by Claire Adams
The older woman waved her hand as I entered but kept quiet as I mouthed not to say anything. I wanted to surprise Kylie and Vince if possible. She smiled and pointed to the chips section. I walked as silently as I could, keeping my tracks unnoticeable and invisible.
As I peeked over the shelf, I saw my son helping Kylie refill the racks. Vince was handing over one pack over another, assisting Kylie, who happily took the ones he gave to her. I tiptoed as I reached them, pretending to be a customer in need of their assisting.
“Hi, where are your fresh-squeezed juices?” The two turned, recognizing my voice. My son’s eyes grew big, glistening before me as he leaped into my arms. Kylie tucked the golden blonde strand of hair that fell on her face, revealing her rosy pink cheeks flushed before me. The two most adorable people in the world stood in front of me. Joy filled my heart, leaving me stuck in a moment of deep gratitude.
“I brought some food.” I showed them the boxes I picked up from the steak restaurant and sat Vince down.
He hopped far too excited, but it was cute. He motioned for us to join me. “Come on. Let’s tell Nana.”
“Nana?” I put my arm around Kylie’s shoulders and smiled down at her. “Is that your mom’s first name?”
She blushed. “No. It means grandmother in our family. He’s falling in love with her, and she’s returned his affection.”
“Oh, wow. I love it.” I kissed the side of her head and breathed her in as my body woke up. Fuck me, I needed her naked and pressed against me soon. My life was far too busy. I had to fix it. Soon.
“You didn’t tell me you were dropping by for lunch, by the way.” Kylie walked alongside me as we followed Vince.
Relief ran through me as I watched him closely. He looked so much better now, returning to his cheerful and strong self again. The flu was gone, and he was doing a great job of letting me give him his shots daily. The kid was a warrior.
“I wanted to surprise Vince.” I stopped by the register and turned to look down into her eyes. God, how could she be this beautiful? “And you too.”
She looked away, but the smile on her face meant she was flattered by my words. That was true.
“Come on, you two love birds.” Kylie’s mom picked up Vince, and we walked to the back of the store.
“What’s a love bird, Nana?” Vince asked, and we laughed.
We sat down and sat quickly, everyone quiet as they inhaled their meal. It seemed that lunch was a great idea. Everyone had to have been starving.
As we finished the meal, Kylie stood up to clean our table and prepare for her shift. I followed her as she went out of the convenience store, throwing the garbage into the huge dumpster outside.
“Kylie.”
“Yeah?” She faced me after throwing the bags of garbage in the dumpster. I was distracted by her again, her beauty blowing me away. The words I wanted to say suddenly vanished from my head.
“I was just wondering if you have anything planned for tomorrow night.” I raised the question, hoping like hell that she didn’t. I had something planned for her, a surprise of sorts for her helping me so much lately.
“Nothing, as of now. Why? Do you have some things to do? Need me to watch Vince?” she asked, knowing all too well that I would ask for help once again.
“No. I thought you could come over to the house and let me cook dinner for you. You deserve to be taken out to dinner, and it might be cocky of me, but a five-star restaurant chef is no match for my skills.”
“I thought you couldn’t cook that well.” She smiled and brightened my whole damn day with the simple action.
“I can cook certain things really well. We’ll just stick to those. You can be the judge?” We returned inside, smiling at each other like two school kids in love.
I spent the afternoon helping around the store after making sure Garren was good with it. It felt nice to give back a little, and getting the chance to watch Kylie in her tight jeans and button down shirt had me thinking that dinner wasn’t the only thing we’d be sharing the next night.
As the evening drew near, I said my goodbyes and offered a hand to Vince. He grabbed it and walked with me to the car, beaming from his fun day with everyone he ‘loved.’
“So, a good day then, right, buddy?” I asked as Vince hummed happily to the tune of his favorite song playing on the stereo.
