Page 19 of Deserving Cora
Cora glanced at him. “How do you know I’ve even given himanymoney before?”
He raised a brow in response.
She sighed. “Maybe five dollars or so. Enough that he can get some coffee and a sandwich at a place around the corner,” she mumbled.
“Hmmmm.”
Cora didn’t know what that noise meant. If he thought it was too little, or if he didn’t think Milton deserved to be given any money. But she wasn’t sorry. All it took was a few life crises and anyone could be in his shoes, at any given time.
She led the way to her apartment building, and when they entered, she turned to Pipe. “It’ll only take me a few minutes to pack.”
He stared at her with another look she couldn’t interpret. Then said, “I’ll walk you up.”
Cora shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll be all right.”
But he wasn’t budging. “It’s one in the morning and nothing good ever happens after midnight. I’ll walk you up, Cora.”
Her chest got tight. “Seriously. Just wait here in the lobby for me.”
“No.”
They glared at each other, even as panic tickled in. Pipe couldn’t come upstairs. He couldn’t see her apartment. Despite barely knowing the man, she knew he wouldn’t be happy if he did.
“What are you afraid of?”
Her back straightened. “Nothing,” she said too quickly.
Pipe’s gaze bore into her own. “You’re lying.”
If anyone else talked to her like this, Cora would’ve lost it. Not only had he accused her of being a scaredy-cat, but a liar as well. But the truth was, he was dead-on correct—on both counts. Shereallydidn’t want this man to see her apartment.
As she and Pipe engaged in a stare-down, she realized he wasn’t going to relent. He was determined to protect her, which was a weird feeling in and of itself, and he wouldn’t let anything she said deter him. That very stubbornness was one of the things that would help her get to Lara. But she was beginning to understand it wasn’t good for her own peace of mind.
She finally broke the eye contact, turning toward the elevators. “Fine,” she said belligerently.
To Pipe’s credit, he didn’t crow over her acquiescence. He simply stood next to her as they waited for the elevator to arrive. They rode up to her floor in silence. She appreciated that he didn’t comment on the many lights that were out in her hallway, or the nasty smell of the carpet, or the general lack of maintenance in the place.
It wasn’t the Taj Mahal, that was for sure, but it was a roof over her head, and Cora was content with that. After all the ups and downs she’d had over the years, and the many times she’d had to sleep on Lara’s couch, she’d finally felt as if she was getting ahead when she was able to afford a place of her own again.
And then Ridge fucking Michaels happened.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to Pipe when they reached her door. “Will you wait here for me?” she asked, hoping against hope he’d agree.
He studied her face for a moment before asking, “What don’t you want me to see in your apartment, Cora?”
“Nothing…I just…I don’t really know you,” she finished lamely, lying yet again.
“You think I’m gonna hurt you? Force you to do something you don’t want to do?” Pipe asked, taking a step backward, giving her more space.
Now she felt guilty. “No.”
Pipe stared at her for a few seconds, then nodded stiffly and looked away. “I’ll wait out here.”
Cora sighed. She didn’t want him to feel as if she didn’t trust him. “No. It’s okay. You can come in.” She turned toward the door, every muscle tense. He wasn’t going to be happy when he saw her apartment, but it didn’t matter. As long as he and his friends would help her, it didn’t matter if her living situation was embarrassing. She wouldn’t change anything about what she’d done, not if it meant helping Lara.
She unlocked the dead bolt and took a deep breath before pushing open her door. She didn’t have to look behind her to see if Pipe followed or not. She heard his footsteps and the click of the door shutting. “I’ll be right back,” she told him as she made her way toward the one bedroom.
Her cheeks felt warm, and she knew she was blushing in pure mortification. But she went to her closet and knelt down and opened her backpack. She grabbed the envelope of cash and ignored the dress and shoes. It wasn’t as if she’d need those in New Mexico or Arizona. She rifled through the stacks of T-shirts, pants, and long-sleeve shirts on the floor of her closet and packed them into a larger duffle bag. She grabbed a handful of underwear from another stack, as well as socks and a few extra bras.
