Hold On Tight (Sea Breeze)

by Abbi Glines

  Last night when Micah took me outside to see the star he believed was Dustin, I should have had a moment with him. It should have been the only thing on my mind. But it wasn’t. I’d been planning this visit to Cam Dodge. Fucker messed up my night. I had to make sure he was worth it. Sienna deserved the best.

  Pulling my truck into the visitor parking at the high school, I decided this was the best idea. The man couldn’t ignore me if I showed up at his job. I’d ask for a meeting with him and then we’d talk. Sienna wouldn’t know about it, and I could hopefully step back and let her date.

  Maybe she’d smile at me again. And fucking eat something around me.

  I stepped into the school office, and Mrs. Quinn looked up at me. She broke into a smile as she stood up. The short little secretary was older than my momma, and her white hair was always curled up tight, her bangs pinned back with a bow like she was seven instead of seventy. Couldn’t help but love the woman.

  “Well, if it ain’t Dewayne Falco come to pay us a visit. I’ve heard that you cause less trouble these days now that your buddies have all been tamed by their women.”

  Leave it to Mrs. Quinn to know about everyone’s lives. She may be stuck sitting behind that desk and dealing with teenagers all day five days a week, but she when we graduated, she didn’t forget us. People like her were who we needed in education.

  “I came to see that pretty smile of yours,” I told her, then winked just to watch her blush and bat her eyelashes.

  “Still a charmer, I see,” she replied, beaming at me. I was sure she didn’t get flirted with often, given that she was as wide as she was tall. Still, she deserved some attention.

  “Yes, ma’am. I always think a pretty woman needs to be told just that.”

  She waved me off and giggled, which was hilarious coming from someone her age. When she retired, it would be a sad day for Sea Breeze High.

  “I know you didn’t just come here to flirt with me. Now, what can we do for you, Mr. Falco?” she asked, still smiling.

  I nodded at the door I knew belonged to the vice principal. Back when I was in school, the vice principal had been Old Man Warldo. He was grumpy and mean as hell. It was good news for kids in Sea Breeze when the man retired two years ago.

  “I need to see Mr. Dodge,” I told her, trying to be as respectful as possible. If I could get through Mrs. Quinn, then I was home free.

  She looked unsure, then picked up her phone and pressed a button.

  “Mr. Dodge, are you available to meet with Mr. Dewayne Falco, sir?”

  The man wasn’t going to know who the hell I was. “Tell him it’s concerning Sienna Roy,” I told her. That would pique his interest.

  Mrs. Quinn’s eyes went big, and I knew she recognized that name too. My brother’s death had been a tragedy this whole school had suffered. And Sienna’s leaving had shocked everyone.

  “Uh, it’s concerning Miss Sienna Roy,” she added, studying me while she said it. “Yes, sir. I’ll send him right in.”

  He was curious. Good.

  She hung up and raised her eyebrows. “Is Sienna Roy back home?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, she is.”

  Mrs. Quinn let out what looked like a sigh of relief. “Well, glory be. It’s about time. That sweet girl was shipped off, and I knew it wasn’t right. Worried me sick. Glad she’s been able to come home. Reckon her father’s passing made that possible.”

  How this woman knew so much, I didn’t know. But she did. She seemed to know a lot. I just nodded.

  She waved her hand toward Cam Dodge’s door. “Go on in. Mr. Dodge said he would see you.”

  I thanked her and headed for the door before he could change his mind.

  Cam Dodge stood up from behind his desk when I opened the door. He was young. I was expecting someone older, and that had bothered me. But he was young, and fuck it all if that didn’t bother me more.

  His button-down shirt and pressed slacks were part of the uniform, but he looked like he was comfortable in that fancy shit. He was smiling, but his smile was very unsure. The name Sienna Roy had been the reason he’d agreed to see me. So now he wanted to know why.

  Well, he’d have to wait. I had some things I wanted to know first.

  “How old are you?” I asked, not sitting down but standing on the other side of the desk, crossing my arms over my chest and meeting his curious gaze. I liked that I had to look down at him. He was a good two or three inches shorter than me.

