Derek (Hunter PI & Security #1)

by Sharon Cummin

As soon as her head rested on my leg, I felt her move around. Then she was asleep. It surely didn't take long, I thought. Jean sat down across from me and smiled.

  “You two are so adorable,” she said. “I knew she was waiting for you.”

  “She's definitely something else,” I said.

  “What are you doing today?” she asked.

  “I'm not sure yet,” I answered, knowing exactly what she was up to.

  “Are you going to the party?” she asked, in a whisper.

  “I don't think so,” I answered.

  “And why not?” she asked sternly.

  I laughed and shook my head.

  “Doug told me he didn't want me there,” I said, with a shrug.

  “Since when do you listen to what other people tell you to do?” she asked. “I don't recall it being Doug's party.”

  “He's her friend, protector, boss, and they live in the same house. He also has the ability to kick my company out of the building and take their account away,” I said. “He's afraid I'll hurt her.”

  “Will you?” she asked.

  “Not intentionally,” I answered honestly. “He says she likes me.”

  “She does,” Jean said with a smile. “There's nothing wrong with that.”

  “I know that, but she's been through some shit, I mean stuff,” I quickly corrected. “I don't want her to think I'm someone I'm not.”

  “Who exactly are you not?” she asked.

  “That guy,” I answered.

  “What guy?” she asked.

  “Nobody,” I said, with a huff.

  “Who all is going from the meeting?” she asked.

  “Everyone,” I answered.

  “Everyone but you,” she said. “You're the only one that's not going to be there for her.”

  “She doesn't need me,” I said. “I don't care what she says.”

  “Derek,” she snapped. “You need to knock this off. If she said she needed you, then she does. Doug and Gabby can't be everything she needs. Your daughter would want to go. Now put your cocky attitude away, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and get your ass moving.”

  She got up, walked out of the room, and came back.

  “Give this to Gabe for me,” she said.

  “She doesn't want them to know we know each other,” I said.

  “Move it,” she snapped. “I'm going shopping. Have fun. You had better be gone when I get back.”

  “She's sleeping,” I said, as I pointed down at Jenny.

  “She won't be for long,” she said. “I'll be back.”

  She grabbed her purse, phone, and keys and walked out the door. It wasn't five minutes later that Jenny sat up, rubbed her eyes, and asked if we could go to the park. I looked at the clock. The party was starting soon, and I didn't want to look like an idiot walking in late. Then I thought about my little girl. She was missing a day with her friends, and no matter how I felt, I knew that wasn't right.

  “How do you feel about going to a birthday party?” I asked.

  “Party?” she asked, as she jumped off of the couch.

  “Today is Gabe's birthday,” I said. “What do you think?”

  “Will we see Bridget?” she asked, and I nodded. “What about TJ?”

  “He'll be there too,” I said, not wanting to think about Taylor's son and my daughter wanting to see him.

  “Come on,” she said, as she grabbed my hand to try and pull me to my feet. “I have to get dressed. You need to do my hair.”

  She took off up the stairs and grabbed a pretty dress out of her closet. Then she grabbed her brush and came over to me.

  “I want to wear this,” she said.

  I helped her get dressed and tied her hair up for her. She was ready.

  “You better get dressed,” she said, as she scrunched her nose up. “You can't go to a party like that.”

  “Okay,” I said.

  I walked over to my room, grabbed some clothes, and walked into my bathroom. When I came out, she looked up at me and smiled.

  “We need a gift,” she said. “We need to go shopping.”

  “We have to hurry,” I said. “The party already started.”

  She gave me a dirty look and shook her head.

  “It's not nice to be late,” she said.

  “No,” I said. “It's not.”

  Once we got to the store, we hurried to pick and buy a present and a bag to put it in. Then we headed for Bridget's house. I already knew exactly where it was. There was no way I could forget.

  When we got out of my truck, Jenny hurried up to the door with a smile on her face. I had the bag and Jean's present in one hand and took Jenny's hand in the other. Jenny reached up to push the doorbell, and when the door swung open, I saw Gabby's eyes go wide on the other side.

