapple with that fact myself and it wasn’t until I saw that Kayla and Brigs had the best intentions for my own sake that I knew what I had to do to help myself.
“I know,” I tell her. “They’re complete wankers for not hiring you.”
She manages to give me a faint smile. She always smiles when I use that word. But the smile quickly fades and she shakes her head, walking past me and through the cold, damp ruins of the castle.
I follow, grabbing her hand, letting her know I’m there for her. She keeps walking, as if leading me and we wind our way through the structure in silence. The wind outside is picking up and I’m about to mention that maybe we should make our way back to the car when she suddenly grabs me as we turn a corner, pulling
We try to make it quick, but this place beckons for you to stay and explore as long as possible. We start around the edges and work our way in, walking along the perfectly groomed lawns that lead toward the remains of the buildings. Surprisingly, visitors are allowed in the buildings, even though they look like they’re about to crumble on you.
Kayla has her phone out as we walk, taking pictures of everything. At one point the wind whips her scarf off and I manage to snatch it out of the air before it blows over to the sea.
“Let’s go inside,” I tell her, loud enough to be heard over the wind and roaring waves, just as her phone rings.
She nods, staring down at the screen. She grimaces and looks up at me with wide eyes. I can barely hear her. “It’s about the job!”
I swallow, my heart thudding a few beats as she answers the call, plugging up her other ear with her finger. I can only hope that this is good news – Kayla really has had her heart set on the writing position. I know that even without it, she’ll find something else and with Ruff Love, there are always work opportunities. She’ll be more than okay. But obviously I want her happy above anything.
I watch as she walks away from me and under the crumbling stone doorway into the nearest building. She keeps her back to me, walking past a family who are peering at a map in the dimness. She keeps walking until she reaches a wall and then nods a few times.
Even though the wind is kept out of the castle walls, I still can’t hear her very well. I stay back though, not wanting to intrude when she’s talking about a private matter, even though I want her to know I’m there for her.
Finally she hangs up the phone, slowly sliding it into her coat pocket, and from the way her shoulders fall, I know it’s not good news. She didn’t get it.
“Kayla,” I say gently, even though I’m not sure she can hear me. I go over to her, hovering at her back briefly before placing my hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She nods and I hear her sniff. It bloody breaks my heart already. She then turns around and though she isn’t crying, her eyes are soft and wavering.
“That, uh,” she says quietly. She clears her throat. “That was 24 Hours. I didn’t get the job.”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her, trying to pull her into a hug, though her body is stiff. “I know how much you wanted it.”
“Yeah,” she says with a sigh, nodding against me.
“But you know you’ll be okay, right? You know that. I’ll take care of you.”
Obviously I’ve said the wrong thing because she stiffens up even more and pulls back.
“I don’t need you to take care of me,” she snaps. “I needed that job.”
I can only nod. I hate feeling hopeless around her. More than that, I hate that she’s worrying and fretting about something she doesn’t need to. Her pride is just as strong as mine is, which is both a blessing and a curse. Times like this though, I wish she’d give in. Just a little. There’s nothing shameful about taking help when it’s offered to you, especially when it comes from someone who loves you, who only wants what’s best. Fuck, it took me a long time to grapple with that fact myself and it wasn’t until I saw that Kayla and Brigs had the best intentions for my own sake that I knew what I had to do to help myself.
“I know,” I tell her. “They’re complete wankers for not hiring you.”
She manages to give me a faint smile. She always smiles when I use that word. But the smile quickly fades and she shakes her head, walking past me and through the cold, damp ruins of the castle.
I follow, grabbing her hand, letting her know I’m there for her. She keeps walking, as if leading me and we wind our way through the structure in silence. The wind outside is picking up and I’m about to mention that maybe we should make our way back to the car when she suddenly grabs me as we turn a corner, pulling
Similar Books
