by Bliss Carter
Boomer looked at Cade for a few moments, then nodded as if in agreement. He ruined it by stating, “I didn’t peg you for this mushy, Dear Abby, type crap, Cade. Where’s your man card hiding, dude?”, Boomer laughingly stated and broke the seriousness that hung in the air.
“It’s in the drawer along with yours apparently”, Cade sarcastically replied. “Maybe we were meant to meet and be good friends, Boomer. You’ve been pining away for one woman and I just met her best friend today. And both of us know we’re so gone for both of them that it isn’t funny. I see double dates in our future, but you’re buying the first round. I said it out loud, so it’s now in the universe. You can’t refuse”. Cade stared at Boomer’s expression and laughed. Wow, laughing felt good. He needed to do it more often. It seems he’d laughed more in the past few days than he had in the past year in Nashville. And that told him something important. He was where he was supposed to be. It felt good. “Let’s wrap this stuff up so I can get to the ER and check on Kresley before she leaves to go home”. Each man set out to secure the crime scene for bagging and cleanup by the night crew and leave for the night.
∞∞∞
From the shadows of a store’s back door and stoop down the alley, a dark shape stood silently without moving. They didn’t want to draw attention to themselves, but wanted to make sure to get all the info they could regarding the crime scene. They didn’t leave behind any evidence, they made sure of that. They always made sure of that. It had felt good to feel the way Drake’s head cracked and caved as the metal pipe made contact. The grunt of noise he made as he fell to the pavement, spilling that stupid milkshake still echoed in their head. The smell of blood, almost a copper smell had made them queasy, but it soon passed. They did the right thing. Drake deserved everything he got. Didn’t he? And that red-haired slut. She was part of the problem as well, right? Well, can’t question it now anyway. What’s done is done. Drake Harris had learned his lesson the hard way. And Kresley Anderson would be next. Hopefully no one else would have to learn.
Chapter Four
Kresley looked around the small cubicle she was put into at the ER. Only a curtain separated her from the views of the nurses and doctors at their central desk location. She was alone for right now and honestly needed it. Grace had stayed quiet in the ambulance and so far here at the ER. No questions had been asked from Grace yet and it was sort of freaking Kres out because Grace was never that quiet. Never. Not even during the prayer at church services.
Kresley had so much churning in her brain. Drake Harris was dead. At the back door of her business. Why? And why was he there at all? He and Claudia are scheduled to get married in a few weeks. Well, was scheduled. Poor Claudia. This will devastate her. Kres had met with she and Drake just this morning about last minute changes. She hadn’t noticed anything strange going on during their appointment. Not unless you counted Claudia’s father, who hovered just a little too much over his only daughter. Besides thinking of the horror of finding a dead body near her, Kres soon began thinking of the very much alive and smokin’ body of the man who confused the hell out of her. Cade wasn’t what she was used to in a man. Well, in a man that showed interest in her. He said that he would see her at the hospital, but Kres doubted it. Why would he bother? She was just Kresley. Nothing special. Red hair, freckles, green eyes, lover of 80s music, hated pickles and loved wearing the color pink. Oh, and a workaholic.
She was interrupted in her thoughts when her phone dinged the laugh of the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz, which meant a text from one of her sisters or Grace had arrived. Oh, wonderful. It was a group chat. This should be good.
Birdie: Kres, what the hell’s going on? Do u have ur phone with u?
Kresley: yes. Don’t know what’s going on right now. Waiting. Grace is somewhere here. No doc yet.
Francie: I’m OMW now. Be there in 5. If doc is cute, hold him 4 me.
Kresley: I’ve had hit in the head. Don’t care about your flirt-on.
Grace: I'm stuck in the hall. Talking to pastor Fred. He's showing me pics of new grandbaby. Baby is not cute. Sad. Has mono brow.
Gertie: Sorry Kres. ILY but no hospitals. Can’t handle it. I sick as sister
Gertie: duck.
Gertie: *angry emoji*
Gertie: I SUCK. Suck as a sister. Damn auto correct
Kresley: you do NOT suck. Well as a sis anyway. As a texter yes. Turn off auto correct. I get it. No worries Gert.
