Free Declaration by Rachael Wade Page A

here, at the shop.”
    “Please, please, please . I make good money at the club, but I don’t wanna stay there long—just long enough to bank and put a few grand away. It’s only a temporary solution, so I can clean up and then split before the news hurts Emma. Which is why I need the extra hours at the shop as a backup, man. I owe some people at the club some money and it’s just a fuckin’ mess…Carter, I’m begging you.”
    “Shit,” I mumbled, my shoulders falling in defeat. “Fine. I’ll talk to Boss Man.”
    He grabbed me and clapped my back, nearly tackling me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you .” I wanted to say no problem , or glad I could help , but I wouldn’t have meant any of those things. It was straight back to the drawing board, looking for a second job and cashing my dad’s checks. “Shit,” I said again, reaching for my cigarettes.
    “Dude, I swear I’ll do whatever I can to help you find another job. If the club were hiring, I’d hook you up, but I don’t think Rick’s looking for anyone else right now.”
    “Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out. I should’ve thought about all of this before I jumped on that damn plane and moved my happy ass here.”
    Jackson was more relaxed now, all the tension washed from his face. He walked to the fridge and helped himself to a beer. “So have you heard from the girl? What’s her name, Kate?”
    “Yeah.” My pulse involuntarily accelerated with his question. I so wasn’t in the mood to talk about Kate. “Damn it!” I winced, remembering that I didn’t call her back when I promised her I would. Knowing Kate, she’d automatically think I was still purposely avoiding her.
    In a way, I guess I still was.
    “What’s wrong?” Jackson asked, sitting on the sofa.
    “Nothing, you just reminded me I was supposed to call her back, and I didn’t. I was busy helping Whitney.”
    The beer Jackson was drinking stilled at his lips. “Helping Whitney?”
    And for the 40th frigging time that day, I cursed myself. “It’s nothing. Hey, I gotta grab a shower and catch a bus. I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Jackson sprang up from the couch and powered after me as I made a move for the bathroom. “Helping Whitney what?” He slipped past me and stationed himself in front of the bathroom door, blocking me.
    My shoulders fell, once again in defeat. There was no getting around this, I had to tell him. I’d just have to skimp on the details. “Since I drove Emma home that night, she’s been having a rough time. I’ve just been helping Whitney keep her company, that’s all.”
    A flicker of pain flashed over Jackson’s face and his jaw muscles tightened, his ashamed look focusing on the floor near my feet. “I can’t believe this.”
    “She’ll be okay, dude. She just needs some time.”
    “I did this to her.”
    “She’s dealing with a lot more than what happened with you, Jackson. Don’t carry all of the weight, okay?”
    He started to flex his fists at his side, his guilt forming little anxious creases around his eyes and brow. With a heavy breath, he started past me toward the door, setting the beer he’d hardly touched on the counter as he went. “Take care of her for me, okay, man? Thanks for…everything.”
    “Jack,” I called out after him. “Damn.” The door shut and he was gone, but I couldn’t waste time standing there. I couldn’t fix this. I couldn’t help him. It wasn’t my business, and it was all beyond me. Right now, I had to get to Emma’s to help Whitney. I hurried into the bathroom to grab a shower, wondering when I’d squeeze in that call I owed Kate.
    It would have to wait.
    ***
    “Oh thank God, you’re here,” Whitey heaved a deep breath, tossing a pile of trash into a garbage bag. She was standing there in the kitchen, looking exhausted.
    “Long day?”
    “You have no idea. I had to clean double the rooms I normally clean because the season is starting to