It didn’t take more than a few minutes for Tobias to run inside, grab his keys, and sprint toward the makeshift parking lot to start his drive across town. The old pickup truck rattled in the familiar way it always did as Tobias drove, fingers drumming against the steering wheel.

  Tobias thought this was a bit of an overreaction, but Maisey had asked him to go instead of Marie just in case Luc was standing up Marie.

  That, well, Tobias wasn’t sure what to think about that. Marie asking Luc on a date? Luc saying yes? That didn’t sound like Luc at all. Luc barely tolerated having friends.

  Then again, a date could be good for her. It might get her to relax, at least.

  She was probably just off doing a job, working like she always was, but Tobias drove to her house anyway. If he couldn’t find her there, he’d go back to the farm. He couldn’t be expected to drive around the entire town looking for her.

  He took the turn onto Luc’s street, slowing as he approached the house. A frown tugged at his forehead as he leaned forward, staring at the house in question. Luc’s car was indeed out front, but all of its doors were open, and she had piles of stuff filling her driveway.

  Is she cleaning her car?

  Tobias parked out front, turning off the car and pocketing the keys. He ambled toward the house, inspecting the car with a frown. Cleaning out the car was great, but didn’t Luc need these things?

  The front door of the house was shut. He debated just heading inside before deciding that wasn’t like him and wandered around the side of the house. Luc’s window was shut, but a rock was easy enough to find, and he sent it flying. The pebble pinged off the glass, leaping back toward him on the ground.

  He waited a moment for a response. Nothing.

  With a sigh, Tobias rolled back his sleeves and grabbed onto the house’s siding and shimmied up to the roof. It creaked under his weight and he winced before crawling the rest of the way to the window.

  It was locked. Luc had learned since last time.

  He knocked against the window, loud enough to shake it inside the frame. “Open up!” he called, nearly pressing his mouth to the glass.

  When no answer came, he started banging against the window again.

  Movement on the other side, and then a pair of hands pressed into a window. Luc slid it upward so fast Tobias barely had time to pull back, and when she popped her head through the open space, he nearly toppled off the roof.

  Her face was red and splotchy, the usual dark circles she had even more apparent. She hadn’t slept, and… had she been crying?

  “Go away,” Luc spat, and ducked back inside the window.

  “Hold on,” Tobias said, scrambling forward. He jammed himself into the window frame just in time to have the window slammed into his shoulders. “Ow!”

  Luc took a step back, concerning, manic laughter leaving her mouth as she walked away from the window. She ran a hand over her face, hiding between her palms.

  He pushed up against the window, giving himself enough room to crawl through onto her bed. He landed, rolling over and getting his legs beneath him, sitting on the side of her mattress. She still refused to look at him.

  His eyes swept the room, unable to ignore the unusual level of disorganization. It had been bad the first time he’d visited, but not this bad. She had piles of stuff everywhere, and several cardboard boxes filling the middle of the floor. Was she packing? “Are you okay?”

  She twisted toward him, side eye visible through her fingers as the laughing started again.

  Tobias was starting to get concerned. This wasn’t like her. She could be an ass, sure, sarcastic and dry, but laughing? And laughing like this?

  He slid off the bed, taking a step toward her. He had to stop over a large cardboard box full of pieces of clothing to reach her.

  Tobias hesitated for a moment before grabbing her shoulders, holding her in place in front of him. The laughing stopped. “Luc, what is wrong?” he asked again.

  Maybe this wasn’t how he should go about this, it certainly wasn’t the gentlest way to get an answer, but he didn’t know how to handle this Luc.

  She opened her mouth to explain, and all that left it was a sob. The tears followed a moment later, sobbing into her hands, digging her palms so hard into her eyes it had to hurt.

  Tobias stared at her, his eyes wide. “Uhhh.”

  He lowered his hands from her shoulders, grabbing her hands and pulling them away from her face before she could somehow damage her eyes. Not sure what else to do, he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

  Her head dropped against his shoulder as she cried, sucking in tiny, wheezing breaths between sobs. Not daring to make a sound, he began making small circles against her back, trying to calm her down. Whatever happened had to be bad to make her react like this.

  Tobias wasn’t sure how long they stood like that before she quieted, letting out nothing more than small sniffles as she tried to control her breathing.

  “Better now?” he asked, his voice soft.

  That seemed to snap her back to herself. Her head jerked back and she stepped away from him, swiping at her face. She spun around, facing the door as she put her back to him.

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  “Sorry,” she got out.

  “It’s all right,” he said. His shirt was damp from her tears, but that would try. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  He glanced around the room, the disarray, the obvious packing. If she didn’t want to talk, the least he could do was try and help whatever she was doing. “Do you want help?”

  She glanced over her shoulder, hesitating before nodding. “I need to take these to my car.”

  Tobias nodded and picked up the nearest box. She did the same and opened the door, leading the way through the house, down a rickety staircase, and out the front door. She shoved her box into the open trunk, then frowned at the little piles of stuff that had gathered around her car.

  He slid the second box in behind the first and ventured a question. “So, where are these going? Are you donating them, selling them…?”

  “I’m packing,” Luc said, her voice hoarse.

  “Are you moving?” Tobias asked, raising an eyebrow at the house. Nothing else seemed packed when they’d walked through it.

