I snorted. “That was a very specific scenario.”
“Just answer the question, Arden.” He chuckled, rubbing his hand over his jaw in a nervous gesture.
“I know they’ll love you once they get to know you, but…” I hedged, taking a deep breath. “Expect them to be slightly wary in the beginning. After what happened with Todd…they’re going to be protective since you’re the first guy I’ve been with since then. Okay?”
Hayes nodded. “I can handle wary.”
I grinned up at him. “I expected you to tell me you could handle anything.”
“That too.” He winked as he pulled into the sitter’s driveway.
I hopped out and went inside to grab Mia. When she saw Hayes standing by his truck she took off running straight into his waiting arms. He lifted her up and spun her around, her giggles filling the air, and when she was sufficiently dizzy he buckled her into her car seat.
Instead of heading straight back to Hayes’ house we stopped by mine first so I could grab my car.
“I’ll just be a second,” I told Hayes. “I have to go inside and grab my keys.”
“I’ll wait,” he said. Just in case, was what he left unsaid.
I hurried inside, surprised at how in only a few days this place didn’t seem like home anymore.
I shivered as I headed into the kitchen, feeling extremely creeped out, and terrified Todd might jump out of some random hiding place.
I tiptoed over to the counter, like I was the one breaking and entering, and searched for my keys.
My eyes halted though on a piece of paper
One I knew hadn’t been there when the police had searched the house.
Which meant Todd had been back.
And could still be here.
Blood roared through my veins and my heart beat so fast that it was the only thing I could hear.
I reached out with tentative fingers, the hair on my body standing on end once the piece of notebook paper was in my hands.
I lifted it to eyelevel, trying to make out his chicken scratch.
In horror, I read the four words written on the torn piece of paper.
I’ll get what’s mine.
Those words bounced and ricocheted inside my head.
I’ll get what’s mine.
I’ll get what’s mine.
I’ll get what’s mine.
Mia.
I DIDN’T TELL Hayes about the note.
I knew I should have, but I couldn’t. I was too horrified to repeat it.
I spent the whole week walking around like a complete mope, barely uttering more than the necessary response to anything he said. Even Mia could tell something was wrong with me and was constantly asking me if I was sick or had a fever. I was sick, but not in the way she thought.
I stood now, in Hayes’ closet, getting ready for dinner with my parents. Since my parents weren’t fussy people I decided to wear a pair of jeans and a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt.
Hayes strode into the closet wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung dark jeans with the belt hanging undone.
He was trying to kill me.
I itched to reach out and run my fingers over the curves of his abs, but I wouldn’t. It felt wrong to touch him when I was keeping the note a secret from him.
Hayes eyed me, lifting his lips slightly in challenge. He knew exactly what he was doing to me. The jerk was trying to break me.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his muscled back to me as he flicked through the shirts hanging in his closet, “you’d look even better naked on your back, all sweaty and freshly fucked, with my come on your stomach.”
I squeaked like a small mouse and he chuckled.
Glancing over at me, he narrowed his eyes, “Something’s going on with you, Arden, and you’ll eventually spill the beans.”
I ran from the closet and he cackled behind me.
Jerk.
I hurried downstairs before he could tempt me further and joined Mia in the family room where she was watching The Little Mermaid—her obsession.
Hayes came down the steps a few minutes later, the sound of his sneakers slapping against the steps alerting me of his presence.
He strolled into the family room looking ridiculously too good-looking to only be wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Or maybe I was so horny that anything he wore would make him appear devilishly handsome and extremely fuckable.
Jeez, my head was too far-gone in the gutter to be having dinner with my parents.
Hayes glanced down at his watch. “We better go. We’re going to be late if we don’t.”
“Right,” I sighed. “Come on, Mia.” I reached for her hand. “You can finish your movie when we get home.”
She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to grab ahold of my hand. “I don’t wanna go. I wanna watch my movie.”
“I know, sweetie, but Grandma and Grandpa are waiting for us. We need to go.”
“Ugh.” She groaned, kicking her legs.
Normally I was lucky with Mia, and she didn’t give me too much sass, but then there were moments like this when it came out in full force.
Hayes paused the movie and turned the TV off which sent her screaming with crocodile tears streaming down her face.
I was already wound so tight that I couldn’t handle a meltdown. “Mia!” I yelled. “Stop this! This behavior is unacceptable!”
She only cried harder and I pressed my face into my hands, letting out a frustrated groan.
I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.
Straightening, I said in a soft tone, “Mia, we have to go. The movie will be waiting for you when we get back.”
Still pouting, she stomped out of the room and towards the garage door.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes.
I opened them when I felt the brush of Hayes’ fingers against the exposed skin of my stomach where my shirt had ridden up.
His eyes were filled with concern and his lips turned down into a frown. “Talk to me,” he pleaded. “Please.”
I took a step back and his hand dropped from my side. I shook my head and started for the garage.
He sighed behind me, and mumbled, “You are infuriating.”
I swallowed thickly, knowing that my silence was hurting him.
