Evelyn hesitated, then crossed to the shelf where they kept the medical supplies, such as they were. A bottle of whiskey, some clean rags, a needle and thread for stitching up anything too deep to ignore. She brought them to the table and set them down in front of him. "Let me see." Holden looked up at her surprised.
"You don't have to I know I don't have to. Let me see." He held out his hands, palms up, and Evelyn examined the damage. Most of it was superficial, scrapes and cuts from handling wire and wood. But there was one deeper gash along the base of his thumb that was still bleeding sluggishly.
She poured whiskey over it without warning. Holden hissed and jerked his hand back. "Help." "Hold still." "You could have warned me."
"Would it have hurt less?" "No, but" He stopped and laughed, short and surprised. "Fair point." Evelyn wrapped the cut with a strip of clean cloth, working quickly and efficiently. Her hands were steady, her movements practiced.
She'd done this before. Patched herself up in the dark, alone, with nothing but whiskey and stubbornness to get her through. "Where'd you learn that?" Holden asked quietly. "Nowhere."
"That's not an answer." "It's the only one you're getting." He didn't push, just sat there while she finished wrapping his hand, and when she was done, he flexed his fingers experimentally. "Thanks." Evelyn gathered up the supplies without responding.
She could feel him watching her, could feel the question he wasn't asking hanging in the air between them. Finally, he said it. "You staying?" Her hand stilled. "My week's up."
"I know." So, that's the end of it. Doesn't have to be. Evelyn set the whiskey bottle down harder than she meant to. I'm not looking for charity.
Good. Because I'm not offering it. Holden leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. I'm offering a job. Same terms as before.
Fair pay, your own space, work that needs doing. Stay as long as you want. Leave whenever you're ready. No strings. There are always strings.
Not here. She wanted to believe him. Wanted it so badly it scared her. But 3 years of being burned had taught her that trusting people was a luxury she couldn't afford. I'll think about it, she said finally.