  “I’m leaving,” she said.

  “That’s informative.”

  She rolled her eyes, a hint of the Luc he knew in the expression. “My mom decided to spend the rent money I made on some bullshit for her restaurant. She’s going to get evicted, and I’m not staying.”

  A frown creased Tobias’ forehead once again. “Where are you going?”

  She shrugged, eyes darting to the car.

  He let out a groan. “Seriously, Luc? You can’t live in a car.”

  “Where the fuck else am I supposed to go?” she snapped. “I don’t have family, Tobias. My mom wishes she never had me. I don’t even know who my dad is. Where the hell am I supposed to go?”

  “With me.”

  She scoffed, and he rushed to continue.

  “My family has a giant house. All of my siblings are off at college or living with their own families now. We have plenty of bedrooms, and I’m not going to let you live in your car. Especially not that piece of shit. It’d probably collapse beneath you overnight.”

  “My car is fine.”

  He shot a skeptical look at her car. It was even older than his pickup. “Sure.”

  “I can’t stay with you.”

  His eye twitched. Was she really this stupidly prideful that she’d rather be homeless and living in her car than let somebody help her? “Let your pride go just this once and let me help you,” Tobias said. “You can’t live in your car and go to school and work and all that by yourself. If the school finds out you’re living in your car, they’ll probably report you to CPS and what then? Not to mention Maisey would kill me if I knew and did nothing. Just stay the night at least.”

  He thought she was going to protest again before she slumped. “Fine. Just for the night.”

  “Or a few.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t push it.”

  “I’m going to get the rest of your things,” Tobias said, then jerked a head at his truck. “Put all your junk in my truck. You’re not going to be able to do your job if you leave all your tools here.”

  He left her in the driveway, making quick trips through the house to gather the rest of what she had packed. It was far from everything she owned, but he’d come back with her tomorrow if she wanted to get the rest of it. Right now, it was getting dark and he wanted to get back to the farm before anyone got worried.

  As if on cue, his phone lit up with a text from Maisey. He shot a quick text back assuring her everything was okay and they’d be on their way over soon.

  “Ready?” Tobias asked, slamming her trunk closed.

  She glanced around, gaze lingering on the house for a moment before nodding. “I’m ready.”

  “All right. You drive out, and I’ll follow.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Think I’ll run?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past you,” he answered with a shrug. “Come on.”

  She rolled her eyes but complied. Her car pulled out ahead of his as the sun set, and he followed behind, all the way to the farm. The parking lot had emptied out, though not by much, with a few families making their way back down the road toward their cars.

  Luc pulled off into the makeshift parking lot and Tobias did the same, parking beside her.

  She shivered as she climbed out of her car, wrapping her arms around herself.

  He shrugged off his own jacket, throwing it at her. “Here.”

  She flinched as it smacked against her side. “I don’t want your jacket.”

  “Just put it on,” he huffed. “And stop complaining.”

  “Fine.”

  She pulled the too big jacket on, letting the sleeves fall down over her hands, and followed him to the farmhouse. His mother was still on the porch, Maisey helping her now as the cold set in and everyone wanted hot drinks.

  He hopped over the barrier, strode behind the stand, and grabbed two cups of steaming cider for himself and Luc. Maisey shot him a questioning look and he just shook his head. He’d explain everything later, but not now.

  “Here,” he said, then opened the front door, ushering Luc inside. “Have you eaten?”

  “None of your business,” she muttered.

  “I’m taking that as a no,” he said. “Sit down. I’m getting you something to eat and you’re going to eat it.”

  She grumbled out something else that he ignored as he walked into the kitchen, raiding the fridge for leftovers. His mom had made pasta the night before and he dished up a bowl, microwaving it until piping hot and dropping it down in front of her. This time, she didn’t protest, simply picked up her fork silently and began to eat.

  The front door opened and shut, rapid footsteps following.

  He walked away from the table as Maisey hurried inside, creases formed between her eyebrows. The urge struck to reach up and smooth them away, so he did just that, kissing her forehead and watching the tension melt away.

  “You took forever,” she said. “What happened?”

  “Had a situation to deal with,” he said. “Uh, I probably shouldn’t speak for Luc, but she’s going to be staying here tonight.”

  “Okay? Is she okay?”

  He gave his head a shake, then winced as the door opened again. Marie stepped inside, not doing anything to stay quiet as she stomped in on her heels. That was really not what Luc needed right now.

  “What happened?” she demanded before Tobias could do anything to stop her.

  “My mom spent all our money on something she knew I could fix, so now we’re going to get evicted and I’m homeless,” Luc said in one breath. “And Tobias bullied me into staying here for the night, so now I’m here.”

  All the fight went out of Marie at the words.

  At his side, Maisey sucked in a sharp breath.

  “I’ll find somewhere for you to stay,” Marie said. “My father—”

  “No.” The word was firm, hard edged. Luc directed her glare back at her bowl, slamming her fork down into it. “I’ll find a place on my own. I don’t need your help, or your pity. I don’t need you.”

  The words landed like a blow against Marie, her whole body flinching. She spun around, hurt on her face as she stalked out.

  Tobias let out a sigh as the door slammed closed. This wasn’t going to be good for anyone.