“Shut up.”
“No, you shut up,” I snap.
“I said it first.” He grins triumphantly.
“Jesus, are you two…?” Max asks, looking at Beau and I.
My cheeks heat with embarrassment at acting so childish in front of Beau. When I turn my gaze his way, I see he’s smiling, his head ducked a little.
As if feeling my attention, he raises it and gives me a wink before turning to my dad again. “Address?”
Dad nods and turns to Malik. “Go on.”
I watch Malik eye Beau before speaking, “What are you doing here? I don’t think eating and watching chick flicks is a part of your job.”
Beau doesn’t miss a beat. “No, it’s not, but she’s not just a case, she’s my neighbour. A neighbour who, I might add, was left to walk home in the dark, and then stepped into a blackout. She was so scared that she nearly fell down the stairs and ended up twisting her ankle. She was also left to paint her own flat.” He raises his eyebrow at Malik, waiting for him to answer, and I fall back in shame.
I’d told everyone I’d tripped walking Roxy, which was believable since she mostly walks me. It also got them to give her extra walks for me while my ankle still ached.
I’d also lied and told them Nina and her mum had helped me paint, so I didn’t have much to do.
All eyes turn to me, every pair of them narrowed in anger. “Come again?” Dad asks.
“Um…”
“I told you to hold off on the painting until I could come round to help,” Mark snaps, straightening his spine from his position on the floor, where he’s been petting Roxy.
“What the fuck? I even offered to do it for a chocolate cake,” Aiden pipes in.
“Girl, you’re in a world of shit. When did you start doing shit on your own? This is a family; we help each other out,” Malik grunts.
“I, um…” I start, looking around sheepishly.
Max looks up from his phone, grinning. “Your aunts and cousins are gonna be pissed. You’re hiding too much shit from us.” His phone beeps and he grin spreads wider. “Oh, your mum is so pissed. She won’t be taking in any more strays while you find them homes.”
Dad grunts at that. He’s never liked the fact Mum always helped me out when it came to animals. We only had so much space for strays at the vets, and unfortunately, most older animals find it harder to be homed. We usually make an ad in a paper or get friends to hassle parents. My sister, Lily, has two cats. One only has one eye and the other has three legs.
“She wouldn’t,” I gasp, wondering what I’m going to do with the three small rabbits that had been brought in last week. They’ve got two more weeks at the shelter, but after that, we either have to put them down or send them to a bigger shelter. It’s not in my nature to put a healthy animal down. It’s not why I became a vet.
“Oh, she would.” Max laughs and puts his phone away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you guys to keep worrying or force me to move back home. And I certainly didn’t want Mark stinking up my sofa. I’m twenty-five, not five. You guys worry over us girls more than is necessary.”
“Because we love you,” Dad growls, his expression filled with hurt and annoyance.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, tears filling my eyes at the disappointment in his.
“Look, I didn’t mean to get her into shit. I just wanted you to know I’m not here to fuck her over.” He holds his hands out, speaking slowly to calm the situation.
“Or fuck her,” Max snaps. “Cause cop or not, I’ll break your legs. We’ve already had a pregnancy scare.”
Oh, my god.
He did not just say that.
I can’t even look at Beau. I’m dying of shame and ready to call Hayden, to get him back for doing this to me. If there’s one thing Max can’t control in his life, it’s his wild daughter. She also loves getting him back for all the embarrassing shit he pulls on us.
“Noted.” He walks over to Malik, no doubt getting Noah’s address, as Dad walks over to me and pulls me into his arms.
“Squirt, you need to stop doing this to me. I’m old. You need to be open with us. I thought you could tell us anything.”
Hearing the hurt in his voice is painful. “I really am sorry, Dad. More than you’ll ever know. I just didn’t want you worrying even more over me. I promise to keep you informed… on important stuff,” I tell him, eyeing Beau.
His gaze flicks there too, and his shoulder sag. “Is he—are you two…” He rubs the back of his neck, trying to look anywhere but at me.
