“I mean, I just . . . I can’t stand the thought of going back to Torrance. I don’t want to talk to my mom.”

He rested his elbows on his knees, stroking her cheek. Her skin was so soft. He was already restraining the urge to pounce on her right now, feel that soft skin against his entire body. “That’s perfectly understandable.”

“And I know they aren’t done with me. Only thing I can do is just wait.”

“There isn’t anything for you in Riverside. Even if Ampersand starts doing the thing where he won’t talk except through you, they’ve already moved them to Los Alamitos, and they won’t move them back to Riverside because of Esperas.”

She winced, like tears were threatening to break down the door. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“How are you planning on paying rent? Do you have any savings?”

“No,” she whispered.

“And it’s not like you can go get a job at the local Panera.”

“I don’t know what else to do.”

He leaned forward, trying to get her to look at him. “Do you really want to be alone?”

“No, but . . . I can’t ask anything else from you.”

“You didn’t ask. I’m offering.” He ran his fingers through her messy hair. “Let me take care of you for a little while. Let your lease go; you don’t need to go back to Riverside if there’s nothing for you there. You don’t have to talk to anyone you don’t want to talk to. It’s been an insane few weeks; you need some time to recover. Let’s see how this plays out. Let’s see what happens in the world. Let’s see what Ampersand does. In the meantime, you can stay with me. Let’s give it a couple of weeks to recuperate, then we can figure out what our next steps are.”

“You aren’t going back to New York?”

“Not anytime soon.” He cupped her cheeks, lifting her face to meet his gaze. “Would you like to stay with me?”

He felt a slight tremor run through her. “Yes.”

“Okay. While I’m gone today, go get your things. I’ll set up the guest room for you.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Do you prefer sleeping alone?”

“No, I just thought you might prefer your own space, not have to share a room with an elderly foghorn.” She kept looking at him with those pleading eyes, and he amended, “But I’m not about to say no to a cute girl in bed with me every night.”