Florence thought he needed help. “I’ve got it under control,” Jay said curtly, inspecting a brooch determinedly as he felt her regard him. He squeezed his eyes shut, aware that that was as close to snapping as he usually came, and that she didn’t deserve that. She had brought food, and done her part, and what she did, she did well, but – she didn’t need to get involved with any more of it.
There was not a lot of security in this kind of life on the edges, but Jay would protect who he could.
And she had a good life, or, at least on the surface, a comfortable one. He wouldn’t endanger that just because he couldn’t cope here. His gaze flickered upwards in apology. “You do enough as it is,” he amended quietly, though there was a foundation of firmness to it, as if he were worried she was going to insist. “I’m – tired. That’s all. How are you?” He set the brooch aside on the counter and rummaged in the purse for the next.
There was not a lot of security in this kind of life on the edges, but Jay would protect who he could.
And she had a good life, or, at least on the surface, a comfortable one. He wouldn’t endanger that just because he couldn’t cope here. His gaze flickered upwards in apology. “You do enough as it is,” he amended quietly, though there was a foundation of firmness to it, as if he were worried she was going to insist. “I’m – tired. That’s all. How are you?” He set the brooch aside on the counter and rummaged in the purse for the next.
![[Image: 4PrLtDw.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4PrLtDw.png)