Gaining Ground

by Nikki Bolvair

  When we got to Lincoln’s house, he parked the Jeep in the driveway, and we both go out. He came over to my side and hugged me. I was kind of taken off guard, but relaxed. Touch had come easy with the guys, and more quickly than it had with anyone else. Even Brady had slowly worked passed my walls. Smiles had become more effortless for me, and I had a home.

  Lincoln pulled away and then gave me a short, but sweet, kiss before Brady showed up. He quietly promised he’d see me tomorrow at the diner. I walked across the street to my house just as Brady and Sarah were getting out. “Are you up for shopping tomorrow, Faith?” Sarah asked as the two of them came toward me.

  If she wanted to, I would go for her, I thought. “Sure.”

  She hugged me as Brady opened the door. “Great! We’re going to have so much fun! Be thinking of what stores you want to hit up because this is going to be an all-day affair.”

  HotShot was waiting for us when we went in, happy and hyper. I gave him a pet as I walked past him.

  “Glad I’m not going,” Brady chuckled. “Bobby McGuire and I are going to the gym to do some reps. It’s a guy thing.”

  Both Sarah and I started up the stairs but Brady called out to me. Oh yeah, our... talk.

  “Night, Faith,” Sarah called on her way up.

  “Thanks for sending me to the wolf,” I muttered back, and she softly laughed.

  “I heard that,” Brady grumbled.

  “He’s not that bad,” Sarah’s voice floated down to me. I stood on the bottom step with the hopes that this wouldn’t take long.

  He had his arms folded and he just stared at me. Then he asked me one question, “Do we need to get a restraining order against this Tucker fellow?”

  Brady once again shocked me with his simple words. I shook my head because I couldn't talk. If I did, I would cry, and he wouldn’t want to deal with that. Brady really did care for me.

  He sighed, “Will you tell me the minute you feel you need one? And I don’t care if it’s a fleeting thought, I want to know.”

  I nodded again, my nose burning. I wasn’t going to cry, but it was hard to keep my emotions down. I sniffed. “Ok.”

  “Aw damn, get over here,” he said with his arms open, and I went. “I hate it when you cry.” I softly chuckled into his chest. No one could ever replace Brady.

  “Ok, Pa,” I chuckled, trying to ward off the weird emotion that led to crying. I hated it.

  He sighed. “And please, not that name.”

  Chapter 5

  When I got to my room, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I fell onto my bed, HotShot jumping into his spot, and checked my phone.

  Lincoln: Don’t forget to call Tyler and Kayden, and get a good night's sleep. Dream of me.

  I smiled at the last bit, but sighed when I realized what I had to do. I sent Lincoln a quick text agreeing to do it, and then pulled up Tyler's number. It was better to get this out of the way now, rather than later, and maybe I could find out who Roxie was.

  The phone kept ringing, and I was about to give up when he answered.

  “Hello?” he yelled into the phone. There was a ton of noise in the background. People yelling, loud vibrations? And music. Almost as if he was at a party, but that couldn’t be, because he told me he was working tonight.

  “Tyler? Where are you?” I was having doubts that he was being truthful with me. If he wanted to go to a party, why not ask me to go with him?

  “Hey, Baby. Give me a second. It’s too loud.” Things got quiet for a brief second until I heard him talk to someone else who was there. “I’m headed to the restrooms where it’s quieter. Daniels is on the phone. Let me know if she shows up, ok?”

  “Sure. Tell Sweetcheeks I said hi!” I heard Kayden respond over the line.

  The noise started to dim as I assumed he walked away. “Kayden says ‘hi,’ and what’s up with that nickname anyways?” I could hear him adjusting the phone to open up a door then heard it squeak closed behind him. The noise level was muffled, and it was much easier to hear him.

  I rolled to my side, feeling a knot in my stomach. What were they doing? “You’ll have to ask Kayden. He’s the one who gave it to me,” I answered. “I thought you were working?”

  “We were, but then we had to meet up with someone. Are you ok? Did Lincoln show up at the theater?”

  “Yeah, he showed up.” I shifted a little bit, curling my knees closer to me. I didn’t like talking to him about this on the phone, but for now, this was how it was how it had to be.

