Pinky Promises (The Promises #1)

by Ciara Shayee

  Never one to miss a trick, Indie shot her conniving daughter a wink while Laker was focusing on unlocking the car without putting Marley down. “If you really want to.”

  “Marley? Do you want pizza?”

  Marley pretended to think about it, her little brows scrunched and rosebud lips pursed. “Yeah, I guess that’d be all right. I mean, if you’re sure, Daddy.”

  Laker grinned, flashing his dimples. “Anything for my Little Sweet!”

  Indie shook her head as she climbed into the car and shot a text to Sarah, inviting her and Andy to dinner and checking in on Bodhi, while Marley buckled herself in and Laker rounded the car to his seat. In the rear-view mirror, Indie watched Marley smile to herself in the back seat.

  Oh yeah, she thought with a rueful half-smile. She definitely knows she has her father wrapped around her pinky.

  “All righty, then! Shall we go get our boy and have some pizza?” Laker crowed as he started the car.

  “Yeah! Let’s do it, Daddy!” Marley cheered.

  As she watched him reach back to affectionately squeeze Marley’s knee before steering them toward home, Indie felt a familiar flash of warmth towards Laker.

  Yes, Marley had him wrapped around her pinky; but Indie had a sneaking suspicion that he didn’t care in the slightest.

  epilogue

  December 16th, 2018

  Indie followed the wailing.

  She sighed as she made her way down the stairs, a basket of dirty washing tucked under her arm. Passing the doorway to the living room, she could see Marley crying into Laker’s chest. Ever since Bonnie, the Walters family’s dog, died three days ago, she’d been sporadically bursting into tears—she was heartbroken.

  Laker was busy murmuring to Marley, so as much as it killed her, Indie left him to it and continued into the kitchen. Nobody could soothe her quite like her daddy. And besides, the sooner Indie was done with the few household chores that needed finishing, the sooner they could go out. Reagan had texted to say he was on his way home, so they’d all be in one spot. Archie was supposed to be bringing the boys, but Chase had come down with a sickness bug overnight, so they were staying behind.

  Indie’s heart hurt a little more at the thought of her brother and nephews.

  Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase were in a better place now than they had been when Kristen left them a year and a half or so ago, but she still ached when she thought of her brother having to raise his sweet boys by himself. As far as she knew, Kristen hadn’t seen Carl-Roman or Chase in almost six months. She’d shown up at their house the week before Archie’s birthday back in June, but that was the last time anyone heard from or saw her.

  Indie angrily shoved Laker’s dirty work jeans and t-shirts into the washing machine; Kristen hadn’t even bothered to call her sons.

  That said, the boys were doing wonderfully without their mother. To be truthful, they weren’t finding it much different. It was sad to say, but Kristen had been an absent parent long before she actually made it official by packing her bags and disappearing. Carl-Roman asked about her very occasionally, but Archie had admitted to his sister that Chase hadn’t once called for her or wondered where she was; he was simply used to her being gone, and didn’t appear to be worried by her absence.

  “Mamma?”

  “In here, baby!”

  A few seconds later, Indie slammed the washing machine shut and swivelled in her crouched position to face Bodhi. He was frowning and holding his hands out, palm-up. “I f-fell down in the garden, M-Mamma.”

  “Oh, sweet boy, come here.” Folding Bodhi into her arms, she sat back against the cabinets and peppered kisses over her son’s forehead. An uninvited memory flashed to the front of her mind.

  The memory of a panic attack in this exact spot sent a shiver down her spine. Laker found her on his way inside after a sneaky cigarette, and he’d held her and comforted her until she fell asleep safe and reassured in his arms.

  It was back when they’d only just returned from Montana.

  It was the day she and Grace were called upon to make their statements; before Garrett resurfaced and Bodhi arrived.

  So much has changed…she silently marvelled, rocking her baby boy and inhaling the apples and watermelon scent of his shampoo.

  It was before she realised how much Laker would mean to her.

  They’d come so, so far in the time since.

  “Mamma? My hands n-need ‘mooches.”

  Indie pulled back to smile at her son, leaning in to plant loud kisses on his slightly red outstretched palms. “There, all better.”

  Bodhi smiled. “Gwazie, Mamma.”