The drive to my parent’s house was filled with awkward silence, only broken by the occasional direction I lobbed his way.
Hayes glared out the windshield, a muscle in his jaw ticking.
I knew he probably wanted to snap at me, but he also didn’t want to scare me, which led to him sitting broodingly in the driver’s seat.
By the time we reached my parent’s house I was tempted to tell him to turn the car around and go home—that neither of us were in any shape to spend the evening with my parents.
Hayes pulled into the driveway of the modest, one story ranch style home, and killed the engine.
He sat with his fists clenched in his lap, but made no move to get out of the vehicle.
I cracked.
“I’m sorry,” I cried, “I know I’m being a horrible person right now and you don’t understand and I’m so sorry.” I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, probably streaking my mascara in the process, but not really caring. “Please,” I begged, “I have my reasons and I just…I don’t want to talk about it.”
He glared at me with steely blue eyes. “You need to talk about it with me. Remember, you don’t have to fight alone anymore, Arden. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” His face softened and he reached over to trail his finger over the curve of my cheek.
My eyes closed and I breathed in a shaky breath.
“Stop trying to take on the world alone,” he whispered, “a battle fought alone is a battle lost.”
I swallowed thickly, the note burning a hole in my purse.
I should’ve told him from the moment I saw it, but I’d stupidly kept it to myself. Apparently, when it
came to Todd, I became a big ball of dumb. I’d been so hurt by him in the past, and my silence had been my protection, but also my downfall, and now I was letting history repeat itself.
Before I could grab the note, the front door opened and my mom came running out.
“Later.” I told Hayes, my stomach twisting with the thought.
He nodded once.
I scurried out of the truck and greeted my mom with a hug.
She held me tight, squeezing until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“I’ve missed you.” She patted my cheek. “You don’t visit enough.”
“I know. I’ve missed you too.”
My parents lived almost an hour away from me, which made visiting difficult with my schedule.
“Let me see this man of yours and my grandbaby.” She winked.
I laughed and turned to see Hayes walking over to join us with Mia in his arms.
“Hello,” he extended his hand to my mom. “I’m Joshua, but I go by Hayes.”
At only five-foot-two my mom had to crane her head back to look at him.
“My God, you’re tall.” She said.
He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
“Oh!” She seemed to then realize what she said. “Forgive me for forgetting my manners. I’m Stella.” She paused. “I’d hug you, but you currently have your hands full.”
Hayes grinned, his dimple making an appearance—I was happy to see it, since it’d been missing all week.
“Yes, quite full,” he agreed.
“It’s cold out here,” she clapped her hands together, “come on, come on.” She turned, heading back towards the house and waving for us to follow. “Dinner is ready and waiting…if your father hasn’t eaten all of it, that is.” She cackled merrily.
“I like your mom,” Hayes whispered. “She’s funny.”
“She’s something else,” I agreed.
We entered the quaint dining room and my dad stood from the table to great us.
“Josh,” Hayes held out his hand, “but you can call me Hayes.”
Since I only called Hayes…well, Hayes, it was always weird to hear his first name. It didn’t seem to suit him the way Hayes did.
“Nice to meet you.” My dad shook his hand. “I’m Henry. Here,” my dad pointed to one of the chairs beside him, “why don’t you sit there, so uh, we can get to know each other.”
“Dad.” I glared venomously at him.
“I’ll be nice.” He rushed to assure me.
I gave Hayes an apologetic look, but he merely chuckled and took the seat.
My mom took the one across from him and I sat beside him with Mia to my left.
“This smells delicious, mom.” I commented, inhaling the scent of homemade lasagna.
“I know it’s your favorite.” She smiled, cutting into it and heaping a serving large enough for three men onto my plate. “You’re too thin. Eat up.”
My mother, always the worrier.
She was right though, I was too thin at the moment. All the stress I’d been under with the Todd situation had led to me skipping meals and losing sleep.
She cut a piece even larger and put it on Hayes’ plate.
“Thank you.” He smiled at her and I breathed easy, glad his irritation from earlier had disappeared for the moment. Not that I could blame him for being irritated with me.
“Thanks for having us, mom.” I said as I cut up the small piece she’d put on Mia’s plate.
“We’ve really been looking forward to meeting you.” She glanced up at Hayes and brushed her red hair from her eyes. It was beginning to gray slightly and she had crow’s feet beside her eyes, but I still thought my mom was beautiful inside and out.
“Likewise.” Hayes smiled, reaching for the basket of garlic bread. He grabbed a piece and put it on my plate before taking one for himself.
“So…you’re in a band?” My dad asked, raising a brow in disbelief.
Hayes chuckled and ducked his head to hide his crooked smile. “Well, yes, but it’s not like how you’re making it sound.”
“You don’t play in a garage and live in your parent’s basement, then?” My dad asked.
“Daddy!” I scolded, my face reddening in embarrassment.
My dad chuckled. “It’s just a question sweetheart. Simmer down.”
