“Keep your cards close to your chest, sweetheart. There’s a reason your father left that to you, whether it was smart or prudent or not. And you have every resource you need at your disposal with Mark and Charlie.”
“Mike is practically family. I’ve known him all my life.”
“What do you mean practically?” We both turn to the open doorway where the man in question stands with Iris in his arms, a sucker in her hand. “I was one of the first people to hold you after you were born.”
“Uncle Mike.” Avery smiles, heading straight for him. “What are you doing here?”
“You know I stop by every day. Keeping an eye on the place for you girls.”
Bullshit.
“Well, we appreciate it,” she tells him, and when she takes Iris from his hold, the sudden tightness in my chest loosens somewhat.
“I saw the rental outside and I figured it would be you, so I wanted to see how you were after last night. It all happened so fast that I didn’t get to make sure you were okay. Didn’t want you thinking I don’t care about you.”
“I didn’t think that at all.”
“Well, I don’t want anyone thinking it,” he reiterates, marking me with slitted eyes. “I’m all the family you got now, and I don’t want anything making you think otherwise.”
“Actually, there are a lot of people who care about these girls,” I tell him, pulling Iris to my side as I stand behind Avery and wrap an arm around her waist.
I won’t have him prey on her insecurities. “They’re not alone.”
“Good,” Mike sneers, turning to head back out of the room.
Avery follows, looking back to smile at me as I bag her laptop and make sure we haven’t left anything out. Unlike her mom, Iris remains glued to my side, a toothless grin spreading across her face as I sweep her up.
“Are we going home now?” she asks, brushing my hair away from my face. “I miss Jojo and the ranch.”
“Me too.”
We head back downstairs, and it dawns on me that I locked the door behind me when I came in earlier. But I don’t bother saying anything about it. It will only make things tenser than they already are. The best thing to do right now is talk to Mark about it and see what he says about it while I make sure my girls remain safe.
Chapter Thirty-Four
AVERY
“You need a haircut,” I tell Iris while combing through her hair in the bath. It’s the longest it’s ever been, and where she’s been surfing with Garrett over the last month, it’s got the same sea-bleached and coarse wisps at the ends like his hair does.
The smile that tugs at my lips is impossible to contain as I slather some more conditioner on her hair.
“I like my hair long like this. I look pretty like you, Mommy.”
“You are prettier than me, baby. You’re beautiful.”
“Doc says you’re beautiful all the time. Do you think he is too? Is that why you love him?”
Oh my God, this kid never ceases to amaze me with how forward and perceptive she is. I haven’t broached the moving in together subject yet, mostly because my mind is all over the place and it’s something I want to be able to talk her through if she doesn’t take it as well as I believe she will.
Besides that, Garrett and I had this massive blowup about the whole telling Mike thing, and since then things have been tense. But still…
“I love him…I love Garrett because he’s a good man. And when he smiles, my heart beats so fast that I can hardly catch my breath. I get all dizzy and giggly. Just like you,” I snicker while tickling her.
“Are you going to marry him one day and have more babies?” Iris turns to look at me with curious eyes glowing a deep mossy green as she awaits my reply.
With my heart stuttering in panic while I look for an answer, I keep smiling shakily. Trust her to put me on the spot like that.
“I-I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“I don’t want you to break up.”
A lump forms at the back of my throat as I tell her, “We’re not.”
“You had a fight.”
“We had a disagreement. That means that we think different things on one thing, but it doesn’t mean we’re breaking up,” I manage to tell her while I rinse her off.
My heart is so heavy that I almost rush through the process of drying her off and getting her pajamas on so I can take a moment to get my head together before I put her to bed. The more I think about it, the bigger the argument feels to me. It goes from an argument to a fight, and I begin to wonder if when he walked out of the house it was something more.
The number of times Carl walked out after we had a fight… The lump in my throat swells some more as my heart leadens somewhere between my gut and my chest. The queasy feeling that refuses to go away returns with a vengeance, until I have no choice but to purge my stomach.
By the time I get to her bedroom, she’s already tucked into bed with Breeze cuddled into her. To my surprise and relief, Garrett is already sitting in his chair with her favorite Dr. Seuss book in his hands. My heart swoons when he leans forward and brings her hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of it before sitting back and reading her to sleep while I lie beside her and listen to the soft gravel of his voice.
It’s okay. Everything is going to be fine. It will all work out in good time. It’s all I keep telling myself as I stroke through Iris’s hair, and before I know it, I’m being carried to my own bed half-awake and half dreaming of what the future could hold for us.
“I’m gonna go lock up the house,” he tells me with a light stroke of his thumb over the side of my face. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be up after I return Mark’s call.”
“Has something happened?”
“Nothing worth worrying about. We can talk about it tomorrow.” His reply is calm enough that it doesn’t rouse me any further from my sleepy lull while I peek at him walking away.
“I love you,” I call after him burrowing deeper into the blanket he covered me with and taking a long inhale of his pillow beside me.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” Garrett rumbles, and the sound warms all the way through me, from the inside out.
“I don’t want to fight.”