I want to giggle at his expression, but I’m mortified over where he’s going with the conversation. Heat spreads up my neck and I feel like my face is on fire.
“No, Dad, we, um… we—we’re neighbours,” I stutter out.
He sags in relief. “If he, you know, touches you,” he begins, pointing to my body, “remember what I taught you.”
I roll my eyes, giggling. “Dad, I’m twenty-five. I’m not a teenager anymore.”
“It still counts. If he makes a move, punch or knee him in the balls. Just don’t… you know, touch them,” he says, blushing.
I groan and close my eyes, before looking at him. “Dad, please shut up, or I’m calling Mum and telling her you’re the reason she was never chosen to volunteer for school events.”
He snorts. “He was eyeing your mum’s arse. She was wearing a wedding ring.”
“He was a teacher asking if she’d volunteer for the wild camp. You scared him so badly he pissed himself.”
“You said you’d take it to your grave,” he growls.
I smile sweetly. “And I will. If you stop interfering in that department. It’s awkward as hell.”
“It’s kept you a virgin for twenty-five years,” he yells, then stops short, his eyes wide and horrified as he breathes deeply.
I drop my head, utterly ashamed when it echoes around my walls.
“Well, this got awkward real quick. Let’s go before you blurt out more shit,” Max says, slapping Malik on the shoulder.
“Good going, Dad,” Mark snaps.
I do love my brother.
“Yeah, we really didn’t need to know that shit, but it’s good to know we don’t have to kill anyone… yet,” Aiden adds, narrowing his eyes on Beau.
I can’t even look at him.
If there was any chance of him being interested in me, it just died with Dad’s proclamation of my virginity.
And meeting only a quarter of my family.
“Sorry,” Dad grumbles, sounding sincere.
“Please, just go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He nods, looking tense, like he doesn’t want to go with things so awkward. He leans down and kisses me on my forehead.
“It was nice meeting ya,” Max says, and I turn to find him talking to Beau.
“Yeah, at least you didn’t scream at me.” Beau chuckles at the memory. I blush, knowing he’s referring to me and how we met.
They all look confused, but Uncle Max takes it in stride and shrugs. “I’m only a screamer with the wife.” With a wink, he walks out, patting Beau on the shoulder before he passes.
Beau chuckles under his breath, shaking his head as they all pile out.
I grab my brother’s jacket, pulling him back inside as he goes to leave. “Put them back. Now!”
“Put what back?” Aiden asks innocently.
I roll my eyes at him. “My cookies. Now, Aiden, otherwise I’ll never bake you a cake again.”
He rears back, hand to chest as he feigns being hurt. “You wouldn’t?”
“Oh, I would. They’re Beau’s cookies.”
Aiden turns, glaring daggers at Beau, before stomping over to the counter and putting my plate—hidden under his top—back. “I won’t forget this,” he snaps at Beau, who doesn’t even blink.
He follows Max out. Malik walks past next, rubbing my hair like I’m five again. Next is Mark, who leans down for a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug.
; When it’s just me, my dad and Beau, I start to feel uncomfortable again. The air is tense.
“If you hurt her, I’ll do more than break your legs.”
“Dad, we’re just friends,” I yell, pushing him towards the door.
“Understood,” Beau grunts, not even correcting my dad on our non-relationship.
Dad stops me from pushing him out even more and pulls me into a hug. “I’ll find your necklace. But if I don’t, you won’t need it. You have me, baby girl, and always will. My love for you grows stronger every day. Necklace or not, nothing can change that.”
My eyes burn with unshed tears. “I know. I love you too.”
He holds me a bit longer before pulling back. “Let’s not tell your mum about the teacher, or me blurting out you’re a—you know,” he tells me, his voice low. “Or about tonight at all. She doesn’t need to know.”
“I make no promises. Now go, before you put your foot in your mouth. Again.”
He nods before giving me one last kiss and walking down the stairs. I shut my door, plastering myself against it, and close my eyes.