  “That's good,” Tyler answered. “Was Brady upset?”

  I scrunched up my nose. “You could say that.”

  He chuckled, making my heart warm. I loved that sound from him. “What happened?”

  I sighed, and HotShot must have felt my nerves because he crawled up beside me to give comfort. “I have something to tell you, and don’t be... too angry with me.”

  “Ok,” he said hesitantly. He seemed worried about what it was. It seemed best to rush through it; take the Band-Aid approach.

  “Kane showed me who Tucker was, and then like a week ago, or maybe two, Tucker pulled me into a lecture hall—”

  “What the hell?” he raged out. “Did he hurt you? Why didn’t you tell me? Tell any of us? We don’t want you to have to deal with him. He’s my problem, not yours.”

  “Tyler. No, he didn’t hurt me, at least not on purpose. There was a loose snake, and we both fell.”

  “You were near a snake? A snake, Faith? You didn't get bitten, right? No, you couldn’t have,” he answered his own question. “We would have known if you had. What did he want?”

  My gut tightened. “He wanted to ask me out.” I told him everything up until the point where I got home, but I exclude the Roxie comment. I wanted to find out more from Raina first before I brought out ex-girlfriends. Especially if he took her from Tucker.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Tyler uttered afterward in a soft, deadly tone. It made me worry. “He has something coming to him if he thinks he can take you from me. We’re good, right?”

  “Of course, Tyler,” I said without hesitation. I trusted him and his brothers, or as much as I could trust them.

  “So he’s basically stalking you. Did you tell Officer Brady yet?”

  “He knows,” I whispered.

  Tyler sighed. “Something’s not right. Baby, what else is going on?”

  I reached out to pet HotShot hopefully calming my nerves. “I do have something to talk about, but it can wait.”

  “What is it?” he demanded.

  “Did you ever talk to Kayden about college?” I deflected, hoping he would think it was what I’d been hoping to talk about.

  “Yes, but you should talk to him about it, ok?”

  “Ok—”

  I heard noise in the background, “Tyler?”

  He started to talk to someone, then spoke to me. “Have to go, Baby. See if Brady will let me come for dinner Sunday. We'll talk then. Love you.” Then he hung up, and I was shocked.

  One: He hung up on me.

  Two: He told me he loved me for the first time, and it was over the phone while he was in the restroom at some party.

  I was suddenly angry at Tyler, but happy at the same time, but most of all, worried. He loved me, but was it really a sincere declaration of love? Weren’t those two little words thrown out a little carelessly to be meaningful? I was conflicted.

  I rolled over on my pillow and let out a short, frustrated scream. HotShot thought I was playing and jumped up to give my head a nudge and whine. I turned and put a hand on his head to calm him down. I let out a huge sigh and gazed across my bed toward my desk where my only family picture sat. Life was precious, delicate and complicated. Time was slipping away, and I needed to have time with Tyler. To have fun and get to know him without his brothers. To let it all out. Those guys had me twisted up in knots. Maybe I needed to be the one seeking them out. Maybe I should ground them to me. I chuckled at that thought as I closed my eyes and drifted off to
sleep.

  Saturday I woke up and immediately texted the guys to see if any of them were free. They weren’t. The three of them were working. I couldn’t help the fleeting thought of doubt that crossed my mind. I tossed my phone carelessly toward the end of my bed where it landed beside HotShot on the blankets. I groaned and dismissed my doubts.

  With no license and no car, I was stuck. Then I perked up. There was always Raina. Sitting up, I reached for my phone and sent her a text.

  Daniels: You up? #Hacked

  I laid back down and burrowed back under my covers while I waited for her reply. While my bedroom was light and airy, it was also cold. It was as if the early morning bitterness from outside had seeped in, making the heater work overtime. Even then, I heard its hum as warmth drifted every so often across my slightly chilled nose.