  For the first time, she noticed how utterly adorable he looked. She’d been busy all morning, and Bodhi had slept in, so she’d been at the grocery store when he finally got up, meaning Laker dressed him. She’d only been home twenty minutes or so and Bodhi had been next-door with Peter until now, so this was the first time she’d seen the outfit he’d had chosen.

  He was wearing khaki cargo shorts identical to the pair Laker had pulled on when Marley dragged him out of bed at seven. On his feet were his baby work-style boots, a navy and white striped beanie covered his head, and a navy gilet over a grey t-shirt. Without unzipping it, she knew it was his favourite t-shirt emblazoned with the very true words, ‘chicks dig my curls.’

  Archie had bought it as a joke, but it was true—everywhere Bodhi went he received comments on his gorgeous mop of honey-blond curls.

  At almost two-and-a-half, and dressed like a little adult, you could easily mistake him for Laker’s own son. Especially, with the silly smile spreading across his face.

  Much to Indie’s amusement and adoration, her baby boy had a dimple.

  Before she could comment on the fact that Bodhi would freeze outside in shorts, Marley appeared in the doorway with Laker right behind her.

  “Mamma, Daddy said me and Beesy should help you so we can go out quicker,” she mumbled, her sad, tear-stained face breaking her mother’s heart.

  Glancing up at the clock on the wall, Indie made the snap decision to abandon the rest of the housework. The happiness of her babies was more important than the breakfast bowls beside the sink or the vacuum waiting silently in the living room. The familiar rumble of her dad’s car arriving outside sealed the deal; they were going to head out earlier than planned.

  “Change of plans!” Indie cried, clapping her hands together with a smile. Laker appeared amused, while Bodhi and Marley simply cocked their heads and frowned in confusion. “Get your coat, baby girl. Bodhi, if you don’t want to freeze your butt off, you’d better get some trousers on.”

  Once Bodhi and Marley had darted up the stairs, yelling out ‘hellos’ to Pawpaw Reagan on the way, Laker pulled Indie up to her feet and drew her in for a tight hug.

  “Is she feeling better?”

  “A little. She loved that little dog. I’m just praying we’re doing the right thing today,” he sighed, squeezing her tighter for a second before pulling back. He ran a fingertip over the apple of her cheek, brushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear. His vibrant green eyes were intense and set her on fire from the inside-out. She couldn’t help but wish, just for a moment, that Marley hadn’t woken up so early that morning. Laker had promised to make love to her as they’d tumbled into bed bleary-eyed and half-asleep the previous night after an evening of wrapping Christmas presents, both too tired for anything more than cuddling. But their daughter’s presence put a damper on any naked plans for the morning.

  With a quiet hum, Indie leaned into Laker, absently wondering if the passion she felt for him would ever wane. Their physical relationship had evolved quicker than either of them had anticipated, but once they’d exchanged ‘I love you’s’ and had begun routinely sharing a bed, their hands began to roam, and as Indie’s confidence grew, so did the fire between them. She’d never expected to enjoy the physical aspects of a romantic relationship after her past experiences, but it was different with him.

  I
t was more; it was right.

  “Hey, kids.”

  Reagan’s entrance set Indie’s cheeks on fire as she tried to shove thoughts of naked time with Laker from her mind.

  “H-hi, Dad.”

  Laker grinned impishly at her as Reagan passed them, heading for the coffee machine in the corner.

  “Are we still good for today? The big plan?”

  “Yeah, Ray. The kids are on their way to get their stuff…ah, on their way back, I mean,” Laker chuckled, all three adults listening to the footsteps thundering down the stairs. Marley and Bodhi careened into the kitchen seconds later.

  “Daddy, h-help me, pw-pwease!” Bodhi requested, his left arm through the right sleeve of his coat.

  With an indulgent smile, Laker dropped into a crouch and helped his son right his jacket, while Indie adjusted Marley’s blue daisy-print headband.

  “Pawpaw, we’re getting a surprise today,” Marley told Reagan softly.

  He turned to face her, his moustache dancing above his smile as he twisted the lid of his freshly-filled flask into place. “I know. You mind if your ol’ Pawpaw comes with you?”

  “Sure! I guess that’s okay, right Mamma?”

