From the Ashes by Daisy Harris Read Free Book Online Page A

always panicking over the cost of everything from groceries to soccer cleats.
    “Okay.” She looked a little confused, but that was her normal expression whenever she heard new information. Sharon called it Mommy Brain . “Meet me in back.”
    Jesse took off his apron and followed her into the office. She stood against the desk. They didn’t have any chairs in the room because it was too small.
    “Um…” Jesse weighed what he needed against what he wanted. He decided to start there. “So, it might be a few days before I can work my regular schedule. Is there any way I can switch to second shift?” He’d miss his afternoon classes, but he couldn’t go without getting paid.
    Sharon sighed. “I can ask Michael and Fred, but I think they both have class in the morning.” She checked the desk calendar, tapping her chin. “I can cover for you tomorrow. But I may have to find a temporary replacement if you have to miss more than a few days.” She folded her arms, looking miserable to be saying it. “I’m sorry.”
    “Yeah. Okay. I’ll figure something out.” He stared at the floor. Fuck.
    “Here.” Sharon dug through her purse. From a cash envelope, she counted five twenties. That only left her with four. “I know it’s not a lot. If I could spare more, you know I would.” She held it out as if she felt guilty.
    Jesse’s chest hurt to watch her. It hammered home how little his own parents cared about him. “Thanks.” His throat tightened around the word.
    “Do you have a place to stay?” Sharon asked.
    Jesse didn’t want to tell her that he didn’t. Anyway, he could stay with Tomas. He didn’t know for how long, or if he wanted to take the emotional risk since he was pretty sure they’d keep making out. But, fuck. He was accepting money out of the tip jar, a hundred bucks from Sharon who he knew didn’t have it to spare. What was the harm in taking Tomas up on his offer for another couple nights?
    “Yeah, I have a place to stay. For now.” He considered how long the transit ride would be from SeaTac to get to Speedy Coffee by six thirty in the morning. “Let me know if anyone wants to switch shifts for a couple days. But if not, I’ll be here at six thirty tomorrow.”

Chapter Five
    The fire station weight room was empty, except for him and Rick. Tomas lay on the bench, the pump of his muscles and the rhythm of his breathing distracting him from worry over when Jesse would call.
    “Hey,” Rick said from above him, where he was spotting the bar. “For fuck’s sake, man. Where’s your brain?”
    Tomas lowered the weights. “Was I not paying you enough attention?” He chuckled through his heavy breathing.
    When they worked out, Rick liked to tell raunchy stories about his nights out in the bars. He was always bragging about some girl he’d bedded.
    “Not like I give a shit.” Rick rolled his shoulders. “But you’re totally out of it. Someone could land a boulder on you and you wouldn’t even notice.”
    Right then, Tomas’s cellphone rang. The clang of his bar hitting the rack rang through the weight room.
    “That’s what I’m talking about, man. If there was more weight on there, that would have been dangerous.”
    Tomas ignored Rick’s scolding and checked the screen on his phone. It was Jesse’s number. “Sorry about that, man. I’ve got to take this call.” He grabbed his towel off the weight set and pushed out the door.
    Behind him, Rick was sputtering something about “Bros before hoes,” but Tomas ignored him.
    The early October sky had clouded up and started to mist. The air felt great against his sweaty skin.
    He clicked onto the call and put on his most charming voice. “You ready for a ride home?” Tomas didn’t know whether Jesse had found a place to stay, but he assumed he hadn’t.
    “Yeah.” Jesse sounded resigned but also nervous. “I…I mean, if you were serious about my staying at your place for another night?” He paused. “Or two?”
    Tomas