“No, I don’t live in my parent’s basement.” Hayes was doubled over in laughter.
“What’s the name of your band?” My mom asked.
When I’d told her about Hayes on the phone I’d mentioned he was in a band, but didn’t tell her it was Willow Creek. In this area everyone knew of them since they were local. So while my mom didn’t recognize his name, she’d definitely know the band.
“Willow Creek.”
Like I expected both of my parents’ eyes widened and my mom looked close to passing out.
She coughed, choking on a piece of lasagna noodle.
“Mom?” I asked worriedly. “Are you okay?”
She gulped greedily at her glass of water. “Fine, fine.” She waved away my concern. “I just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Wow,” my dad gasped, “you’re in a real band.”
Hayes chuckled, unaffected by their surprise. “Yes, sir.”
“Does this mean Arden and Mia will be going on tours with you?” He flicked his fingers in my direction.
“Dad,” I scolded yet again, “don’t.”
Hayes shrugged. “I don’t know. It’ll be a while before we go on tour again, but I’d love for Arden and Mia to come if that’s what they’d like to do.”
“And if they don’t go does that mean you’ll be banging groupies every night and bringing back every STD imaginable to my daughter?”
“Dad!” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
Hayes took it all in stride. “No, sir. I love your daughter and there definitely won’t be any groupies in my future.”
My dad harrumphed. “You better not be lying to me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it sir.”
My dad seemed to be contemplating something and finally said, “I like you.” Hayes grinned at this. My dad leveled him with a glare and his smile disappeared. “But if you hurt her I’ll break your bones. I didn’t get the chance with the first one and I won’t miss my opportunity this time should the need arise.”
Hayes pressed his lips together, trying to look scared, but I knew in actuality he was trying his hardest not to laugh.
“I won’t hurt her,” Hayes vowed.
My dad chuckled. “We’ll see.”
Before Hayes could take another bite of lasagna my mom launched into a barrage of questions. “What’s it like being famous? Is it fun traveling the world? What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done on the road?”
Hayes answered each question and didn’t seem at all perturbed by it.
We’d finished our meal and I was helping my mom gather the plates—Hayes and my dad having retired to the living room where my dad was probably drilling him on his knowledge of all things football—when she said, “I can’t believe you’re dating someone so famous.”
My mom was officially star-struck.
But having lived in rural Virginia her whole life it wasn’t like she’d met that many famous people—exactly zero until now—so I chose to let her enjoy the moment.
“He doesn’t feel famous to me.” I shrugged, carrying the plates into the adjoining kitchen. The counters were the same old gray corian they’d always been with white cabinets that had chipping paint. The whole house needed a sprucing up, but it still felt like home. “He’s just Hayes.”
“He’s very handsome.” She grinned, bumping her hip with mine.
I blushed and set the plates in the sink before running water and adding a bit of soap. “He’s okay I guess.”
“You guess?” She laughed, poking my side. “I see the way you look at him and how he looks at you…it’s nice to see you happy, Arden.” She reached out, wrapping her arms around my shoulder
s in an awkward side hug. “I’ve missed seeing that light in your eyes.” She paused, seeming to search for the right words. “Not that I don’t think you’ve been happy with only you and Mia, but something’s been missing for a while and I think you’ve finally found it. I like him. A lot.”
Until that moment I hadn’t realized how much I needed my mother’s approval.
“You do?” My voice sounded meek.
She nodded, nudging me out of her way so she could rinse the dishes off. She handed me a towel to dry the plates.
“I really do,” she said, “and you don’t realize it, but when he looks at you…you light up Arden. I’ve never seen you like that before. I’m really happy for you.”
“Thanks mom.” I set the dry dish down and hugged her.
She kissed the top of my head and handed me the next plate. “Have you heard anymore from Todd?” She asked, lowering her voice and shifting her eyes towards the entrance to the kitchen. “I didn’t tell your dad he showed up,” she admitted with a shrug. “I was kind of afraid if I told him he might end up in jail for attempted murder.”
She probably wasn’t joking.
My dad was beyond angry with Todd—not that I wasn’t too, but I think it really hurt my dad to feel like he hadn’t been protecting me when he should have. But it was my own fault for never telling anyone about the abuse. For people that had never been abused it was easy to think someone was dumb or naïve for keeping their mouth shut, but they didn’t realize how manipulative an abuser was and how the victim felt terrified for their life.
“I haven’t heard from him anymore,” I lied. There was no point in telling her about the break in, or note, because there was nothing she could do, and I didn’t want her to worry herself to death.
“That’s good.” She nodded, handing me the last dish. “He’s an odd one.”
I snorted and began putting the dry dishes away. “Odd doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I guess that’s true…you know,” she mused, propping a hand on her hip, “he was always nice enough, I suppose, but there was this underlying…darkness in his eyes. I should’ve known something was up.” She frowned, the lines in her face deepening.
I reached out and hugged her, placing a kiss on her cheek. “You couldn’t have known mom.”
Take A Chance Page 20