  Indie nodded. “Right.”

  Marley nodded, shucked her feet into a pair of tan, suede fringed boots, and impatiently dragged Bodhi through to the hallway to help him put his shoes back on. He’d dropped them in his hurry down the stairs after changing into a pair of cargo trousers.

  Indie, Reagan, and Laker laughed as they watched them.

  “Why don’t they hurry like this on school mornings?” she wondered.

  Laker snorted. “Because that would make life far too easy, mi amore.”

  Ten minutes later, they were all ready.

  Well, Indie thought she was ready.

  When Laker had broached the topic of what to get the kids for Christmas back in early October, she’d been suspicious—and rightly so. It had taken two weeks and a visit out to a house just over a half hour away for her to agree with his grand plan. For the past six weeks, she’d hemmed and hawed over their decision though, and was vacillating between being bone-shakingly nervous and crazily excited as she and Laker loaded their babies into the car and set off.

  Reagan had volunteered to sit in the back seat between Bodhi and Marley, but he soon regretted it; he hadn’t anticipated just how relentless they could be when they were this eager for something. Bodhi cried that he’d forgotten Mr. Bear, and Marley whined that Indie hadn’t thought to bring the tablet for her to watch people opening chocolate eggs so they could marvel over the toys inside, as this was her new obsession. Reagan fidgeted, uncomfortably wedged between the two, bulky car-seats.

  This was all within the first five minutes.

  Marley kicked the back of her dad’s seat and asked the question all parents dread on prolonged journeys. “Daddy, are we there yet?”

  ~ oOo ~

  It wasn’t very long before they reached the signposted turn-off they’d been instructed to look for. Indie’s stomach began to churn in anxious anticipation as she listened to Marley asking Reagan if this was their surprise; visiting a farm. In the months since Marley had started school and Indie had become a regular at A New Dawn, the second chance rescue centre where Sarah volunteered, both Bodhi and Marley had grown to love the place. With that in mind, it didn’t surprise Indie to hear their excitement at thinking their grand surprise was a trip visit some farm animals.

  “Pawpaw, l-look! A c-cow!” Bodhi cried, pointing to the cluster of Jersey cows huddled together in the field.

  “Yeah, Bees; that’s a herd of cows,” Reagan chuckled.

  As the car rolled to a stop outside the farmhouse, Indie inhaled several deep breaths and looked up at the beautiful building while she tried to calm her racing heart. It was stupid to be this nervous, she told herself, but it didn’t help.

  The red brick house had pretty green shutters on the windows and a pale yellow front door painted with large daisies; it made her smile.

  “Can I get out? Daddy, I wanna get out!”

  “All right, Little Sweet. Hold your horses.” Laker turned to Indie, squeezing her knee gently and meeting her gaze. “Are you okay, mi amore?”

  “We’re crazy, aren’t we? Doing this nine days before Christmas?”

  Laker barked a laugh, nodding and shrugging. “Probably, yeah. But you know what? I think it’ll be fun. And so worth it when the kids realise.”

  “Realise what, Daddy?”

  Laker grinned, turning to smile at his son’s and daughter’s curious faces. “You’ll see. Come on then! Let’s get out.”

  Bodhi and Marley clambered eagerly from the car once Reagan had released their seat buckles and their parents had opened the doors. Reagan unfolded himself, chugging the remainder of his coffee from his flask before tucking it back in the car and slamming the door shut; moments later, the daisy-print door swung open.

  Mrs. Bethany wasn’t what Indie had expected, at all. When she’d pictured a farmer’s wife, she’d imagined a short, slightly plump older woman with a perm and a forever-smile.

  Instead, the young woman in the doorway was dressed in a scarlet jumpsuit, her lips painted a striking, matching shade of red, her eyelids adorned with royal blue eyeshadow, and her silvery blonde hair curled back around her head in a braided bun. She was smiling, though, so Indie got one thing right, at least.

  “Hello! You must be Indie,” she called loudly as Indie led the way toward the house, Bodhi quietly demanding, ‘up, Mamma’ while Marley trailed behind holding Laker’s hand. Reagan brought up the rear with a small, moustache-topped smile.

  “That’s me. You must be Mrs. Bethany, then?”