Grace: Kres kissed a boy
Birdie: WTH????
Francie: define boy please. Cougar Kres in the house?
Gertie: under age Kres? Really? You know better.
Kresley: No cougar. He isn’t a boy, he's all man. And HE kissed ME. Twice. Okay, so I didn’t stop the kisses. But I didn’t start it. WTG Grace. Stir that pot. Need a bigger spoon?
Grace: *GIF of witch stirring cauldron and laughing*
Francie: be there in 1 min then can get scoop. Don’t text any more info. It’ll piss off Birdie and Gertie since they aren’t there to hear it. Grace, meet me at Kres’ bed. Out.
Kresley: Doc here. Older dude. Ear and nose hair. Good luck Francie with that. I’m jelly. Later girls. Out.
Kresley silenced her phone and concentrated on the ER doctor standing by her bed. Dr. Davis asked her some questions and took a look at her head and face. He stated he would send her for a head CT to rule out a concussion, but didn’t think she would have one. Better to be safe than sorry he said with a fatherly pat on her hand. Kresley smiled and thanked him, just as Grace and Francie ripped the privacy curtain back with a flourish. Francie did everything with a flourish. And a wicked sense of humor as well. So, it was no surprise to Kresley when Francie started talking as if their text conversation were still going on.
“So, you kissed some boy. Okay, spill the tea”, Francie stated loudly as she walked by the doc, pausing to smile sweetly at him. Dr. Davis paused when he heard the words kiss and boy, but when he looked at Kres, confused, she shook her head quickly in a no answer and gave a weak smile. He nodded his head back and left the area, moving on to his next patient.
“No tea to spill. Lots of crap to clean up first. Then tea after.”
“I don’t know what any of that means Kres. I get a call from Grace, who is partly talking gibberish and partly saying something about a dead body at the warehouse and you sucking face with tall, dark and sexy. So, can we just start from the beginning and let me soak in what’s crap and what’s not?”, Francie wearily stated as she sat down in a chair by Kresley’s bed.
Kres went through all that happened tonight, leaving out no detail except the identity of the person who was dead. Kres loved her sister, but she also knew she was part of the fire storm gossip network in town. It would be horrible for a loved one or friend of Drake to find out about his death through gossip or social media.
“Okay, so you’re here and police are at the office finishing up a crime scene where someone was killed outside our building. Oh my gosh. And Big Sexy is the detective who showed up?”, Francie stated with a mix of emotions on her face.
“Yes. But who named him Big Sexy? I know I didn’t”, Kres asked. The nickname is definitely accurate, but she knew almost nothing about Cade right now. Well except for how soft his lips felt. How his tongue moved in her mouth so firmly and aggressively. Or what his eyes looked like so close to hers. Like the blue of a summer sky. Focus girl. He’s just a guy.
“Oh, that was Birdie. It’s a separate text convo the rest of us are having without you. They want all details without you being bothered with the dinging of your phone since you have a head injury”, stated Grace with a sly smile. She said this as her thumbs flew across her phone screen, obviously texting to Kresley’s other sisters.
Kresley opened her mouth to fire back a reply at her nosey sisters and best friend, but Cade, aka Big Sexy, chose that moment to pull back the privacy curtain. Both Francie and Grace let out a gasp at the sudden movement. Kres could only stare and blush. Cade stood there in
all of his 6’3” glory, looking down on Kres intently. Biceps as thick as her thighs, forearm muscles rippling and a heavier beard scruff on his face than before, Cade silently demanded attention without even trying or asking for it. His gaze was so intense and focused that Kresley forgot her train of thought. Wow. Just. Wow.
“Woah.”
“Holy shit.”
Deep voice scratchy from the late-night hour, Cade took one of Kresley’s hands in his and stroked back her red hair from her forehead. “Hi baby. The nurses directed me here when I asked where the sexy red head was”, Cade said with a wicked grin. He looked around and saw Francie and Grace sitting on the opposite side of Kres’ bed. “Well, make that two sexy red heads and one blonde bombshell.”
