“Let’s get one thing straight, Kimberly. I respect you and what you’re doing, but I will not go through what I went through before, seeing someone hold a gun to a loved one’s head.”
She had never asked him about that situation but knew they needed to have that conversation. For now, she simply nodded.
“I’m going to be nearby, and my fuckin’ badge will be showing.”
They parked close to the children, and she saw Margo and Aleeta come forward, suspicion in their gazes. Kyle took the bags of fruit and other items she had brought and handed them to her. Then he moved slightly away and smiled at the kids playing.
She walked straight up to the women and said, “I brought some fruit and a couple of things I thought you might could use.”
“Who’s he?” Margo asked, her eyes pinned on Kyle as though she were afraid he would take off with her children.
Before she could answer, Aleeta said in a hard voice, “Looks like you brought the cops.”
“He’s my boyfriend,” she began, and Aleeta’s bark of laughter stopped her words.
“You’re dating a cop? Did he know you were down here by yourself last time?”
“Um… no…” She didn’t want to get into the details of her personal life, so she just left the one word hanging.
Aleeta shook her head and said, “Girl, I don’t know if you’ve got more balls or less brains. But I’m glad to see you got some protection now.”
She turned toward the kids and jiggled the bags, smiling as they ran over. She handed it to the moms, waiting to make sure the mothers had the decision of what to give the kids. Both Margo and Aleeta looked inside, exclaiming over the fruit, granola bars, and boxes of crackers with peanut butter.
Holding up another bag, she said, “This has some crayons and notebooks. I thought maybe the kids would like to color or draw, especially if it’s a rainy day and they have to stay inside the tents.”
She handed the third bag to Margo and smiled. “I didn’t know what you might need, but I brought some cleaning wipes, deodorant, moisturizer, and since we’re getting into the warmer weather, I brought some sunscreen.”
The uncertainty of her gift-giving fell away as the women smiled widely and called out their appreciation. While the kids sat to the side and munched on apples, Aleeta invited her to sit with the women. Glancing back toward Kyle, she observed he was keeping an eye on the kids while scanning the area.
She sat in one of the old camp chairs and for several minutes the conversation was stilted. It was hard to know what to say to someone who was living in a tent. “How’s your day? Read any good books lately? Been to the movies?” were obviously topics that would be ridiculous to bring up. But, after a few minutes, their conversation eased as they talked about the kids, the weather, and what else they might need in the coming months.
They slowly moved on to the issues of safety and the women reported they felt safe at the Cottages as long as they were vigilant and stayed in a group. Margo talked about a man that she’d been with for a while who worked during the days and then stayed with her and the kids in the evenings. Aleeta’s brother was also working, and while he was at the Cottages in the evenings, between the two of them they hoped to move into a small apartment soon.
“It’ll only be one-bedroom, but he says me and the kids can have it and he’ll be fine on a sofa.”
They began talking about the dangers of being on the street. “I know it seems crazy to live in a tent near a bridge, but I feel safer here than I did in a park,” Margo said. “There are some scary people and, yes, drugs abound. But a lot of these people are just down on their luck and want a place to get out of the weather.”
Kimberly inclined her head toward the tents and asked, “Are you ever afraid that somebody’s going to steal your tent or your belongings?”
“It’s kind of funny, but when the church group brought these tents, a lot of the men said they wanted us women to have them.”
Aleeta laughed and added, “Don’t get me wrong. There are some here that would slit your throat just to steal your shoes, but most of these people will share what they have with you, even if it’s not much.”
Deciding she had taken up enough of their time, she promised to come back again and asked if she could write up some of their stories. They all agreed, and the kids gathered, giggling as she took their pictures. Stepping forward, she threw her arms impulsively around Aleeta before it dawned on her that the woman might not want to be touched. Aleeta stiffened for a few seconds and then relaxed, returning her hug.
Saying goodbye, she hurried over to Kyle, surprised to see a man approach. She sidled up to his side and Kyle wrapped his arm around her.
The man grinned a mostly-toothless smile as he glanced over to the children playing and then looked back to them. “Dee-tective. You bring a friend?”
“Manny,” his deep voice rumbled. “This is Kimberly.”
She stuck her hand out and returned his smile. “Hi, Manny. It’s nice to meet you.”
His smile slipped as he stared at her hand for a few seconds and then wiped his palm on his pants. He wrapped his hand around hers and she shook it firmly.
“Nice to meet you too, Ma’am. I see you brung the kids some things. That’s real neighborly.”
“Just a couple of things. I wanted to talk to their moms, and they’d asked for fruit.” She reached into her bag and pulled out an apple. “I’ve got a bit left over if you’d like.”
He chuckled then fell into a coughing fit. When he regained his ability to speak, he grinned wider. “Aw, ‘fraid I ain’t got the choppers for an apple.”
Thinking quickly, she dug around some more into her bag and came up with crackers. “How about these? And a bottle of water?”
He nodded, reaching out to take what she offered. Lifting his gaze, he stared at her for a long moment before shifting his gaze over to Kyle.
Kyle squeezed her shoulder and she understood his signal for them to leave. “Bye, Manny. Take care.”
Kyle offered a chin lift toward Manny and began to turn them toward his truck.
“Dee-tective?”
Twisting, Kyle looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“You ever need anything, you come to see your old friend Manny.”
