When he was finished and dressed, he checked on Hazel and the girls before stepping outside to wait for the delivery. He was certain the scent of food would wake them, even though he felt guilty about it. He doubted they’d slept much since living on the streets and he should let them sleep as long as they could. As he’d lain in bed all night, not quite able to fall asleep, he’d wondered what he was going to do about them.
Hazel, no doubt, would be ready to charge back out onto the streets after she’d eaten and made sure her girls were dressed and ready to go. She was stubborn, and prideful, from what he’d seen. But he could tell she loved her daughters dearly, enough to accept help on their behalf. It was downright despicable of him to do it, but he was going to play on that sympathy as long as he could. The thought of those precious girls not knowing where their next meal would come from, or not being able to take a bath, or watch cartoons… it made his heart hurt.
The food arrived and he carried it inside and set it on the table. He snagged his omelet out of the bag and ate quickly, wanting to have time to focus on the girls once they were awake. Now that he’d seen Hazel take care of them, he knew he could be of more help and give her time to eat her own food.
Little Abby woke first, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and she toddled over to him, not quite steady first thing in the morning. He helped her into a chair and pulled out a platter of eggs, bacon, and biscuits, the same thing he’d ordered for all of them. As she munched happily on her food, he put a cartoon on for her and waited for the others to wake.
“Do you have children?” Abby asked.
“No. My mate and I were never blessed with them.”
She watched him for a minute. “Do you want children?”
His eyebrows shot up. “If I ever take another mate, then yes, I would like children. I’m actually purchasing a nice, large home with lots of bedrooms in case I ever get another chance to have a family.”
Winnie wandered over and plopped into a chair. “What kind of house? We used to have one, but we had to share a room.”
“A big, white one. With a nice yard to play in,” Reyvor said.
Nikki joined them, looking grumpy first thing in the morning. “You shouldn’t talk about our home, Winnie. You know Momma doesn’t like it.”
Reyvor wanted to ask why they had lost their home, but he didn’t think Hazel would appreciate his curiosity. If she wanted him to know what had happened, he was certain she would tell him. Until then, he’d do what he could to help out this little family and then he’d get on with his life, such as it was. Although, he had to admit he’d found more joy in shopping for these three girls than he’d found in much of anything else in the last year. It just proved he was ready to move on and start the next chapter of his life. Preferably one that included a mate and children.
“Can we see your house?” Winnie asked.
Reyvor smiled. “Well, it isn’t mine yet. I still have to pay for it and sign papers.”
Nikki’s lips twisted and she stabbed her eggs with a little more force than Reyvor thought was necessary. He could tell their current way of life weighed heaviest on her, and he wondered what he could do to help. What would it be like to be so young, be dependent on someone else, and have them fail to provide the basics you needed to survive? He had no doubt Hazel was doing the best she could, but it wasn’t enough, and Nikki was aware of that.
“If you could do anything today, Nikki, what would it be?” he asked.
“Find a place to live and Mom a job to pay for it.”
He’d hoped she would ask to go shopping or to the zoo. Those things he could give her, but a permanent home? As far as he was concerned, they could stay with him for as long as they needed, but he knew Hazel wouldn’t agree to it. It wasn’t right these young children had to live on the streets, but their mother was stubborn.
“That’s something I’d have to discuss with your mother. Where you live is up to her.”
Nikki scowled. “If we leave it up to her, we’ll be on the streets forever. Daddy might be mean, but at least we had food when we lived with him.”
Mean?
“Daddy hit us and hurt Mommy,” Abby said.
His stomach clenched at the thought of anyone raising a hand to these children or their mother. Obviously, this family had been in need long before they decided to live on the streets, and now at least a little of the puzzle was solved. He knew why they were on the streets, but he didn’t understand why someone hadn’t helped them by now.
“Mom made us leave while Daddy was at work,” Nikki said.
“Are your parents still married?” he asked, needing to know if an irate father could land on his doorstep.
“They were never married,” Winnie said. “They didn’t even live together until the last year when Mommy lost her job. Daddy said we could all come live with him so we’d have a place to stay.”
And then he’d abused their trust. Asshole. Reyvor wasn’t sure what to do about the family sitting before him, but he was determined to help them. There had to be something he could do for them. His gaze strayed to the woman sleeping peacefully on the sofa. How long had it been since she’d gotten a good night’s rest? She’d confessed they hadn’t eaten in two days, and the kids had told him they slept at the park out in the open. Their way of life was far from safe, but how could he convince Hazel to trust him?
“Can we stay with you?” Abby asked. “It’s nice here.”
“That’s up to your mother,” Reyvor said. “I don’t mind if you stay longer.”
The cell phone he’d purchase not too long ago jingled from his pocket. He pulled it out and frowned at the display, not recognizing the number. Then he remembered he’d told the realtor to find him once he had more information on the house, a house he very much needed right now. If he had a place with lots of space, maybe he could convince Hazel to stay with him longer.
“This is Reyvor,” he said, answering the call.