“Yep, he gets my vote for Big Sexy”, Francie stated bluntly. “Grace, what’s your vote?”
“Same. He was a lot to view in the dark earlier, but under these harsh hospital lights, it’s almost too much to see at once, you know. He really needs a warning label, but where to put it?” Grace stated this as she made a photo frame box with her fingers, as if she were framing Cade in her memory for later.
“Kill me now”, Kresley mumbled as she leaned her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. Mortified. That’s what she was. Confused as well. Why was he here?
“So, I’m guessing calling you an asshole wasn’t a deterrent?”, Kresley quietly asked, finally looking up into his gorgeous eyes. She thought she would see irritation there. Maybe resignation. Maybe amusement. But what she saw in his blue eyes was pure concern and a little simmering heat.
“Kresley James Anderson, how dare you call this man an asshole! He’s law enforcement dumbass”, Francie exclaimed from across the room. “Wait, why was he being an asshole. Sorry, no offense Big Sexy, but if my sister called you an asshole, I’m pretty sure you were being one. Do I need to get some shovels for digging your grave?”
Cade ignored Francie for the moment and bent down, caging in Kresley with his arms on either side of her head. “I told you I’d be here, asshole comment or not. I never say something I don’t mean or can’t back up. Wait. Big sexy? Why am I being called Big Sexy? I need introductions Red. I already know Grace over there”, Cade stated to Kres, standing back up, then resting his hip on the edge of her bed and taking her hand in his, looking around at the other women in the room. “Continue, Red’s sister.”
“I’m Francie Anderson, short for Francine. I’m Kresley’s oldest sister. There are two more of us down the line after Kres. And I’m assuming you’re the guy who kissed the mess out of my sister at an active crime scene earlier.” Francie held her hand out to Cade as a greeting. He shook it immediately, winking at her, then Kresley. “Three sisters to keep up with and win over. Got it. And I’m not an asshole, by the way.”
“As Kres told you before, I’m Grace Puckett, Kresley’s assistant and best friend of three years. The youngest sister, Birdie, nicknamed you Big Sexy. I agreed wholeheartedly. One, we didn’t know your name yet. Two, why not? You are big and sexy. Duh. I hold judgement on the asshole comment for now.”
Cade laughed out loud at both women’s introductions, telling them to just call him Cade. He then immediately apologized to Kresley, saying he didn’t think about her head hurting when he laughed. Kres smiled sweetly at him and said it was fine, then proceeded to try pushing him off the bed onto his butt. It wasn’t a lie. Her headache was tolerable. Kresley could see that Cade didn’t give much visual attention to the other women in the room, including the big chested nurse that came in to check Kresley’s vitals. Ms. Nurse, with the too tight scrub top and glossy cherry red lipstick, was trying every trick in the book to get Cade’s attention. He didn’t seem to be interested at all and kept his focus on Kresley or her girls. Brownie points for Cade.
“Tell me what’s going on baby. How your head is feeling, what tests are they doing, everything.” Cade motioned with his hand for her to start talking.
Kresley raised her eyebrow, paused for a few moments and when Cade didn’t demand or show impatience, just sat quietly and waited for her to answer, Kresley felt impressed. Add another brownie point. “I’m waiting for them to come take me for a CT scan of my head, but Dr. Davis doesn’t think I have a concussion. My head is okay. Just a little ache going on and the scrapes on my cheek burn just a little. No other injuries.”
“Good. I was worried about you”, Cade quietly said as he squeezed her hand and brought her fingers to his mouth for a kiss.
Kresley could see the hand pops to the arms and side eyes going on between Grace and Francie. “Would you two knock it off and go get me a Chic-Fil-A original with waffle fries and a sweet tea please? Cade do you want anything?”
“Sure, I’ll have the same girls. Here, use this to pay and don’t forget the Polynesian sauce”, Cade said as he handed them a $20 bill. “I haven’t eaten tonight yet either.”
Polynesian was Kresley’s favorite. So, more brownie points were added to Cade’s building score.