  “I didn't know the big man was coming,” she said, with shock in her tone. “Come on in. Everyone is in the living room.”

  “Thank you,” I said, with a smile just as fake as hers, as I stepped through the doorway. “Does Doug need to teach you how to eat cake?”

  Her shirt had cake smeared down the front, and there was even some frosting on her cheek.

  “Very funny,” she said, with a forced laugh. “Gabe got it everywhere.”

  Jenny had just reached up and wrapped her arms around my waist.

  “Who's this?” Gabby asked.

  “This is my daughter Jenny,” I said.

  “You have a daughter,” she said in almost a whisper. “The big man has a daughter. I didn't even know you were married.”

  “Daddy,” Jenny said impatiently.

  I scooped her up into my free arm.

  “You can go play with Gabe and the other kids, sweet girl,” I said. “Daddy will be right behind you. This is Gabby. She's Gabe's aunt.”

  “You're pretty,” Jenny said, as she looked Gabby over.

  “So are you,” Gabby said in return. “I love your hair.”

  “Thank you,” Jenny said. “My daddy put it up for me.”

  When she moved around in my arms, I put her down on her feet. Then she was gone. She ran right toward Gabe and TJ. I saw Bridget turn and look up at me before leaning down and hugging Jenny. Gabby stood silent, and I couldn't help but laugh.

  “I think this might be the first time I've ever seen you speechless,” I said.

  Then I turned and walked toward Taylor and the other parents from the group. As soon as I saw Taylor's eyes on Sarah, I elbowed him in the side hard.

  “What was that for?” he growled out.

  “Sorry about that,” I said, as if it were a total accident, but it wasn't, not at all.

  I watched out of the corner of my eye as Doug walked over to Gabby, wiped the frosting from her cheek, and they said something to each other. Was he saying something about me, I wondered? Fuck that. It didn't matter. Bridget had specifically called me and asked me to come. She was the one I was there for, as a friend of course.

  Bridget hurried to the kitchen and came back out with two plates with cake on them. She handed them to me and mouthed the words thank you before hurrying back to Gabe. It was so damn cute seeing her wearing just as much cake as her son and a smile on her face. I called Jenny over so she could eat her cake, and TJ came right along with her. That kid needed to find a few more friends, I thought to myself.

  Gabby and Doug were still standing off to the side, and I could see Gabby watching Bridget's every move. When Doug walked over and picked Gabe up from his highchair, I felt a pang of jealousy hit me in the chest, and I didn't like it. He wasn't my son, he was Gabe's. Bridget walked over to talk to me, and I could see her looking to see if Gabby or Doug were watching the entire time.

  “You okay?” I asked her.

  “I'm fine,” she said. “I'm so glad you came.”

  “Seems like it,” I said, as I looked over to see her watching Gabby watch us. “I shouldn't have come. I knew better.”

  I stood up from where I was sitting and turned to walk toward Jenny when Bridget grabbed
my arm.

  “Derek,” she said, in a sad tone.

  I shook my head, looked back at Gabby, and then pulled my arm away.

  “It's okay,” I said. “I get it.”

  I stayed next to Jenny for the rest of the party. The second people started to leave, I took Jenny's hand in mine.

  “Time to go, baby girl,” I said.

  “Can't we stay and play with Gabe a little longer?” she asked. “I want to play with Bridget.”

  “She can't play today,” I said. “She has to walk around and talk to all the grownups.”

  “Daddy,” she whined.

  “Maybe they can play another day,” I said. “I bet your grandma misses you and wants to see you. We'll watch your favorite movie together with a giant bowl of popcorn.”

  Bridget walked over and looked up at me.

  “You're leaving already,” she said, as she leaned down and hugged Jenny.

  “We are,” I said. “Thank you for inviting us. Jenny had a good time.”

  “Derek,” she said quietly, as she stood up.