  As I waited, I wondered about the direction my life was heading. I was in a new relationship with not just one guy, but three. The guys were thinking about a future; one that involved us moving together across the country. While I was focused on getting my first job. Anywhere. I had to admit, Tucker’s offer was tempting. With the guys moving forward as they were, I guessed I was feeling kind of in limbo. Like I was stuck. I wanted my own job, my own money, a car someday. I needed to make a list. A list of goals.

  I hopped out of bed and grabbed a pad of paper, along with a pen, giving a quick smile to my family photo I kept in my room, before sliding back into bed. I rubbed my feet together to warm them as I wrote at the top of the page, ‘Faith’s Life Goals’.

  One: Find out about Tucker. Two: Boys and college in AZ Three: Job Four: Decide major before next semester.

  Five: Birth control Six: Driving permit (ask Brady, use Tyler’s Jeep) Seven: Find out the guys’ favorite candy

  Eight: Make love for the first time Nine: Get married some day Ten: But first- Find out about Roxie

  My phone dinged. I set down the pad of paper and reached over to check the message.

  Raina: Unfortunately, I am up. My brother busy today, hmm?

  Daniels: Yep! wanna hang? #Hacked

  Raina: We’re gathering the sickies at Kane house. I have soup for them. Wanna come?

  I thought about it for a second and then texted her.

  Daniels: Count me in #Hacked

  Raina: Be here in 20 mins

  I jump out of bed to get dressed. I didn’t want to get sick, but I did want answers, and a car ride with Raina might give them to me.

  I dressed and hurried over to Raina’s, knocking on the door, only to have it opened by Mrs. McGuire. She was dressed in a snazzy dark blue skirt suit. Did all realtors dress up like that? She paused when she saw me, glancing at the keys in her hand. I guess she hadn’t answered the door because I knocked, she was on her way out.

  “Oh! Hello, dear,” she greeted me with a warm smile. She pulled me in for a quick hug, and took a step to the side to turn us until we’d switched places.

  “It’s so good to see you, but I’ve gotta run,” she spoke, letting me go, her eyes bright. “I have an appointment I need to get to, but we’ll have to make time to talk later.” She patted my arm and head toward her car.

  “Raina’s in the laundry room looking for clean clothes,” she called out as she opened up her car.

  I was amused. Raina's mother glanced up and grinned. “But don’t let her know it was me who let that tidbit of information slip. She too dang old to not know how to do laundry. Heaven help her when she and Kane get their own place.” She shook her head as she got in her car and closed the door.

  I watched her drive off as she rolled down the window to give me a one handed wave. “Bye, dear!” And with that, she was gone. That woman was a storm. She entered just as fast as she left, and was full of information. The kind used in blackmail.

  I went into the house and called out to Raina, hoping I wouldn’t have to search her out.

  “In here!” I heard her off to the right, past the staircase. I followed her voice as she continued to talk until I found her, exactly where her mom said she would be. She was dragging clothes out of a hamper onto the floor, I assumed she was looking for a particular item. “You’d think I’d learn, but nooo, I have to wait until I run out of clothes before doing laundry. Where is bribable Tyler when you need him?” Raina mumbled as she drew out a few pieces she had found and threw them into an empty washer.

  I lifted an eyebrow. “Tyler does your laundry?”

  Raina snorted. “For a price.” She finally looked up at me and gave me a pleading smile. “Want to help me? Please.”

  I rolled my eyes, and took out the laundry she had thrown into the washer basin. “First, you have to run the water and put the soap in.” I looked down at her items. “You’re doing mostly jeans, so cold water is ok.” I turned on the washer, picked the right cycle and found some soap to toss in.

  “Why can’t you just put your clothes in first?”

  “Because, typically laundry soap is colored, and you don’t want to throw it in right on your clothes. It could stain them. You want the laundry soap to mix with the water first.” I closed the lid before turning around to give Raina a pointed look. “Now, how is it that you’ve made it to 24, and do not know how to do laundry?”

  She gave a sheepish smile and shrugged, walking out of the small space we were in. “I don't know? Talent maybe?”

  I followed her up the stairs. “But you’ve managed to bribe Tyler to do it.”

  “Mm-hm.” She opened her bedroom door, walked over to her bed where a pile of clothes lay on the ground, and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt. She discarded her PJs and threw on the clothes, then turned back to me. “I pay him,” she explained.