He smiled at me, his innocent eyes full of joy. “I had so much fun, Daddy! Kylie taught me how to draw a nice, big house. Nana even told me some of the great childhood stories she used to tell Kylie when she was a kid. It was fun arranging the shelves; items are displayed based on color. I loved it when we were putting up the green ones! It’s my favorite color!” He looked like he had a lot of stories to tell. Vince was still talking about how his day was as I drove into our neighborhood, approaching our house as he narrated the rest of his fun memories of today.
“I really love them, Dad. Kylie’s so kind to me. She always gives me water and checks on me to see if I am sweaty and tired. She even allows me to watch her whenever she does her chores. I love helping her; she thinks I’m a great boy who gets her work done fast and easily! And her mom is like a grandmother to me. Is that okay that I call her Nana? I love her a lot, Dad.” He kept his eyes on me, persuading me by the words he spoke.
“Absolutely, buddy. I think she likes that a lot too.” I ruffled his hair as my heart filled up with warmth. We got out and walked to the house, Vince grabbing my shirt and pulling me to a stop just before we reached the door.
“Dad, thanks for coming to eat lunch with us. I am happy to spend the day with you.” He hugged my arm, leaning his head on my body as I felt my heart melt.
I patted his head lightly, thankful for my son’s quick recovery. He lifted his head, staring at me as he continued to speak.
“Dad, I want to cook that kind of steak again we ate during lunch. Can we do it tomorrow?” he asked.
I nodded, laughing over my son’s appetite for expensive food. His college years were going to be mighty rough on him. No steak there…
“You’re what we call a foodie, boy.” I gave him a funny look, which earned me a sweet giggle from him.
“Hey, buddy. How about you help me out by cooking a lot of delicious food tomorrow night? Kylie’s coming over to join us for dinner. We need to impress her a lot.” I knew he would be excited to see her again. Hell, I was too.
He hugged me tighter, his eyes on mine. He was excited as he nodded in fast motion, loving the idea of Kylie visiting tomorrow night. “Of course, Dad! I can also thank her tomorrow for teaching me how to draw houses.”
I opened the door and moved back as he bounced into the house. He was growing up so fast, getting so big and smart. I couldn’t have been more proud of him and felt like if I’d done one thing right in my life, it was having him.
We’d make dinner for my girl tomorrow night, and then I’d tuck him in bed and remind her just how much she meant to me.
Chapter Sixteen
Kylie
I waved my hand until Hunter’s car vanished from sight. I walked toward the store entrance until I saw my mother come out from our convenience store’s back door, staring the whole time as the father and son left the two of us.
“That boy is a joy to have around. He is kind, bright, and polite,” my mother spoke, standing beside me as we gazed in the direction where Hunter and Vince left from. I could not disagree with her. Vince was a clever boy who was interested in learning new things and meeting new people.
“That’s true, Mom. I am happy we have him around. Even the customers are enjoying seeing him here. His energy is contagious.” I held my chest. It felt like I had a newfound connection to the kid. He was like a son to me.
“Yeah, anyone would love to be around Vince. I even like him.” She patted my shoulder, which made me face her. She looked unimpressed, as if the things she just uttered did not match what she was thinking.
I looked at her with a confused stare.
She cont
inued. “I know you are doing things for Hunter and Vince to help them out in their time of need. I am so proud of you being a kind and big hearted woman I wished you to be.” She smiled at me, but her happy expression soon escaped her face. “But you should look out for yourself too.”
I wrinkled my brows in disagreement, baffled by what she really thought. “Mom.”
She ignored me. “Trust me, I know a lot of things, and I have experienced a lot of things. It’s just not right. You should be careful of Hunter and your feelings for him. Remember that you are just helping a neighbor, not pouring yourself into someone else who just sees you as a tool to fulfill his needs.”
I shoved her hand away from my arm, agitated by her words. She was acting cruel and bizarre. Hunter wasn’t that type of man, and she knew nothing about what he was going through.