  The woman laughed a high-pitched, delighted sound. “Mrs. Bethany is my mother-in-law! Please, call me Kelly.”

  “Okay.”

  Kelly’s eyes moved to Bodhi then, her smile impossibly wide. “Oh, and aren’t you just the cutest? What’s your name, handsome?”

  Bodhi’s ears tinted pink as he mumbled, “Bodhi.”

  “Well, what a gorgeous name! And what about you, Princess? What’s your name?”

  Marley beamed as she stepped away from Laker to greet Kelly. “I’m Marley Grace Ashby. This is my Pawpaw Reagan and my Daddy. I gotta call him ‘Daddy,’ but most people just call him ‘Laker,’ right, Daddy?”

  Laker grinned and shook Kelly’s outstretched hand. “Laker McKinley; lovely to meet you, at last. When we came out here last, your husband only had nice things to say.”

  Kate’s answering peal of laughter brought automatic smiles to everyone’s faces. Her delight was infectious. “Oh, I’m sure he told you to say that! Jon has very few nice things to say about me.” She shook Reagan’s hand next, making him blush when she complimented him on his impressive moustache, then led the troop into the house. She fell into step beside Indie, leaning in so Bodhi and Marley wouldn’t hear her question. “Is it still a surprise?”

  “It is. They have no idea why we’re here,” she affirmed with a rueful little smile.

  Kelly giggled. “Perfect! Well, I took the liberty of adding a little finishing touch to your gift. I hope you won’t mind.”

  It only took a minute more for Indie to realise what Kelly was talking about, and she most definitely didn’t mind. The sight that greeted her upon her entry into the kitchen eradicated any and all doubts about her decision to let Laker have his way.

  “Oh…my…God…”

  “All right, no more Friends for you, Mars. You sound far too much like Janice for my liking,” Reagan rolled his eyes and ruffled Marley’s hair—not that she noticed. Her gaze was trained on the kitchen floor.

  Well, not the floor…but the litter of spotty puppies tumbling around on it.

  There were eleven in all; six boys and five girls, all white with an even spread of black spots.

  “Mamma…” Marley breathed, her eyes darting between the puppies. Bodhi cried out, grinning as he wriggled to the floor and followed
his sister to the edge of the playpen splitting the tiled kitchen in half. The puppies noticed them and all charged over, jumping at the barrier with excited yips, waggly tails, and wet noses.

  Marley turned to her parents with wide, hopeful eyes as Bodhi giggled, the puppies tickling his hand through the bars as he reached through to pet them. “Are we just visiting?”

  Laker and Indie moved to crouch beside her and Bodhi, pulling his attention from the puppies for a moment. “We’re not just visiting, Little Sweet. We’re picking up our new puppy today. She’ll be coming home with us.”

  Much later, Indie and Laker would thank Reagan for his foresight in videoing Marley’s and Bodhi’s reaction. They jumped around, squealing and pressing kisses over their parents’ faces.

  Once they’d calmed down a little, Kelly beamed as she stepped through the gate and called Bodhi and Marley to join her. They were instantly surrounded by Dalmatian puppies and the kitchen was filled with the sounds of their delight.

  “Which one is ours, Daddy?” Marley asked as a puppy wearing an orange collar licked her nose.

  Laker looked to Kelly for help.

  She laughed, scanning the puppies before scooping one up and handing the wriggling bundle of fur to Marley. “This is your little lady. She’s the prettiest of the bunch, and she’s even got a special bow.”

  Indie smiled. The pink bow around her neck was evidently the ‘finishing touch’ Kelly had added.

  “Aww, she’s so cute! Oh! Mamma, Daddy, she’s licking me!” Marley giggled as the puppy smothered her face in kisses, her little body moving around so much that Marley wound up sitting down because she was afraid to drop her. Bodhi plonked himself beside Marley, giggling when their girl stretched over to nibble his nose.

  The sight was utterly adorable, and Indie was incredibly glad she’d let Laker talk her into this and that her dad had been all for it, too—it was his house, after all. The smiles her babies were wearing were worth the inevitable chaos the puppy was about to rain over their domain. She’d been researching all things puppy related; training, toys, toilet training, what foods were and weren’t allowed…