Derek (Hunter PI & Security #1)

by Sharon Cummin

  Once everyone had a drink and food, I turned on the television.

  “You ready for the amazing cartoon?” I asked.

  “Ready as I'll ever be,” Bridget said.

  I turned the show on and sat back down to eat. Jenny started laughing as soon as the characters started dancing across the screen. A few minutes later, I caught Bridget laughing too. When I heard Gabe whine, I got up, set my plate down, and picked him up. I started rocking him back and forth, and he quickly quieted.

  “Let me take him,” Bridget said.

  “Go ahead and eat,” I said.

  She looked up at me, and I knew damn well, if Jean and Jenny hadn't been there, she would have told me off, but they were, and she didn't. A huge smile crossed my face, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

  Jean got up and took her plate to the kitchen. When she came back into the room, she looked over at Gabe.

  “Can I hold him?” she asked, as she looked over at Bridget.

  “Sure,” Bridget said. “Only if you want to though.”

  “Oh, I do,” Jean said in an excited tone, as she quickly took Gabe right out of my arms. “I love holding babies. Jenny has gotten too big to hold that way. She sits in my lap now.”

  Then, out of nowhere, Jenny tore her eyes away from the screen and shocked us all.

  “Maybe daddy and Bridget can have a baby for you to hold,” she said.

  “What?” I asked, unsure that I'd heard her right.

  “You can be the daddy, and Bridget can be the mommy,” she said, turning right back to her show. “Then I'd have a baby sister or brother.”

  I looked down to see Bridget looking up at me. When I looked over at Jean, she had the biggest smile on her face. Bridget leaned forward and set her plate down.

  “I think I'm going to get going,” she said.

  Jenny jumped up from where she was sitting and hurried over to sit next to Bridget, nudging her arm up.

  “You can't go,” she said. “The funny part is coming. You have to see the whole thing.”

  Bridget shook her head and lifted her arm for Jenny to get in closer to her. Jenny leaned her head against Bridget's side and went back to watching her show. I sat down without another word.

  As soon as the show was over, I looked over to see Jenny asleep with her head on Bridget's lap. Jean had fallen asleep with Gabe in her arms as well. Bridget's eyes connected with mine, and I saw tears in them.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  She nodded but didn't speak.

  “Are you crying over the cartoon?” I asked with a smile.

  She nodded again but still didn't speak.

  “Let me get her,” I said, as I stood up and motioned to Jenny. “I'll go put her in bed.”

  “Bridget,” Jenny said, as she wrapped her arms around Bridget's side.

  “I can take her,” Bridget said.

  “You sure?” I asked, and she nodded.

  I walked over, took Gabe from Jean's arms, and put him in his carrier. Then I scooped Jenny up. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tight.

  “Follow me,” I said.

  “I said I could take her,” Bridget whispered.

  “I know you did,” I said. “I have to get her dressed for bed anyway.”

  Then I turned and walked toward the stairs. Once I had Jenny changed and ready, Bridget came into her room. I could see her looking around, but she didn't say much.

  “Book,” Jenny whispered.

  I shook my head and laughed. When I leaned down to grab one of the books she liked reading, I felt a hand on my back.

  “Let me,” Bridget said, as she took the book from me.

  When I took a step back, I saw Bridget's eyes connect with the picture on the nightstand. Something changed in her mood. Where she'd been relaxed before, her body went stiff, and she looked stressed. I watched the change with my own eyes.

  She turned away from the nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed. Without looking up at me or anywhere else, she opened the book and began reading.

  “You only have to read for a minute,” I whispered. “She's already asleep.”

  “I'm fine,” she said without looking away from the book. “I'll be down in a minute.”

  I turned and walked out of the room, but I stayed in the hallway. She didn't know I could see her, but I could. I watched her read a few pages. Then she put the book back on the nightstand, but she didn't get up right away. She leaned forward and looked at the picture of Jennifer that sat next to Jenny at night. I had it there so she'd know her mother. I never wanted her to wonder who she was or what she looked like.