  “Excuse me?” he said, his forehead wrinkling.

  “I asked how old you were,” I repeated. If he wanted more information from me, he’d need to answer that first.

  “Twenty-eight,” he replied, still watching me with an unsure expression.

  “You normally pick women up at the grocery store?” I asked.

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “No,” he replied. “Who are you, exactly?” he asked, clearly being careful.

  “Mrs. Quinn told you who I was. You ever been married?”

  His eyes went wide with surprise, then he narrowed them in agitation. “I don’t see how that is your business, seeing as I don’t know who you are. I was told your name, but all I know is you are someone connected to the woman I have a date with tonight. I’d like more information from you if you intend to grill me.”

  He spoke like a principal. I watched him fiddle with his tie and stick his hands in his pockets while he stood tall. The dude was a nerd. He wasn’t anywhere near Sienna’s league. What was she doing with this guy?

  “Sienna’s son is my nephew. Since she met you in the bread aisle of a grocery store, I’d like to know more about you before you take her out tonight. I’m also going to make sure you understand that her safety is really fucking important. You hurt her, and you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

  The man flinched. At least he believed me. He took in my tattooed arms and the piercing in my lip before meeting my gaze again. He cleared his throat. “You’re her son’s uncle . . . but you aren’t her brother? Does that mean you’re the boy’s father’s brother?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  He studied me a moment. “Is the boy’s father still in her life?”

  I shook my head. “You don’t get to ask questions. You asked her out. I’m asking the questions. Have you been married? I’m assuming you don’t have a record, since you’re a principal. The school board would have checked that shit. But do you have a girlfriend? Or a drinking problem? Drugs?”

  Cam held up his hands and laughed nervously. “Whoa. Okay. Wow. No to all of that. I’m completely clean and unattached. I was engaged five years ago, but she had cervical cancer, and she didn’t make it.”

  His slight wince when he mentioned his fiancée’s death didn’t go unnoticed. He was a man trying to move on. He had a good job, and he seemed pretty damn sincere. This was not enough for me, but I’d ask around and find out more about him. My gut was telling me he was safe.

  “Don’t hurt her,” I repeated. “That means touching her in ways she doesn’t want, or touching at all. Remember, I’ll know and I’ll come after you. I’ve got a fucking record, and I’m not scared of prison.”

  I turned and walked out of the small office, and waved good-bye to Mrs. Quinn before leaving.

  I had some more poking around to do about the guy, and only eight hours left to do it.

  SIENNA

  I wasn’t ready to introduce Cam to Micah. I wasn’t sure if I would ever go out with Cam again after tonight. There was always a chance it wouldn’t go well. I hardly knew this man. No reason to introduce him to the most important person in my life. That would be for later, if I liked him and wanted to spend more time with him. Tabby agreed, and she’d had Micah come over an hour before Cam was supposed to show up.

  It also gave me time to change clothes five times and worry with my hair. Micah would have been right under me, asking me why I was changing clothes so much and messing with my hair. He would then tell Dewayne, which would be humiliating. I already
knew he didn’t think there was much that could be done with me.

  Fortunately, Cam disagreed with him. That eased my mind some, and I put back on the skirt I had tried on first and slipped on my wraparound blouse. This was casual but nice. It would work for anywhere. I slipped on a pair of black pumps and fought the urge to go pull my hair back up again. Letting it hang loose had been my last-minute decision, but now I was questioning it.

  The doorbell stopped me from doing anything more. I gave myself a quick pep talk in the mirror and then headed for the door. It had been a very long time since I’d been on a date. And I’d only dated one guy. I didn’t know how to do this. Dustin had been my best friend. I‘d known everything about him. I had never dated someone I didn’t know.

  “You can do this,” I said one last time before opening the door.

  Cam was dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a light blue polo shirt. I had dressed appropriately. One worry off my list.

  “Hello,” he said with a grin. “You look gorgeous. I feel like I need to go back home and try to make myself look like it’s actually believable that we’re out together.”