“Why are you telling me these things out of nowhere? You don’t know anything about them. Hunter and Vince need help. I can help out; that’s why I’m doing this. I really don’t get why you are acting like this, Mom. You should not judge him based on the way you see the world.” I stormed away the convenience store, taking my things with me. I couldn’t stand listening to her down Hunter another minute. I’d definitely say something that I would come to regret.
I could still hear her calling out my name as I drove off, trying to stop me as I left. As much as I wanted to beg for forgiveness, I knew her all too well. Apologizing would only worsen things as she reiterated the words she said and try to push her beliefs onto me.
It was getting dark when I finally arrived home. The sun had just set, the day coming near to an end. I stepped out of the car, my head aching. I shouldn’t have said those disrespectful things to my mom. I should have turned the car around. I should have apologized and told her I was sorry for talking back to her. She deserved my respect, nothing less.
With guilt running in my chest, it was only when I stepped on the green lawn that I realized that my front door was hanging open again. My pulse spiked, and I stopped in my tracks. Fuck.
I reached into my purse and pulled out the gun I had gotten for this exact situation. I kept my steps as inaudible as I could, clearing my path as I entered the house. I needed to keep myself safe. I could not afford any mistakes this time.
I pointed my gun in front of me, just in case something went wrong. As I tiptoed inside the front door, I looked cautiously from all sides. The burglar could be anywhere; I had to be ready to attack if the need arises. I pulled my phone in my pocket, carefully dialing 9-1-1 as I kept my guard around the place. As soon as the other line picked up, I told them to come to my place as soon as they could.
“Please hurry up.”
Just as I finished saying the last word, I spotted a shadow of a man walking out the back door of my house. He wore all black, and his mask was black as well, covering everything except for his eyes. My hand which held the gun vibrated hard, my heart jumping out of my chest. I could easily shoot and kill my target, but why would I? Instead, he fled without any problem as he crashed through the back door and ran out into the backyard.
I melted to my knees, sinking down on the ground. My hands were still shaking desperately as I dropped the gun on the floor. It was the most life-threatening experience I had ever had, and where I was terrified, I still wasn’t willing to kill someone.
I broke down and cried. I heard the police car siren pull up, which forced me back into reality. The police came inside and searched the area to see if the burglar was still around.
“What happened, miss?” One of the police officers came to my aid, helping me stand to my feet. I tried my best to return to my old self, recalling how things were when I came to my house so I could answer the man’s questions.
“I came here and found that the front door was open. I was frightened, but I wanted to find out what happened. I carried my gun and walked in.” The police officer was jotting down notes as I spoke. “And when I went inside, I saw a man. He wore a black mask and black clothes, so it was hard to get a visual on him.”
In between our conversation, Hunter came running over to the house with Vince in tow. He stood beside me and wrapped an arm around me as he held Vince’s hand. “Kylie. What happened?”
“Someone broke in again.” I leaned against him.
He looked worried and saw that the gun he gave me was still lying on the ground, unused. He picked it up and gave it back to me. The police stared at me with a suspicious look on his face.
“That your gun, miss?” he asked.
Hunter spoke up. “Yes. She has a permit and a license to carry the gun. She purchased it from my gun shop.”
The police nodded, satisfied by Hunter’s statement. He pocketed the notes and pen, turning back to me for additional inquiries. “So, I suppose you know how to use a gun, miss.”
Hunter interrupted me. “Yeah, Kylie. I know you can shoot any target accurately, but why didn’t you fire it?”
I faced Hunter, my eyes filled with fear. I shook my head, disappointed in myself.
“I couldn’t pull the trigger. When I was about to shoot the man, something inside of me stopped me. I just can’t kill another person.” I looked down at the gun, grasping it.