  When Bridget stood up, she fixed Jenny's covers, leaned in, and kissed her on the forehead.

  “I had more fun today than I've had in a long time,” she whispered. “You're a very lucky little girl. Sweet dreams.”

  Seeing her like that made my chest ache a little for Jenny and for Bridget. I wanted so badly to know what she was thinking, but I knew for sure I couldn't ask her. If I did, she'd find a way to change the subject. She was just as good as me at that.

  When she turned around, I took off down the stairs and into the living room. The second her foot hit that bottom step, I knew she was out of there, and I was right.

  “Thanks for letting me come over to watch that with her,” she said. “I told her I would, and I did. Tell Jean thank you for feeding me while I was here too. It was nice to eat something I didn't have to cook.”

  “Does Gabby cook?” I asked, without thinking.

  “No,” she said. “She's busy with work, and I'm home, so I cook before they even get home. Doug occasionally stops to pick up food for dinner. He'll call or text so I know not to cook.”

  The second she mentioned Doug calling and texting, I felt my own body tighten.

  “That's good,” I said. “At least you don't have to cook every day.”

  “I guess so,” she said.

  She'd walked directly over to Gabe and had already strapped him into his seat. I moved in front of her, grabbed the bag and slung it over my shoulder, and lifted Gabe's carrier. Then I walked toward the door and opened it.

  “I can carry him,” she said. “I do it all the time.”

  “Doesn't matter,” I said. “I'm carrying him right now.”

  She stepped out onto the porch and stopped.

  “Are these your flowers?” she asked. “They're so beautiful.”

  “Those are Jeans,” I answered. “I couldn't keep a flower alive to save my life. She loves taking care of them, so I let her go wild. I just take care of the lawn.”

  “They are beautiful,” she said.

  “Your yard is filled with flowers,” I said. “I can't believe you'd even notice these.”

  “Those aren't mine,” she said, as she walked down the porch steps and headed toward her car.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Gabe had the flowers done by someone,” she answered. “Gabby insisted that we have them done again this year, since I'm taking care of Gabe and he's so little.”

  I walked by her and opened Gabe's door. Then I leaned in to secure his carrier. I put his bag next to him. Then I closed his door.

  “What?” she asked, when I turned toward her.

  “I didn't say anything,” I answered.

  “But you're thinking it.”

  “I'm not thinking anything,” I said.

  She pulled her door open and was in the car within seconds. Before she could pull the door closed, I reached out and put my hand on it to stop her.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “Fine,” she answered. “Tell Jenny I said I really liked her movie and thank you for inviting me to watch it with her.”

  “You can tell her that yourself,” I said.

  “Not sure when I'll see her again,” she said. “I need to go.”

  “You sure you're okay?” I asked, hoping she'd give me just a clue of what was going through her mind.

  “I'll see you Monday,” she s
aid.

  “Text me when you get home,” I said.

  “Is that a request?” she asked.

  “I'll be waiting,” I said, as I quickly closed the door before she could say another word.

  Then I walked back up onto the porch and watched her pull away.

  I walked into the house and grabbed my phone from the table. When I hit the button to bring the screen to life, I saw something a bit unusual. Someone had tried to get in my phone. I thought back to the moment I set it on the table and all of the moments after. It hadn't been knocked off the table, and I hadn't seen Jenny pick it up. Who was in my phone, I wondered?

  “She's really nice,” I heard from Jean, who was supposed to be asleep on the couch. “Jenny really likes her.”

  “Not another word,” I said. “I'm in no mood to discuss her or anyone else.”

  I typed in my password and pulled up my email to make sure nothing work related had come through. It was the first day in a long while that I hadn't been on my phone, and I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything important about the new case I was working on. I was so close to getting some important information, and I wanted to jump on it the second it came through. There was nothing there, and I couldn't get my phone being messed with out of my mind.