“We didn’t have a fight, it was an argument,” he tells me as he disappears out of the bedroom with a glance over his shoulder. “Now go to sleep, sunshine.”
The minute he’s out of sight, I can’t get settled. I toss and turn for what feels like forever, until I decide it’s a hopeless cause and head downstairs. Throwing Garrett’s hoodie on, I pause by the hallway window overlooking the driveway. It’s dark, and it could be my eyes playing tricks on me given how on edge I am about the mess my father left on my doorstep and Carl. However, the longer I stare out at the shadow in the distance, the more certain I am that it’s not a figment of my imagination. That oppressing feeling I’ve been trying to push away tightens my chest. The chilling sense of being watched fills me with dread until all my insides are twisting painfully.
Turning the lamp beside the window off, I blink, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when I look back out toward the top of the drive, there’s nothing.
I go to the window farther down that has a clear sight path down the driveway. I’m searching through the hollow blackness of night when I jump at the sound of the footsteps behind me.
“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Garrett asks as he turns me toward him, studying my face before looking past me, out of the window.
“I-I saw something.” Turning back to search the dark once more, I take a deep breath to try and settle my pounding heart while my stomach begins to churn. Bile burns up my chest to my swelling throat. “I think?”
“There’s nothing out there …” he whispers as though trying not upset me.
“I’m not crazy.” Shaking my head, I turn back to him. “I swear, Doc, someone was out there.”
“Okay.” Coaxing me toward the bedroom, he takes one last good look back out there. “Le
t’s get you back to bed. I’ll go take a look around.”
“Are you crazy?” I come to a stop just outside Iris’ room. There’s nothing amiss as I peer inside, and Breeze is calm as ever, as are the other dogs. If something were wrong, I’m certain they would be going mad. “You can’t go out there on your own. Besides, the dogs aren’t fussing, so…”
“If it will put you at ease, I can ask Mark to come over and we can—”
“No! No, that’s not necessary. I think I’m spooked, is all, and my mind is playing tricks on me.”
“You sure?” he asks, pulling back the covers and waiting for me to get into bed.
“Yeah, you’ve locked up, right?”
“I did.”
“And you checked on Jo?” He always checks on Jo, but I need to be certain right now.
“Like always.”
“It’s okay, then.” I slip into bed and watch as he disappears into the bathroom to get changed.
For the first couple of minutes, I’m doing okay. In my mind I know that the shadows on the ceiling are from the tall naked trees outside the window. But then the what if it isn’t hits, and I find myself staring out of the window again, searching for something that clearly isn’t there, and I start to wonder if maybe I am losing my mind a little. If the pressure is getting to me and messing with my head.
“Want me to take your mind off things?” Garrett asks from behind me, making me jump slightly.
When I turn to look at him, I find him in the bathroom doorway, strong arms crossed in front of his chest, bulging in that way that makes my eyes widen and my heart skip a beat or two. Pushing off the doorjamb, he saunters toward me slow enough that I can’t help but ogle every dip and groove of his chest and abs.
Before I can say anything, Garrett hoists me up his body. My arms and legs wrap around him as he sits on the edge of the bed and murmurs into my ear, “Wanna make up?”
“Mmhmm,” I reply, pulling back to find his gaze.
We sit in silence for a beat or two, our breaths the only whisper in the night. Shadows be damned—when we’re this close, nothing else matters.
Tipping my head back, Garrett presses a kiss to my lips and with a savoring moan, peppers infinite kisses down to my jaw and my neck. I’m barely able to catch a single breath when he pulls my pajama shirt off and loosens my hair from the knot on my head. Hands all tangled in it, he lies back, taking me with him.
It doesn’t take long for our limbs to tangle together too as he makes love to me as though it might be the last time. There’s no inch of me he leaves unkissed and untouched. No part of me he doesn’t consume and worship. Even when we’re done, he keeps me wrapped in his arms so tight that I can’t help but fall asleep. Physically spent. Mentally exhausted. I don’t wake up until the morning light soaks through my eyelids.
Thursday comes by far quicker than I’m ready for. Over the last two days, we’ve barely spoken on any of the things my father left. Mark and Charlie are handling it, although Charlie is pretty certain she’s onto something. Instead, we’ve focused on making a plan for telling Jo about what we intend to do once things settle. At this point, I’m not sure whether she’ll take it well or not. Although, she seems to be a lot perkier the last few days. Maybe having the ranch to herself last weekend did her some good. I think that’s what she needs—peace and quiet—instead of constant chaos.
“So Charlie’s going to meet me at the beach before the kids get there,” I tell Garrett over breakfast. I don’t feel so bad today. Maybe a little bloated, but my stomach finally feels somewhat back to normal after the last few weeks.
“She’s still antsy about Makenna going in the water?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty certain I’m the only reason she signed the permission slip.” I take a sip of my coffee and smile at the fact that it tastes amazing again.
“You realize she tried to get Mark to take the day off work so he could play lifeguard, right?”
“No, I did not…and no, she didn’t.”
“I know, it’s absurd. It’s not like Makenna will drown in a rock pool.”
“Technically you can drown in anything over two inches of water.”