  I leaned back against her door jamb watching her grab her shoes, thinking of something. An idea had occurred to me. “How much?”

  “What?” she asked surprised, glancing toward me for a second.

  “How much do you pay Tyler to wash your clothes?” I was serious. I could do laundry.

  She looked up as she tied her shoe. “Why do you want to know?”

  I gave her a hard stare, hoping she wouldn’t laugh. “I need money, and your brothers are distracting me from getting a job. I could come every Tuesday night and do your laundry and spend time with the guys. It’s a win-win for me.”

  Raina grinned and nodded slowly as she stood. “Ok, but not on Tuesdays. How about Mondays? Five dollars a load.”

  I pursed my lips. “Fifteen and I’ll fold them.” Raina grinned “A little bit of a haggler aren’t you? Twelve and I’ll put away my own clothes.” I knew the money wasn’t much, but it was something and it was mine. A new start, a chance at twelve dollars a week, and I was going to take it. “Deal.” I smiled “But if I get a better opportunity, the deal is off.” I felt a lightness in me. I had a way to make money, even if I was taking Tyler’s job.

  “To be frank,” I told her as we head back downstairs toward the kitchen to get the soup, “He wasn’t doing a good job if you had dirty clothes still.”

  “Oh, I know. He likes to use the fact that I’m clueless on the laundry workings and makes me wait.” She glanced at me. “But now I have you. Thank you, Daniels.” I shrugged off her comment while blushing, embarrassed about the whole thing. She handed me one of the two large bowls of soup. Even though I was embarrassed, I was happy.

  “Thank you for helping me to make some of my own money.”

  She grabbed the other soup and turned to me. “Sure! Now are you ready to go feed the sickies?”

  I chuckled. “Ready as I’ll ever be heading toward germs.”

  “Are you a germaphobe?”

  “No. But nobody likes to get sick,” I told her as she locked up the house.

  “You’ve got a point there.”

  The two of us hopped into her small SUV and headed out of the neighborhood. As we drove, she fiddled with the radio, while I sat quietly trying to figure out how to ask about Roxie. When Raina settled on a music station, she sat back and glanced at me b
efore looking back to the road. She knew something was up.

  “Soooo, you’re awfully quiet. What's going on?”

  “I wanted to ask you about Roxie,” I blurted out. Not one for subtlety, I guess.

  “Ok,” she said cautiously. “But shouldn’t you be talking to my brothers about it?”

  “Probably,” I agreed as I looked out the window, a little embarrassed about my abruptness on the subject. But dang it, I wanted answers. “I just wanted a heads up from you first.”

  “I don’t know how you found out, but what happened between my brothers and Tucker, it’s in the past. Tyler won. Tucker needs to get over it.”

  Anger flared up in me as she casually brushed aside my feelings. “What the hell was that, Raina? So what if he won? Roxie’s not in the picture anymore, right?”

  She glanced over at me, confused by my outburst. “What are you talking about, Faith? Tyler took Roxie out Friday. He had a buyer coming in and wanted to impress him.”

  I felt hurt. “Friday?” I must be missing something.

  “Yeah, maybe you need to talk to Tyler. Where did you find about—”

  “Tucker.”

  “Oh.”

  I folded my arms, pissed, and glared ahead. “I guess Tyler and I have something to talk about.”

  Raina shrugged looking very confused. I supposed that made two of us. I sighed, letting it go. I would talk to Tyler. Maybe, just maybe, things weren’t as they seemed.

  Chapter 6

  “Oh look!” She tapped my arm to get me to look at a house we were passing. She slowed down almost to a stop, admiring the quaint home that was for sale. It looked a little run down, but that wasn’t what had me chuckling. The small sign attached to the leading realtor sign that said “Not Haunted” tickled my funny bone. With that sign, the realtors might as well have been saying “Not Haunted...That we know of...”

  “Isn’t it perfect?” Raina asked, ignoring the sign underneath the main ‘For Sale’ sign as we crept passed slowly in the car. “It’s been on the market for a while by one of our competitors.”