“Mr. Reyvor, this is John, the realtor you spoke with last night? I looked into that property and it seems it’s already sold. However, I printed off a list of other available properties in that same price range and thought I’d bring them to you and we could check out a few whenever you’re ready.”
“That sounds time consuming. How long does it take to look at houses, and actually move into one?”
“I guess it depends on the situation. If you find a vacant house with a motivated seller, you could be moved in within thirty days, possibly less.”
Thirty more days in a motel? There was no way he was going to convince Hazel to stay with him thirty days in this place. If he wanted to offer her and the children a place to stay, he’d have to find something to rent, even if it meant losing more money. Now that he’d thought about it, he really liked the idea of purchasing something, but these humans weren’t going to move fast enough.
“Do whatever you have to for it to be less. Only show me properties that are vacant. I want to move in as fast as possible.”
“I can bring the sheets to you now if you’ll give me an address.”
Reyvor told him the name of the motel and his room number, then clicked off.
Winnie was finished with her breakfast and was staring at him intently.
“What?” he asked.
“We need juice or milk. Little girls drink juice or milk with breakfast.”
“Of course.”
He walked over to the motel phone, dialed 0 then requested four orange juices, thinking Hazel might like one as well, if she ever woke up. He wasn’t about to wake her though. When the juices arrived, he passed them around to the girls and put the fourth one in the little mini-fridge so it would remain cold.
“Can we look at houses with you?” Winnie asked. “We promise to be good.”
“I don’t know that your mother will like that very much. But we can ask her.”
Abby scrunched her nose. “She’ll say no, and that we need to leave, but we don’t want to leave. You’re nice.”
“What if you hired Mom to help you?” Nikki asked as she finished off her juice. “She needs a job so I don’t think she’ll turn away the money. You could say you needed a woman’s opinion.”
His eyebrows rose. The eldest daughter was devious and he found he liked that about her. He’d wondered how to keep Hazel close and Nikki had just given him a way. It wasn’t a permanent solution to the problem, but it was a start. Across the room, Hazel began to stir. As she opened her eyes, she looked confused for a moment, then bolted upright on the sofa.
“You should have woken me,” Hazel said. “It isn’t your responsibility to watch the girls.”
“They’ve been no trouble. Would you like some breakfast? I have juice for you, as well, or you can make some coffee in the pot that came with the room. I’ve never figured out the right formula so I leave the beast alone. I end up with something too weak or too thick to drink.”
She smiled and she wrapped the blanket around her and made her way to the table. Hazel slid onto a chair and Reyvor put her breakfast in front of her, retrieving the juice from the mini-fridge. She ate slowly, as if savoring every bite. It was a stark contrast to how she’d eaten her dinner once she’d been assured the girls weren’t going to go hungry for the night.
“As soon as we’re dressed, we’ll get out of your hair,” Hazel said between bites. “I really appreciate you giving us a place to stay last night.”
“About that… I have a proposition for you.”
Her fork clattered to the table. “I told you I won’t sleep with you just to have a roof over my head.”
Reyvor frowned and wondered when he’d ever given her the impression he would take advantage of her. “I never said anything about you sleeping with me. I have a realtor coming by with some flyers on homes I’m supposed to look at, but I know nothing about housing on your world. I was hoping I could pay you for your assistance in purchasing a home.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color. “Oh.”
“I doubt we can see them all in one day, so of course you’ll stay here until I’ve found the one I wish to purchase. And even then, I would appreciate it if you would stay and walk me through everything until I’m completely moved in. On my world, when you purchase a home, it’s move-in ready. You simply unlock the door and everything is set up the way it’s supposed to be. Even the furniture is already in place.”
“You’ll have to buy furniture and have it delivered, then you’ll have to tell the delivery men where to put everything,” Hazel said. “And you’ll need your utilities turned on. I’m assuming you don’t have an account already so you’ll have to go to the main office and get one set up.”
He nodded. “These are things I need to know. Will you please consider staying and helping me?”
She nibbled her lower lip and looked at her girls.
“Please, Mommy?” Abby asked. “I like it here.”
“Very well,” Hazel agreed. “We’ll stay with you until you’re settled in your new home, but I won’t accept money if you’re providing us with food and shelter. It wouldn’t be right.”
“If you won’t let me pay you with money, perhaps you’ll consider some additional clothes and shoes for the girls and you? You can’t very well wear the same thing over and over. There’s a laundry service here, but it might be best to throw out your old clothes. You won’t need them.”
Her brow furrowed. “That’s a lot of money, and where would we put everything when it’s time for us to move on?”
“Let me worry about that when the time comes. For now, let’s focus on getting the girls and you dressed before the realtor stops by with those flyers. Then we can see about looking at one or two of the homes today. I’ll call for the limo and have it wait downstairs. Even if we don’t look at houses today, we can still go buy a few more clothes for the four of you.”
“Five of us,” Winnie said. “Your shirts don’t fit you quite right.”
He looked down at his tee. “What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s too baggy,” Nikki said. “Winnie is right. You need more clothes.”
“But I just bought this!”
Hazel smiled. “The girls are correct. Whoever helped you pick that out did a poor job of it. It’s probably two sizes too big.”