The policeman gave me a warm look. “That’s okay, miss. You did the right thing. We don’t know if the man had an accomplice or any weapon. Shooting him might have only caused things beyond your control in case you failed to shoot your target.” He looked over at Hunter. “You need to stay somewhere else, miss. We can’t let you hang around here, especially now that your doors are broken.” I looked around to see what he meant. Both doors of my house were knocked down by the culprit, the locks broken. I looked around the house. It was a mess. Almost all of my things were scattered about.
“I see. I guess I’m going back to my mother’s house then,” I whispered half-heartedly. It felt like a bad move, seeing that we weren’t exactly on good terms.
Hunter obviously had other plans for me.
“We appreciate you guys for coming, Officer. She’s coming with me,” Hunter intervened, answering on my behalf.
“Great. If you’ll excuse me then, I’ll help in investigating the area.” He turned his back and walked away from us. I kept my eyes on him, still in awe as to what he had told me. The fear that consumed me suddenly vanished. It felt like time stopped moving.
“Dad. What’s going on?” Vince glanced up and asked.
“Not now, buddy.” Hunter turned to face me. “Come on; it’s not safe here.”
My heart was beating fast again. It wasn’t due to fear anymore, but the handsome man standing beside me, protecting me. He wanted me with him for the night, and I wasn’t going to refuse him. Not ever.
Goose bumps raced down my skin as his hand entwined with mine, holding me tightly as he walked us out of my house. We walked across the yard and walked into Hunter’s house. Hunter released me and walked Vince back to the living room.
He crawled up on the couch and started watching some cartoons. I sat down next to him and smiled down at him. “Thanks for coming to save me.”
“You bet! Are you okay, Kylie? What were the cops doing at your house?” Those big, green, puppy-dog eyes sparkled as he looked at me.
“Yeah, everything’s okay now. Don’t worry about it, Vince. Nothing you need to be worried about.” I stroked his dark hair.
He looked at his father, confirming my statement. Hunter knelt down to stare into his son’s eyes. “She’s right, buddy. But to make sure things are okay, Kylie’s sleeping over so two superheroes can watch over her.”
A big grin spread over his adorable face, captivating both of us, without a doubt.
“You’re safe here, Kylie. Dad is the strongest hero ever!”
Hunter kissed his cheek and took him to his bed, reminding him that it was past his bedtime already.
I followed as Hunter took Vince to his room and then went to his own. It felt awkward to watch him make the bed. When he finished, he turned to face me w
ith a smile on his face.
“It’s been a long day for you. You can stay in here, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
He walked past me to leave, and my body tensed. I clenched my hands into fists as I listened fervently to his footsteps as he walked out, leaving me alone. I wanted him to stay with me so fucking bad.
I wanted him to lie in the bed beside me. I ached for him to stay with me, to tell me everything was okay. I wished I had stopped him, but my head was jacked with all my problems and the long list of things I needed to do.
Instead, I collapsed on his bed and tried to relax. I started to fall asleep, his scent lingering around me and calming my frantic heart.
Chapter Seventeen
Hunter
The bright rays of the sun welcomed me to the new day, glistening before my closed lids to wake me up. I stretched as I yawned, still sleepy after a few long hours of sleep. I sat up on the couch, taking the blanket off.
I sat up and took my phone from the coffee table alongside the couch. While I searched for Garren’s contact number, I thought of what to cook for breakfast. It was the least I could do for Kylie. I needed to pamper her, even just in my own, simple way.
As I found his name, I dialed his phone and waited for him to pick up. After a few rings, Garren’s voice finally greeted me a good morning.
“What’s the buzz, man? Why are you calling so early?” He sounded as if I woke him up from his sleep.
“Garren, I need to take the day off today.” He asked for an explanation right before I was able to provide him one.
“Why, dude? What happened?”
“Things got out of hand last night. Kylie’s house was broken into again, and she needed a place to stay. I volunteered to keep her around in the meantime. It’s the least I could do for all the help she did for Vince and me.”
He fell silent for quite some time. “Yeah, that’s good. I’m happy you’re finally on the right track, Hunter. I’ll get ready to go to the shop, man. No worries.”