  Yes, he was doing wonders for my self-esteem. “Thank you, but you look very handsome yourself. I don’t think anyone will question that we are together.”

  He chuckled, then shrugged. “I’m not sure how you’re that blind, but I’m just counting my lucky stars.” He held out his arm to me. “Ready?”

  I nodded and stepped outside onto the porch, then locked up behind me before sticking my keys in my purse. I’d had a key made for Tabby this week and given it to her, so if she needed to get inside to get Micah anything, she’d be able to.

  “I made reservations at Le Cellier. I hope you like steak,” he said with a smile. I had heard of Le Cellier, but I’d never been there. “I love steak,” I told him. And I intended to eat a filet, which felt nice. I wouldn’t have to pick at my food because I was worrying about what he was thinking. This was going to be a good night. I could already tell.

  * * *

  Two hours later I was ready to go back home and put on my pajamas. Cam was really nice, but I was a little bored with him. He talked about work and asked me about myself. He did everything right, but there was something missing. I wasn’t sure if I was just being picky because my last relationship had been with someone I was already so close to.

  “You want to stop in Live Bay and listen to Jackdown play? I hear they’re good. I haven’t been to see Jackdown yet, but Live Bay seems to be the place to go to hear live music and dance.”

  For the first time all night, something sounded exciting. I hadn’t been dancing in forever . . . since the prom, and I wasn’t sure that counted. I danced with Micah all the time around the house, but live music and actual dancing sounded like fun. Maybe it had been the stuffy fancy restaurant he had taken me to that had bored me. If he liked to dance, he couldn’t be completely boring.

  “Sounds like fun,” I said, trying not to bounce in my seat like a kid.

  He pulled his Volvo into the parking lot. The place was packed. I soaked it all in. This was a world I didn’t know. One I wanted a taste of. Live Bay had been around when I was sixteen, but I hadn’t been old enough to get inside. Now I was getting to see what the fuss was all about.

  “Isn’t that your . . . uh, son’s uncle?” Cam asked.

  I swung my gaze over to where he was looking and immediately wished I hadn’t. Seeing Dewayne pressing some girl up against his truck while attacking her face was not what I wanted to see. I was sure she was gorgeous. Surprisingly enough, she had red hair. That’s all I could see of her. Maybe my hair needed to be a lighter red for Dewayne. She also looked tan. I didn’t have time to get tanned. I should make time. I could play outside with Micah and get a tan.

  Wait . . . How did Cam know who Dewayne was?

  I tore my gaze off Dewayne and the lucky female to look at Cam. “How do you know Dewayne?” I asked. Had he researched me? If he had, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. It seemed creepy.

  Cam pressed his lips together as if he was thinking hard about something. Crap. I needed to get away from this man. He could have stalked me! “Dewayne paid me a visit at work today. He wanted to check me out before you went out with me.”

  I didn’t have any words. None at all. Cam was telling the truth. I didn’t have to ask Dewayne to know that Cam was telling the truth. It was something Dewayne would do. He didn’t trust me to keep Micah safe, so he was doing that for me. I understood that to an extent, but he had crossed the line. I wasn’t going to let him walk into my private life and stick his nose where it didn’t belong. Maybe I should find out who that woman was who currently had his tongue down her throat. If he was going to be around Micah, I deserved to know if she was suitable.

  “Stop the car,” I ordered, and Cam didn’t argue. He put the car in park, and I jumped out without an explanation and marched over to Dewayne’s back, letting my anger burn brighter with each step. I hadn’t thought this through, but in the moment I was so mad I didn’t care.

  I slapped him hard on the back without thinking that he could knock me across the parking lot with one swing. Luckily, I’d had the forethought to take a step back as Dewayne spun around and reached out to grab my arm. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was pissed. His grip on my arm made my knees buckle because it seriously felt like he was about to snap my arm in two. But I fought back a cry of pain and tried to keep the angry glare on my face.