“Why would Kenny drown?” Iris asks, peering up from the YouTube show she’s watching on Garrett’s iPad. “She can swim.”
“Anyone can drown. It’s why it’s important to be sensible and stay safe in the water.”
“Don’t you forget that,” Garrett growls in the monster voice that always makes her laugh. “Your suit is hanging in the coat closet if you need it.”
“They’re not actually going in the water. The tide is out far enough this time of year that unless they fall into the rock pools, it should be okay.”
“It’s not that cold today either,” he adds, eating the last piece of his breakfast bar before swallowing it down with the last of his coffee.
“Worked out well.”
“Are you nervous?” Garrett links our fingers, squeezing our palms together. “It’s a big day.”
“Not really. From what my old boss told me, the aquarium here wants to expand their touch tank, and they have a reef exhibition planned. Both projects that I’ve worked on back in Washington.”
I put half of what’s left of my granola bar on Iris’s plate and start clearing up after us. Mornings are always messy for us with me allowing Iris to feed the dogs. I spend more time picking up kibble from the floor than actually making our breakfast and sitting down to eat.
“Baby, I need you to go get ready now or you’ll be late for school,” I tell her once I’ve swept up today’s lost kibble mound.
“I need to head out too. I have an early appointment at the clinic.” Garrett brings his and Iris’s plates over and rinses them both before putting them in the dishwasher as I put the orange juice and milk back in the fridge.
Our routine is fine-tuned to the point that while he chases Iris up the stairs to her room, I make him a short espresso. When he returns, it’s cool enough that he can drink it in one gulp before kissing me and heading out. It might seem strange to some, but this right here is all I’ve ever wanted. Someone to fall in step with but never lag behind or feel as though I’m on my own.
“I’ll meet you after class, Miss Summers,” he calls back with a laugh at the reminder of our tryst last night.
My entire body flames as I follow him to the porch and watch him get in Jo’s truck and drive away, leaving his fancy car for me to ferry Iris to school in.
Ugh, another thing I need to add to my settling to-do list—get myself my own ride. Garrett can’t go on using the old truck while I’ve commandeered his luxury SUV. Even if he’s the one insisting I keep using it.
Within the next half hour, I manage to get myself and Iris ready. After I’ve dropped her off, I get in the Jag and head straight into town to meet with the director of the aquarium. I’m not even two blocks from the school when I spot the blacked-out Suburban tailing me. Of course, all the good juju and energy that’d put a pep in my step disappears.
Without a second thought, I dial Garrett, and when he doesn’t pick up, I try Charlie too. But nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Although the voice in my head reminds me that I told Garrett I wouldn’t talk to Mike about the situation—I would leave it with Mark and Charlie, unless they hit a brick wall with it—I find myself dialing him as I pull up to the side of the road, outside my favorite coffee shop. The line rings a couple times before I decide to listen to my better judgment and hang up, but it’s too late by then.
“Avery,” Mike answers. “Everything okay?”
I look up at my rearview mirror to search for the FBI vehicle tailing me, and it takes me a moment too long to find it parked behind a delivery truck on the other side of the road.
“Doll?”
“Hi, Mike.”
“Hey.”
I take a deep breath, hoping this won’t lead to another argument with Garrett. But I already know that the minute I tell him, he’s going to be disappointed.
That on its own is worse than any argument we might ever have. The thought of letting him down when he’s done nothing but looked out for us and—
“Is something wrong?”
“No. I-I…I wanted to check in and see how you were. I guess I’m trying to hold on to the small family I have left.” It’s not entirely a lie, but it sure sounds like it even to my own ears.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s really going on? You know, I can’t help but feel that guy you’re seeing is trying to take you away from the people that love you.”
“What? No! No, Garrett would never…he’s not like that, Uncle Mike.” My heart beats hard enough into my ribs that it winds me. “He’s not like that at all.”
“I’d hate to see you go down that road again. Your father would turn in his grave if he knew the way he bosses you around. Haven’t you had enough of that?”
“That’s not fair! You don’t know him and all the ways he’s trying to protect us.”
“From what?” he counters my angry outburst with a snap.
“The mess Dad left behind! The photos and lists and…and…” I pause, realizing too late that I did the one thing I said I wouldn’t.
A long moment of drawn-out silence instills between us before he clears his throat and tells me, low and clear, “You’re going to go home and you’re going to get rid of whatever it is you’re talking about. You’ll put it out of your mind and pretend you never saw it. Ever. Am I being clear, Avery?”
“I can’t do that.”
“Who else knows?”
“Nobody,” I reply.
“You’ve seen it, he’s seen it, who else?” he barks, and while normally I would spill it all because it’s Mike, Angry Mike is a force no one likes to deal with, who everyone fears.
This time, I take a deep breath and tell him as calmly as I can, “No one. I was trying to figure it out. What it means. Why he would leave me something like that—”
“I told you to leave it alone! Like I told him!” His yell fills the car, and I shiver as my blood runs cool through me. “You’re both so damn stubborn! You need to stop letting your feelings manipulate you, Avery bear.”
Endurance: A Salvation Society Novel Page 33