“All right. If you allow me to purchase each of you three more outfits, and whatever you need to go under them, then you can help me shop for more shirts. I’m not used to wearing them so I didn’t realize there was anything wrong with the way it fit.”
Winnie frowned. “If you didn’t wear shirts, what did you wear?”
“Leather pants and a leather vest.”
Hazel’s cheeks flushed at his comment, but he wisely didn’t say anything. Was his temporary houseguest attracted to him? He had to admit, now that she was cleaned up and he could see her better, she was rather pretty. Her hair was a soft gold with a bit of wave and curl, much like her three daughters. Clear blue eyes stared up at him. She was the opposite of his mate in every way, and yet he found himself attracted to her.
It wasn’t a raging lust, like some of the Terran males had spoken about, but there was a certain appeal to Hazel. She was gentle yet firm with her children, and despite her circumstances, he could tell she was a good mother. He wondered if she’d use that gentle touch with everyone in her life. His mate had been sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet. She never disagreed with him on anything, and looking back on their days together, their relationship had been rather dull. He felt bad thinking that, especially after the way she’d suffered before dying, but if he was completely honest with himself he had to admit their relationship hadn’t been all that great. He’d cared for her and had been attracted to her, but love had never grown between them.
“You’re staring,” Hazel said. “Do I have breakfast on my face or something?”
“No. Sorry, I was actually just thinking about my mate. I didn’t mean to stare.”
“Does Mommy remind you of her?” Winnie asked.
“Actually, your mother is the exact opposite of her. My mate had dark hair and eyes. She was taller than your mother and not as curvy.”
Hazel blushed again and he wondered if maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned her curves.
“But our mom is pretty, right?” Nikki asked.
“Your mother is beautiful, but I’m sure you already know that.” He winked at Nikki, making the girl giggle. “Okay, ladies. Everyone get ready quickly so we can look over those house sheets when the realtor gets here.”
The girls scurried over to their sacks and began pulling out their new clothes. As Hazel walked them toward the bathroom, Reyvor stopped her.
“There’s not enough room in there for all four of you. Use the bedroom.”
The girls ran to the bedroom and Hazel closed the door behind them. He smiled as he listened to their giggles and chatter. Having a mate and children would be nice. He’d enjoyed the morning with the girls and hoped one day he’d have several of his own.
Chapter Four
Hazel was questioning her sanity as she helped the girls dress. What had possessed her to agree to spend more time with Reyvor? He was good looking and available, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he’d been checking her out before he’d zoned out thinking of his mate. He’d said Hazel looked nothing like his mate, and yet he’d called her beautiful. Had that just been to pacify Nikki or had he meant it?
Now that she was rested and her stomach was full, she couldn’t deny she was attracted to the purple alien. If she were smart, she’d thank him for his help, gather her girls, and hit the road. They’d slept in the park nearly every night for months. There was no reason they couldn’t do it again, except that the girls seemed to like staying with Reyvor. She wasn’t sure how much of that was because he was a great guy and how much it had to do with his TV and the fact they had a roof over their heads.
The thought of being paid to help him was tempting, but she refused to take advantage of Reyvor. He was housing and feeding them, and now h
e was going to buy them more clothes and shoes. She had no idea what they would do with all of their new things once it was time to move on, but it was still a nice gesture on his part. Keeping cool in the summer heat was a bonus of the arrangement, but she felt a little like she was selling her soul, which was ridiculous. He’d asked for nothing in return except for a little help finding a house. It wasn’t like he wanted her to prostitute herself for a place to stay.
“Mommy, I want to stay with Reyvor,” Winnie said.
Abby nodded and even Nikki looked like she agreed.
“We’ll stay with him a little while longer, but once he’s ready to move into his home, we’ll have to return to the park. I can’t find a job because I have nowhere for you to stay. At least not until school starts back, if they’ll let you attend without a home address.”
“Why can’t Reyvor be our daddy?” Abby asked. “I like him.”
“Honey, you don’t just pick out a daddy like you would a new shirt. He’s lost his mate and may not be looking for a new one, much less a woman with three girls. I’m sure if he wants children he’ll want them to be his in every way.”
“But we could be his,” Abby said.
“He doesn’t want us,” Nikki said harshly. “No one wants us.”
Hazel hugged her daughters. “I want you. And I will always want you.”
“I think he wants us,” Abby said, and before Hazel could grab her, she’d opened the door and barreled into the sitting area.
Hazel dashed after her, but pulled up short when she saw Abby crawl into Reyvor’s lap. He seemed bemused, but wrapped an arm around Abby’s waist and pulled her closer. Her smallest daughter played with the end of Reyvor’s braid as she chattered. Hazel didn’t quite catch what Abby said, but she did hear the word daddy. Reyvor smiled down at her, gave her a hug, and then sought Hazel’s gaze over Abby’s head.
“Children tend to speak their minds,” Hazel said as she moved further into the room, coming to stand beside them.
Hazel and the Alien Biker (Intergalactic Brides 5) Page 3