  The moment his eyes focused on me, he dropped my arm like it was on fire. “Fuck! Sienna, what the hell are you doing?”

  I would not cradle my abused arm in front of him and the bimbo behind him. Yes, I called her a bimbo, because now that I could see her, she looked like one. Seriously way too much makeup, and her breasts were bare.

  “You,” I said, pointing at Dewayne with the hand that was attached to my good arm. “You went to Cam’s office today! How dare you question my decisions? When you’re out here with”—I glanced at the female who had thankfully pulled her shirt up over her chest—“her.”

  The girl frowned at me. “Who is this?” she asked in a pouty voice, and I realized her lips were pumped full. Ugh.

  “I was protecting you. Someone needs to. You agreed to a date with a stranger at the grocery store, Sienna. I was making sure he wasn’t a psycho.”

  “You had no right! I’m not bringing him around Micah. Not until I know him. So that means he is none of your business.”

  Dewayne raised his eyebrows and took a step toward me. His expression darkened. “Yeah, it is. I want Micah’s momma safe.”

  Well, crap. I would not melt because he was being a protective, possessive bear. Just because I hadn’t known what it felt like didn’t mean I had to like it. Dang it.

  “What about her? You’re in Micah’s life. Is she safe?” I asked.

  Dewayne didn’t even glance back at her or explain. He had been about to screw her right here in front of everyone, but now he was ignoring her. “I don’t even know her name, Sienna. This is just fun, baby. I’ll never see her again.”

  “Excuse me,” the girl said, now more than annoyed.

  My heart had decided to do a little flippy thing from him calling me baby. Which was ridiculous. He thought I was average, and now I knew why. I didn’t wear enough makeup or show enough skin for him.

  “It’s what I do, Sienna. I don’t do relationships or dates. You were going on a date with the guy. I had to make sure that he was a good man.”

  Okay. I didn’t understand this world at all. Dewayne was still a man whore, apparently. I had never seen him in a relationship with a female. Which was a shame because the territorial thing he did and the way he called me baby was pretty amazing. Even in his barbarian way he made me felt special. He was good at that.

  Cam cleared his throat behind me, and I realized I had forgotten him in the car. I turned back to him and gave him an apologetic smile. “Cam, you know Dewayne,” I said, then glanced back at Dewayne. “So
, did he pass inspection?”

  Dewayne didn’t move his eyes off me. He held my gaze for a moment too long. The female with him said something, but I was completely lost in his eyes. I had always loved his eyes. “Yeah, Little Red, he’s safe.”

  He hadn’t called me Little Red in so long I had forgotten about the nickname. But that wasn’t what struck me the most. It was the way he said “safe.” As if he’d been let down by me. Hadn’t he wanted me with someone safe?

  “Take care of her,” he said to Cam, then turned around and took the girl’s arm, and they walked back to the club.

  Cam touched my sore arm, and I jerked. Crap, I had forgotten about that. It was still throbbing. “It’s dark out here, but this looks like it’s gonna be a helluva bruise. Let’s get you home and get some ice on it. Unless you can’t move it and you need me to take you to the hospital.”

  I made myself move it, and I could easily enough. I just winced and teared up.

  “I’m good. I just need some ice,” I assured him.

  We didn’t talk much on the way back to my house, and I figured this would be the end of Cam. Not that I could blame him.

  * * *

  The knocking on the front door broke me out of my thoughts as I stirred the sugar in my coffee. I walked to the door, wondering if Micah had already woken up and wanted to come home. I wanted to see him. When Tabby had told me he’d fallen asleep and asked if he could sleep over, I hadn’t wanted to say yes. I had never been apart from Micah at night.

  But the way Tabby’s eyes lit up with hope made me give in, and I went home alone. Without Micah sleeping in his room beside mine, I hadn’t slept well. I missed him. I wasn’t sure how he would feel about waking up without me.

  I opened the door to find Dewayne instead. Not who I wanted to see this morning. Not at all.

  “We need to talk,” he said, stepping inside like he owned the place. He may own a lot of things, but this house was mine.