“Gotcha Kresley. Alone time with Big Sexy trumps time with the girls. Nice”, Francie said with a big grin and wink. She and Grace left the area and then silence descended over Kres’ small cubicle.
Kresley took the opportunity and sat up in bed, the sheet falling to her waist. She let out a slight groan and she stretched her arms above her head and worked out a few kinks in her neck. Cade sat in silence, watching every move she made, still sitting hip to hip with her on the bed, but facing her this time. His hand now rested on her thigh near her knee. He gave it a small squeeze and rubbed his fingers up and down, over her knee and up her thigh before coming back down to do it all over again. His touch was soothing, but distracting. Sweet baby Jesus, you are in trouble Kresley, with a capital T.
Both looking into each other’s eyes, bodies and lips beginning to drift towards each other like a magnet, Kresley pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and made a slight groan. Cade pulled her lip away and demanded, “Don’t do that”. As soon as he said it, Ms. Nurse Boobs came in with a wheelchair. She stated it was time to get the CT scan done.
Cade lifted Kres from the bed without an ounce of trouble, ignoring her protest and placed her in the wheelchair. He stated to the nurse to take good care of his girl and then stated to Kresley that he would be right here when she got back.
As she was wheeled away, Kresley called out the only thing she could think at the moment. “Don’t eat my waffle fries, Cade. That’s asshole 101 stuff right there.” As she was wheeled away, Kresley grinned as she heard Cade’s deep laugh and a hearty “of course baby”.
Sometimes the best surprises happened at the weirdest times.
Chapter Five
Cade sat and devoured his meal of a chicken sandwich and fries, and enjoyed the entertainment that came from Francie and Grace. They had been sitting in Kresley’s tiny cubicle for about 20 minutes or so, waiting on her to return from the CT scan. During his meal, he was bombarded with story after story of Kresley when she was a child and since Grace met her three years ago. He listened intently to the stories, but also to the obvious love and adoration both women had for Red. Cade was an only child, so growing up with siblings had always fascinated him. He couldn’t imagine having one sister, let alone three to deal with. And if he was a good judge of character, he assumed that all three of Kresley’s kept her on her toes daily. Plus, Grace. All of them would be a handful together at one time. Cade couldn’t wait to see this spectacle in person. He observed Francie for a few moments, taking in her sleek red hair, cut into a chic bob, librarian type rectangle glasses perched on her nose. Cade could tell she had alot of fire in her just because of her glasses. They weren't the standard black rim. Francie chose to wear teal colored frames, which seemed to accent her green eyes and make them appear almost as a sea green. She was definitely intriguing. Grace, on the other hand, was a blonde bombshell of curves, curly hair down her back, and the attitude of Mae West. Cade could definitely see why Boomer was so hung up on the woman. A pin up girl,
Marilyn Monroe and an angel, all rolled into one.
“Before Kres gets back from her tests, let me go ahead and give the big sister speech now to you, Cade. I like you. You’re funny, charming, have a good job, protective for sure although you seem to have the alpha male for public viewing down to an art, and you seem to have a liking for my sister. So, I say this with only respect to you. If you hurt Kres in any way, shape, or form, I will personally take your nuts and cram them so far down your throat that you won’t be able to find them. Ever. Are we clear?”, Francie sweetly stated to Cade, pushing her glasses back up her nose, as he sat on the opposite side of Kres’ bed.
“Ditto to what she said”, Grace quickly inserted as she took a swallow of her vanilla milkshake and looked on.
“I hear what y’all are saying loud and clear. I have no intention of hurting Kresley. I may have just met her, but I’m excited to get to know her, figure her out, show her how good she can be treated with me, and hang out with her sisters and best friend. I get how important all of you are to each other, so that means you all are important to me now, too. And I promise not to be an asshole, even though I seriously wasn’t earlier today.”
Cade meant every word of what he said to the women and they seemed to take it to heart. The conversation steered back to Mercy Springs and the Anderson girls growing up. Cade asked where the girls’ parents lived now or if they still lived here in town. He saw a shadow move across Francie’s face and immediately regretted his question.