“Thankfully, my sisters’ tuition had already been paid. But Mum came back with nowhere to live, and nothing to her name.”
“Fucking hell. What an asshole.”
I nod, unable to do anything but agree. “We found my mum a flat, and my sisters moved in with her to save on their own rent. Then debt collector letters started appearing for credit cards and loans Dad had taken out in Mum’s name.” I blow out a breath as I remember the devastation on her face when she admitted just how many there were. “I came over here for a couple of weeks to get away. Things were already hard, and finding out all that about my parents didn’t really help. I’d already left London, and then I found the studio here and things just started falling into place. My boss, Zach, he’s always looking to expand his empire, and when I sent him the details, he bought it without even visiting. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and here I am.”
“You left your mum and sisters behind?” Guilt twists my stomach that they’re in London, fighting daily. But my reality isn’t much better.
“Yeah,” I admit sadly. “I was already living miles away and unable to visit much. I earn more here, so although I’m in a different country, I’m able to help more by sending more back to help dig my mum out of the debt she’s drowning in.”
“Corey,” she says softly, her head tilting to the side. “You’re sending everything back to them, aren’t you?”
“Everything I can, yeah.”
Putting her knife and fork down, she pushes from her chair and walks toward me. Seeing her intention, I push my own chair back and allow her the space she needs to drop down onto my lap.
“Thank you,” she says, placing her palm on my rough cheek and looking into my eyes.
I shake my head slightly. “Believe it or not, that’s the least dramatic part of what I left behind.” Her eyes widen at my admission, but she doesn’t ask. I knew she wouldn’t.
“You’re pretty amazing. You know that?”
“Nah. I’m just trying to do right by my family while trying to run from my nightmares.”
She leans forward, resting her forehead against mine. “Your mum must be so proud of you.”
Forcing her to look up, I find her eyes full of unshed tears. “Yours too,” I whisper so quietly that I’m unsure if she heard me until a sob erupts from her throat.
“Shit. I’m sorry.” She’s up and off my lap before I have a chance to pull her back.
“Harlow, it’s okay. You don’t have to—”
“Just give me a minute.” Before I know what’s going on, she’s disappeared toward the bathroom and left me alone with my thoughts.
She’s the first person aside from Zach that I’ve properly explained any of that to. When I told Zach, I was in the middle of dealing with it all and trying to get Mum moved. But telling Harlow just then was so easy. I have no idea if it’s because the dust has settled and my life right now is normal, or if it’s her. Part of me wants to tell her the rest, the things that keep me up at night, but I doubt those words will come as easily.
After only a few minutes, she returns and drops into her seat.
“So I guess that helps to explain this place,” she says, taking the heat off her.
“I haven’t really had the time or effort to deal with this place. I’ve lived and breathed the studio since I got here. This has been forgotten. I just turn up to sleep, really.”
“It’s a nice place. And I love that you can see the ocean.”
“Definite perk,” I agree, returning my focus to dinner.
Chapter Twenty
Harlow
Corey snores lightly behind me with his hand resting possessively on my hip, but my head is spinning, and I know I’ve got no chance of shutting off any time soon.
My own memories from our conversation flick in and out of my mind along with his reality. No wonder this place is what it is, and why he was so behind on his rent. He’s literally sending every penny he earns back to his mom. The second the words were out of his mouth, I regretted not following through with my intention of helping the other day. Out of everyone I’ve ever met, he deserves it.
My heart aches for this kind guy who’s fighting daily for those he loves. I could see the guilt in his eyes when he talked about moving over here and leaving them behind. But he doesn’t need to feel that. He’s doing everything for them right now. He’s about to be homeless, for fuck’s sake, all because he’s more concerned about them having a roof over their heads than he is his own.
Unable to lay here any longer, I slip from Corey’s hold. His snoring doesn’t falter as I pull one of the sheets from the bed and wrap it around myself.
The curtain blows from the door we left slightly open last night. Walking over, I slip outside and take a deep breath of fresh ocean air.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to see the ocean from a bedroom window.
Suddenly, as I stand there, I’m a kid again.
The ocean was always my happy place, whether I was on the beach or just at my window. When things weren’t going my way, when I was in trouble or when I was fighting with my sister, it gave me the escape I needed to be able to clear my head.
It took me a lot of years to go back to the beach and to be able to find the same peace as the waves crashed in.
I stand there for the longest time just staring at the inky black ocean with the moon and stars reflecting in its enticing water.
I lose myself in memories from the past and thoughts of my future. It’s weird, I’ve never