  When she leaned in, I saw her look over at Gabby before she reached toward me. Instead of wrapping my arms around her and taking her mouth in front of everyone like I wanted to, I took a step back.

  “We wouldn't want the people that matter to see us touch,” I said. “I told you that it wasn't me you needed here.”

  I scooped Jenny up into my arms and headed for the door.

  “Let's go home and watch that movie,” I said, as I kissed her forehead. “Then I'll tuck you in and read you a story.”

  I was again reminded that I needed to keep my mind on my daughter and giving her the life she deserved. She was all that mattered.

  The two of us spent the rest of the day and evening together. Once she was in bed asleep, I sat down and turned on a show I'd recorded. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate, I couldn't do it. My mind kept going back to Bridget and the way she acted. She said she was glad I was there, but her actions told a different story. She was embarrassed of me. Fuck that, I thought. I didn't need that shit in my life. She didn't get to pick and choose when she wanted me around. If she couldn't be friends with me in front of everyone, than she couldn't be friends with me at all.

  I shut the television off, got up, got my shoes on, grabbed my phone and keys, and walked toward the front door. When it opened, I could see Jean in one of the chairs on the porch, with a book in her hand, reading.

  “Would you mind listening for Jenny?” I asked.

  “Party didn't go your way?” she asked.

  “I need a minute,” I said.

  “Just be careful,” she said. “That little girl up there needs you. You're her everything.”

  I nodded before walking to my truck and getting in. I'd heard my phone ding several times, but I wasn't about to check it. I didn't need her excuses, and I was sure she'd come up with a few by then.

  When I pulled into the parking lot of the bar, I made the mistake of checking my phone. By the time she was done with her bullshit threats, I'd been sitting there for a bit. I didn't plan to stay long, but I needed a cold one to try and wash away all of the shit swirling around in my mind. Just one and I'd be out of there and headed back to where I belonged, I thought, as I got out of my truck and headed for the door. I swung it open and found a perfect spot right at the bar. Not for one second did I expect to hear what I heard just minutes later.

  Chapter 38

  Bridget

  While I was so damn happy Derek had come, I couldn't help but watch Gabby for her reactions, and he knew it. That man didn't miss a thing. He said he shouldn't have come, but he couldn't have been more wrong. He was the one I wanted there most. I wanted to wrap my arms around him the second I saw him, but I knew I couldn't. I knew it would upset Gabby, and there was no way I was ruining my little boy's first birthday, not to mention how I'd feel if she blew up in front of everyone from the group.

  When he got Jenny and was leaving, I knew he was upset. I'd seen his eyes connect with Doug's several times and definitely knew I'd been right earlier. There was no way I was letting it go. I wanted to know what had been said, and I was going to find out. I hugged Jenny, and she hugged me back tight. When I reached forward toward Derek, he took a step back. Then he tore my heart in two.

  “We wouldn't want the people that matter to see us touch. I told you that it wasn't me you needed here.”

  Then he picked Jenny up and left. Derek was wrong. He was the one that mattered. He was who I'd needed, and it was my fault that he felt the way he did. I was the one watching for Gabby. I was the one that made him feel the way he did. He'd come when he hadn't wanted to, and I'd done nothing to make him feel like it had been worth it. I'd done it all because I didn't want to upset Gabby.

  The moment the last person left and the door closed behind them, I felt her next to me. I knew when I turned that she was going to be looking at Gabe's urn, and I was right.

  “He would have loved it,” she said.

  “I bet you're right,” I said. “He would have been laughing and joking the whole time.”

  “He would have been right in there with his boy, getting cake all over him,” she said. “The people in your group seemed nice. The kids really love Gabe. You really have grown close to them. I told Doug I could see how happy you were. They really are good for you. I'm sorry for giving you such a hard time about it. I guess I just wanted you to talk to me about my brother instead of them.”

  “It's different,” I said.

  “I know,” she said. “I get that now. They've all been there.”