It’s only when I remember I have company do I open them, smiling sheepishly at Beau. He’s moved over to the counter and is leaning against it as he watches me in amusement.
“I’m sorry about my family. They can be a little… crazy and full on.”
He shrugs. “It’s fine. They seem like good people, and they love you.”
“They are. The best.” Then I remember why they showed up in the first place. “Are you going to report what you heard tonight?”
He grins, shaking his head. “Any respectable father would protect their daughter.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” I reply hesitantly.
He runs a hand down my hair, lingering near my shoulder, where he coils a piece around his finger. I shudder and step closer—a subconscious movement.
“I’m not on duty, Faith. Plus, I heard nothing. I’ll just say a tip came in with this address.”
He steps back but takes my hand and pulls me over to the couch.
I still can’t believe how comfortable I am with him, how it doesn’t feel like we met only a few days ago. Everything with him seems to flow easily.
“Now, come on, I want to see if there’s going to be a catfight between Brooke and Peyton.”
I laugh and fall down on the sofa next to him, not even tensing when he pulls me into his side.
CHAPTER FIVE
A week after spending the night watching One Tree Hill with Beau, something inside me feels different. I feel different. I feel alive. Not that I hadn’t before, but now I see everything as if through fresh eyes, feel things more intensely. It’s a good change.
Whenever I hear the door across the hall open or close, my heart races in anticipation. When he drops by to say hi or, like Tuesday, cook me dinner, I feel like he’s knocking all my walls down. I never want him to leave.
The excitement that swirls inside me whenever I spend time with him, increases every moment I’m in his presence.
I’m seeing him again tonight, and this time, I’m the one cooking dinner.
Every time I see him, I get to know him a little bit more. And the more I get to know him, the more I find myself liking the man I’m crushing on.
I can’t seem to help myself.
My walk to Lily’s is suddenly stopped short when Roxy pulls on her lead, which is strange because she’s usually pulling me forwards. “Roxy, what are you doing now?”
I’m still righting myself when I hear her growling. Shocked she’d do such a thing, I rush to tug at her leash. I’m startled when I see she’s snarling at a man in a black hoody.
“I’m sorry. She’s not usually like this.”
I stroke her fur, trying to calm her down, but it’s not helping. She keeps on snarling, growling at the man in front of me.
“Be glad she’s on a leash. It would a shame if something were to happen to her,” the man warns in a waspish voice. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
My head snaps up at his cruel words, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but he’s already walking away.
Roxy whimpers and my attention turns back to her. “It’s okay, girl. It’s okay. Come on, let’s go see Lily. I bet she has some tasty treats for you.”
Roxy barks and we carry on walking, turning onto the street that houses the library where Hope works. She lives around the back, in a small house that connects with Lily’s garden. Lily’s cottage, a few other houses, and an old, closed-down church are also on the street.
No one liked living here before, but Lily took one look at my dad’s new investment and wanted it.
My uncle Mason had put in a claim to buy the library building when it threatened to go bust. Hope loves writing and working in the library. She gets to do both which makes her happy. When my dad and other uncles found out, they all invested too. All of them now own the building. Since then, Dad’s also invested in other properties on the street. The street now looks liveable, even if it is still empty on the far end. But it’s quiet, something Lily treasures.
We walk up to her cottage and I let myself in, inwardly chiding her for never locking her door. The only other people on the street are elderly. She doesn’t think they’d be a nuisance. But if the past four months have taught me anything, it’s that nothing is certain.
“Lily?” I call, dodging Willa, Lily’s one-eyed cat. Willa doesn’t let her disability stop her from doing anything, including attacking Roxy when she sees her. Roxy ignores her and steps into the house, no doubt sniffing for Peggy, Lily’s three-legged cat.
“We’re in here,” Hayden calls.
“Stop shouting,” Maddox groans.
I roll my eyes. I should have known he’d be here. Hungover.