  “It was her,” I heard Jean say.

  “Who?” I asked.

  I didn't know what she was talking about, and I knew I hadn't said anything.

  “Bridget,” she answered. “She was trying to get into your phone.”

  I sat down on the couch and looked over at her, immediately feeling pissed. Why the fuck was Bridget trying to get into my phone, I wondered? That was bullshit. My phone was my personal shit, and she had no business being in it. Was she trying to find something, maybe a number or something? My blood was boiling, and I was ready to send her a loaded text. I'd invited her into my home, where I'd never invited anyone, and she was snooping through my stuff.

  “She didn't get in,” Jean said.

  “Doesn't matter,” I said. “That's not okay.”

  When Jean let out a laugh, I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “What exactly are you finding funny about this?” I asked roughly.

  “She was trying to find pictures,” she said. “She was mumbling on about you showing someone and her looking like an idiot.”

  Then it hit me. She was looking for the picture of her in bed with her hair all funky. That little shit wanted to delete it so I wouldn't show anyone.

  “She doesn't know I heard her,” Jean said. “I was asleep you know. She freaked when your phone locked up. You should have seen her face. I can't even imagine how bad that picture is that she was looking for.”

  I opened my phone and pulled up the picture. Then I turned my phone toward her.

  “Before you get any crazy ideas,” I said. “This is the picture she wanted.”

  Jean let out another laugh.

  “Really?” she asked. “You two are so boring.”

  “Jean,” I snapped out. “Not another word, or I'll never look at you or Joe the same again. We're friends. I'd never exchange pictures like that with her.”

  “It was nice having her here today,” Jean said. “It was nice having that baby in my arms.”

  She stood up from the couch and started up the stairs.

  “Who knows,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe you and Bridget can have one together one day. I love my granddaughter. She tells it like it is.”

  Tells it like it is my ass, I thought, as I grabbed the remote and turned the channel. She couldn't be farther from the truth. That was something I was never doing again, not ever. I had my little girl, I thought. She was all I'd ever need.

  Chapter 27

  Bridget

  As soon as I pulled away from his house, I felt like I could breathe again.

  When I saw his little girl wrap her arms around his neck, my heart melted for them. I was supposed to follow him up, but when I saw his phone on the table next to where Gabe was, I remembered the picture I'd sent him, the one he refused to delete. Of course, he had a password. I had one on my phone and was able to try to get in repeatedly. On my second try on his phone, it dinged and scared the shit out of me. I was locked out. I hurried to set the phone down before taking off up the stairs after him. When I walked in to see him covering his little girl, my chest tightened. She was one lucky little girl. She had her daddy, and he loved her so much. There was no doubt about that.

  When she said book, I almost laughed. She was asleep, but she was still asking for a book. I knew she wouldn't hear a word of it, and I was sure he knew it too. He picked up the book and I walked over. I wanted to read to her. I couldn't wait for Gabe to be old enough to talk about the books I read him.

  He took a step back, and I saw the picture. It had to be his wife. There was no way it was anyone else. I tried not to look at her. I tried so hard. We were both right, and after a couple of pages, Jenny was completely asleep. I put the book down and knew I should get up and walk away, but I couldn't. All I could do was look at Jennifer's picture. She was absolutely beautiful. Her hair was long and blonde, and her eyes were a pretty blue. She was tall and had the curves of a model. His wife was perfect. I was nothing like her. I had dark hair, was short, and my curves looked nothing like hers. The feeling that moved through my body as I looked at her was one I couldn't explain.

  Derek popped into my mind, and I knew I needed to get out of there. I needed to pull back. I needed to get a life of my own. He'd been the only man besides Doug that I'd been around in a few months. We'd seen each other at meetings, we'd had coffee, and we'd text here and there. He was trying to help me get over what happened to Gabe. That was all. I never should have sent him pictures, even if they were silly. I definitely shouldn't have gone to his house to watch a show with his little girl. We were friends because of Gabe, and I needed to remember that.