  “They have,” I said. “There's only one thing that's different for me than for them.”

  “What's that?” she asked.

  “They all knew they were loved,” I said, as I started moving around to clean things up.

  “My brother loved you,” she said defensively.

  “But he never once told me that,” I said. “Did you see how defensive you just got. Not one of them would have done that if I had said it to them.”

  “Taylor is part of that group,” she said.

  “He is,” I said. “Him and his son TJ. He's a really great guy.”

  “You hugged him,” she said. “I couldn't believe it.”

  I kept moving around picking up toys, and I didn't say anything back to her.

  “Derek is a part of that group too,” she said.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “That Stephanie sure seemed to like him,” she said, and I felt like turning around and screaming I fucking knew that already, but I didn't.

  “She does,” was what I'd said instead.

  “You don't get nervous around him,” she said. “I noticed that a long time ago, the day we went into work when him and his guys came out of the elevator.”

  “He'd stood behind me for days,” I said, as I kept right on moving, knowing I had to stay busy so I wouldn't have to look at her.

  If she saw my face in that second, she'd know something was up, and the line of questions would not stop.

  “Which one of them brought you into the group?” she asked.

  “That doesn't matter,” I answered. “I'm just glad they did. I've had a nice time getting to know them all. I'm going to relieve Doug and get Gabe ready for bed.”

  When I walked into my room, I could hear Doug and Gabe laughing from my bathroom. Gabe was in the tub, kicking and playing with one of the new tub toys he'd gotten.

  “I'll take over,” I said. “Thanks for bringing him up here.”

  “Bridget,” I heard Doug say, as he stood up.

  “I got it,” I said. “I think your wife needs you.”

  He looked down at Gabe, and I knew there was no way he was going to say anything else in front of him. When he walked out of the room, I got down on my knees and began playing with Gabe and his toys. Once he was worn out, I got him out of the tub and ready for bed. He fell asleep almost instantly. I walked back to my room and pulled out my phone feeling h
orrible that I hadn't been able to text Derek yet. I could hear Gabby asking Doug if she thought I was with one of the guys.

  “I sure hope not,” I heard Doug answer, and was instantly pissed.

  It wasn't fair for him to say that. He didn't know shit about either of the guys. Never could I have imagined myself feeling defensive of Taylor, not when all he did was say silly shit, but I was, and I was even more defensive of Derek. I typed out a message before heading toward the bathroom so I could shower.

  Me: Did Jenny have fun?

  Yep, I used Jenny as a reason to text him. He was upset, and I thought I had half a chance of getting an answer if I asked about her.

  When I came back into my room dressed for bed, I picked up the phone to find no answer. That man could be such a pain in the ass. What did I do? I typed out another message. I could be a pain in the ass too.

  Me: Answer me.

  A few minutes later, I heard the ding and hurried to read his message.

  Derek: She had fun. Thanks for the invite. See you Monday.

  Me: What are you two doing?

  Then came nothing.

  Me: Talk to me, Derek.

  Derek: I've got nothing to say. It's all good.

  Me: Bullshit!

  Derek: I'm busy.

  Me: Talk to me right now.

  Derek: Or what? You don't want anyone to even know that you know me.

  Me: You're so full of shit.

  My ass was up and off the bed. I pulled the tank top I'd had on off and slid my shorts down my legs. I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans. Once I had those on, I grabbed a bra and t-shirt and put them on too. Then I got a pair of sneakers out of my closet and shoved my feet into them without even tying them. I grabbed my hair and quickly tied it up, not once looking at the mess I was sure was sitting on top of my head. Then I grabbed my keys and my phone and headed down the stairs.

  “Can you listen for Gabe for a bit?” I asked, without any other explanation.

  “Is everything okay?” Gabby asked.

  “It's fine,” I said. “I feel like going for a ride.”

  “Do you want company?” she asked.

  “No,” I said. “I need some fresh air.”

  “Of course,” she said.

  Just before my hand landed on the door handle, Doug walked up next to me.