work—a full shift, I might add, because my boss is an asshole—Kassandra offered to go with me to the police station. She suggested we stop at the hardware store to buy a piece of plywood to place over the window, until I can get it fixed. Which is smart, considering I didn’t even think that far ahead. Hell, I haven’t even called my parents and told them what happened. Knowing them, they’ll be on the first flight here.
“Right? He’s being completely unreasonable, all because I turned him down.”
“I knew the guy was a douche, but shit, he’s taking it to a whole new level. Want to know what’s even worse? Lucy is so blinded by her love for him, she was bragging all morning about how he spent the night with her last night. Does she not realize she’s his second choice?”
I heave a deep sigh, as we finish propping up the board, using an obscene amount of duct tape, so it stays shielded over the shattered window.
“God, I feel so bad for Lucy. She has an amazing guy at the clinic who would literally hang the moon for her, and she doesn’t even notice him, because she’s so hung up on Travis.”
For the next hour, Kassandra stays with me and helps me clean up the mess that was left from yesterday. She offers to stay the night with me, but I politely decline. Even though the thought of staying in my home, by myself, scares the absolute shit out of me, I can’t rely on her to make me feel safe.
“You know you don’t have to walk me to my car, right?” she says, amusement tinging her tone, as we pad down the porch steps.
I laugh. “I know, but seeing as my house was just broken into, for no apparent reason, only a day ago, I’d say it’s a necessary precaution.”
“You’re a good person, Olivia. I’m sorry about the house, and I’m sorry about Travis being such an ass.”
“Thanks, Kassandra. It hasn’t always been easy for me to make friends, so I appreciate you more than you know.”
She grins, pulling me in for a hug, before she climbs into her car and drives off. I stand there, watching the taillights of her car, until they disappear down the bend in the road. Turning toward the house next door, I notice all the lights are still off at Roman’s. I planned on stopping by and talking to him about yesterday and telling him about the station visit, but, by the looks of it, I’m not sure he’s even home. Deciding to give knocking a try, I cross our lawns and ring his doorbell. Surprisingly, I don’t even hear Max’s barking, only complete silence on the other side of the door.
Blowing out a sigh, I head back home. I’m just walking up the steps to the front porch, when bright lights illuminate the street. I squint, expecting it to be the bright headlight of a motorcycle, but instead it’s two.
The truck that stops in front of my house has my gut clenching, and when I see who steps out, the color drains from my face.
“Travis?”
“Hey,” he says, slamming his truck door behind him, closing the distance between us. He stuffs his hands into his pockets, his gaze trailing up and down my body.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier. Also, I know you said you were scared to stay here, so I thought I could offer to stay with you. Just to make sure you’re okay.”
I jerk back, as if he slapped me. This man’s mood swings are beginning to give me whiplash.
What the hell is he thinking?
I glance around the quiet neighborhood, skittishly, before I force a thick swallow, glancing back at him.
“Look, Travis, I appreciate the apology, and I appreciate you coming down here, but…you can’t do this. You can’t just show up at my house in the middle of the night. You can’t come onto me at work and treat me like crap because I don’t reciprocate.”
His lips thin into a grim line, but other than that, his face remains impassive, as if what I’ve expressed doesn’t bother him one bit. “Is this about the neighbor? If you would just forget about him—”
“Ugh!” I growl, raking my hands through my hair, finally past my breaking point. After the past two shitty days I’ve had, I don’t want to deal with this. “Would you drop it already? I feel nothing for my neighbor,