  I got out of there and on the road as fast as I could. When I pulled up the long driveway and looked around the yard, I knew that next year I'd be planting flowers on my own. I didn't care how they'd look. I wanted to do it. I wanted to make my own mark on the house. It looked like something out a magazine, but I wanted to make it a home.

  Derek didn't get what I meant about his house being homey and comfortable, but it hit me again the second I opened my front door and walked in. Everything had a place. That was good. It meant that it wasn't a mess. All of Gabe's stuff was perfectly placed in the correct spots. The furniture was perfect, not a spot on it. I looked around and thought again about Derek's. My house needed to be a home. It wasn't my house. It was Gabby's. She'd asked us to move in with her. That didn't matter though. I knew from that moment on, I was going to live. If I was playing with Gabe and left a toy out, it would be okay. If when he started moving around, he got a spot on something, it would be fine. I wanted to make it comfortable and less perfect. Gabe hadn't been home much, he was always at work. If he had been home, he would have lived too. He wasn't a stuffy person at all. He was the opposite actually. I'd been trying to keep the house exactly as he'd had it, but I wasn't doing that anymore, and I was pretty sure he wouldn't have wanted me to. I didn't really know though, did I?

  “How was your day?” I heard Gabby and jumped a bit. “Oh shit! I didn't mean to scare you.”

  “That's okay,” I said. “I'm just tired. It was a long day, but it was nice.”

  “I'm glad you had a good day,” she said. “What did you do at your friend's house?”

  “We just got together and hung out to watch a movie. The kids loved it.”

  I instantly felt bad for saying what I did. Jenny liked it. Gabe slept through most of it. I was exhausted and not up for a whole discussion on it, and Gabe was ready to get out of his carrier. She grabbed the carrier and took it over to the couch.

  “I missed him today,” she said, as she unbuckled him. “It was too quiet without you two here.”

  “I'm sure it was,” I said with a laugh. “You two are anything but
quiet, and I'm sure it was even worse with us not here.”

  “We are not loud,” she said, as her cheeks turned pink.

  “You are,” I said. “Oh Doug.”

  Her eyes went wide, and I burst into laughter. Before long, she was laughing right along with me.

  I was happy to get her onto something other than the meeting and friends I'd made there. It was something I wasn't in the mood to talk about. All I wanted was to relax and enjoy some time with her since she didn't seem distracted by work or her friend that had moved into Doug's old place.

  “You want to watch a show?” she asked.

  “Where's Doug?” I asked.

  “He fell asleep, and I wasn't ready for bed yet,” she said.

  “You tired him out,” I said. “Guess he's not as young as he used to be.”

  “So not funny,” she said.

  I heard my phone ding in my pocket but didn't reach in to get it. I already knew it was Mr. Bossy, and I wasn't about to draw attention to him. She looked down toward my pocket and then back up at me when I didn't move to check my phone.

  “What do you want to watch?” she asked.

  “You pick,” I said. “I just want to hang out with you for a bit. Would you mind keeping an eye on Gabe while I run up and change? I need to grab some diapers to bring down too.”

  “Not at all,” she said. “I need some time with my nephew.”

  I nodded and took off toward the stairs. As soon as I was in my room, I closed the door and hurried to change. When I turned to leave the room, I couldn't do it. I walked back to where I'd set my jeans and pulled my phone out of the pocket. I knew if I didn't answer him, my phone would be dinging like crazy. When I turned on the screen, I gasped and instantly moved my hand up to cover my mouth.

  Derek: Are you home yet? You wouldn't know anything about failed password attempts on my phone, would you?

  I walked over and sat down on my bed. By the time I'd typed a message and erased the words twice, my phone had dinged again.

  Derek: You're either not answering me because you're not home yet, you are home and forgot to let me know you were okay, or you're trying to figure out what excuse you can use about trying to get into my phone. Hhmmm.