I walk in, grinning at a suffering Maddox who is curled up on the sofa, his head on Lily’s lap. Hayden is sitting in the armchair, Mark slumped at her feet.
Since Lily only owns a three-seater and an armchair, and Maddox’s large-framed body is currently taking up most of the sofa, I do the only thing a respectful cousin would do: I jump on his legs, squashing him.
“Faith, I feel sick,” he groans.
“Shouldn’t drink so much.”
“There was a hot blonde,” he explains.
Mark grunts in agreement.
“There always is,” I mutter sarcastically.
“How you doing?” Hayden asks. “You know, after your dad blurted out you were still a virgin in front of the hot guy.”
“Mark!” I yell, glaring at my big-mouth brother.
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Um, I didn’t tell anyone.”
My eyes narrow in doubt, but then my mind drifts to Aiden. Oh, I’m going to kill him when I see him. “It wasn’t Aiden either. My dad told us.” Hayden rolls her eyes. “We told him it wasn’t funny, but he said the guy’s face was priceless.”
“What face?” I ask, horrified.
“Not sure, just said it was a picture moment. Wished he had his phone handy and everything. Said he’d put in his pocket before the juicy stuff got said.”
“I’m going to kill him. Gah! Why does he always have to make an embarrassing situation worse?” I ask.
I already know the answer before they even say it.
“It’s Dad.”
“It’s Max.” Is chorused throughout the room.
I sigh and lean back against the sofa, ignoring Maddox when he shifts his legs from under me and puts them on my lap instead.
“Dad said the guy looks like a dick and we should watch out for you,” Maddox puts in. “I’m thinking of paying him a visit. Have a talk about your virginity staying intact.”
“Maddox,” I screech. Roxy comes powering in, Peggy following at a much slower pace. “Don’t you dare do that to me. I mean it. None of you are to go near him. If you do, I’m going to start spilling secrets to certain parents. I mean, you wouldn’t want your mother finding out it was you who crashed Madiso
n’s near date’s car into the lake, would you?”
He gasps and shoots up, as he narrows his eyes on me. “You wouldn’t?” he shouts, before wincing and grabbing his head.
I giggle at his expression. He deserves it for threatening to speak to Beau. “I so would.” I shrug, ducking my head. “He’s just a friend anyway.”
“Who likes to spend time with you? Cook you dinner? Tuck you into bed when you fall asleep on him?” Hayden asks, her gaze on her phone.
My eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when she announces it to the room. Lily knew, but she’s my sister; I tell her pretty much everything. The boys, on the other hand, no. You can’t tell them anything, especially stuff like this. They’d overreact and start doing shit that would get normal people arrested. People around our area are too scared to mess with a Carter, or try to get payback. One tried and never succeeded. He ended up with slashed tyres and shaved eyebrows.
“Hayden!”
She looks up at me, her expression confused for a second, before realisation dawns across her face and she has the audacity to look ashamed. “Sorry.”
“He does what?” Mark growls.
I close my eyes for a second and groan. “Mark, please, shut up. I don’t need you interfering.”
“I thought he was just a friend?” he asks pointedly.
I glare at Hayden. “Just you wait.”
“I said I’m sorry.”
I shrug before addressing my brother. “We are. I promise. You know I can rarely stay awake after nine. I’m like an old lady. He’s just being a friend.”
“No, he isn’t. I would have just left you where you fell asleep,” Maddox adds, and I slap his thigh.
“That’s because you’re a jackass. And you’ve never been to a girl’s house to watch a movie before.”
“What’s the point in wasting time watching movies when I get what I want in the beginning?”
Total freaking jackass.
“You really need to man up. One day some girl is going to come in and sweep the floor from underneath you,” I warn him, narrowing my eyes on my brother when he grunts.
“Never gonna happen,” he tells me, kicking my legs.
“It will, Madz. And when that day comes, don’t expect me to have sympathy. The way I see it, you should be treating every woman how you treat us,” Lily adds.
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