She held her breath, watching the thoughts move behind Kyle’s eyes. He finally nodded and offered a slight smile. Pulling her back to his side, they walked to the truck. She wanted to ask what Manny meant, but Kyle was quiet. If he wanted to silently process what just happened, she’d let him. Truth be told, her mind was full of the women and kids at the Cardboard Cottages.
His mood picked up as they drew closer to her house. “I almost hate to bring it up after the morning you’ve just had, but how about we take a trip to my parents this evening? My family would love to meet you, but I don’t want to pile too much on you today.”
She rolled her head to the side and saw the concern in his eyes. Squeezing his hand, she said, “Kyle, we’ve only known each other a short while. I know I met your mom, but do you really think this is the right thing to do?”
He shifted slightly in his seat so that he was more fully facing her. Lifting her hand, he kissed her knuckles before placing her hand over his chest. “I know I felt something for you the first night we met. You might want to chalk that up to just lust, but there was something more. The week that we were separated, I thought of you every single day. When we found each other again, that time I knew I felt something for you. So, while we’ve only officially been back together for a little while, I know what’s in here.” He pressed her hand gently against his chest. “I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t see into the future, but I know I’d love to have you meet my family tonight.”
She felt his heartbeat against her fingertips where he held them in place. Warmth moved through her when she thought of this man in her life. Her lips curved into a smile and she nodded.
He grinned widely and said, “All right… get ready for a McBri
de family dinner!”
A big family dinner was not something she was used to. Her insides quivered and she hoped his family would like her.
That evening, Kimberly was firmly ensconced in a setting completely different from the Cottages. The McBrides’ massive house in the northern part of Hope City, in an older neighborhood where each home had a unique charm, was filled with people and food. The gathering was so large, they were set up in the huge backyard where card tables and lawn chairs spilled beyond the patio.
Looking around, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like when all the McBride children had significant others and possibly children of their own. Where would they all fit? Then she glanced toward the end of one of the tables where Sharon kept an eye over her brood, and Kimberly did not doubt that Sharon would be able to fit everyone she loved around a table.
As soon as she had walked in, Caitlyn squealed with enthusiasm, throwing her arms around Kimberly. Sharon also hugged her, greeting her as an old friend. She was soon pulled from Kyle’s arms and introduced to the others. All three of his sisters were very alike in looks, almost intimidatingly so. Tall, built, with brilliant blue eyes and dark hair. Erin had just started nursing school, having come back from the military, and Tara was a social worker, married to Carter, another detective, and they had an adorable little girl, Colleen.
The oldest brother, Sean, yet another detective, was there with his wife, Harper. The youngest brother, Rory, a paramedic, threw out the charm when he met her, causing Kyle to growl and wrap his arm around her, playfully warning Rory to keep his hands to himself.
Sharon had looped her arm through Kimberly’s and dragged her over to Kyle’s father, Colm, who greeted her with a firm handshake, a warm smile, and a booming voice welcoming her to their home.
Kyle’s large family would have been overwhelming enough, but then the neighbors began pouring out of the house next door and their numbers grew. She hadn’t realized that Bekki King was part of the neighboring King family, but she was thrilled to have another friend at the meal. Sharon made sure she met Chauncey and Hannah King as well as some of their children in attendance.
Brock and Brody showed up and, from their comments, it was for the express purpose of giving Kyle a hard time. Their women, Kallie and Amber, welcomed Kimberly with knowing smiles. “We’ve been in your shoes,” they both said, laughing in camaraderie.
Now, with dinner almost consumed, everyone was enjoying the multitude of desserts, and the conversation flowed comfortably. She overheard Tara mention something about the homeless shelter where she worked.
“I visited the Cardboard Cottages today,” Kimberly said.
As soon as the words left her mouth, the massive gathering stopped talking, the silence broken only by a few birds tweeting in the trees. Kyle dropped his chin to his chest, and she wondered what she’d said to cause such a reaction from everyone.
Brody was the first to break the silence. “Are you crazy?”
Kyle jerked his head up and growled, “Brody.”
Sean shook his head. “I’d say the same thing. Are you crazy?”
She opened her mouth but didn’t have a chance to reply before Carter jumped in. “That’s not a place you just go to. You’re lucky to have gotten out unharmed.”
“Jesus, you men act like she’s helpless. You haven’t even given her a chance to say anything,” Kallie bit out, glaring around at the others.
Tara waded in. “I’ve been to the Cottages also, Kimberly. I try to see if we can get some of the people there into the shelter or some of our programs.”
Carter’s head swung around, and he looked at his wife. “You haven’t been there lately. At least I hope you haven’t, not without me!”
Tara narrowed her eyes as she glared at her husband but didn’t have a chance to speak before the gathering erupted into a rousing debate. Overall, the participants seemed to be divided among the sexes… the men declaring it was not a place to be and the women defending Kimberly’s decision to visit. Men turned toward their wives to defend their position and the women snapped back.
Mortified at the ruckus, she felt the hot sting of tears hit the back of her eyes and blinked to keep them from falling. “Kyle was with me,” she said, her words not heard over the raised voices.
A shrill whistle from Kyle cut through the cacophony and the silence was immediate, all heads turning toward him. She stared in slack-jawed, wide-eyed awe as he speared the others with a fiery glare. Jaw so tight she was surprised he was able to speak, he placed one hand on her shoulder and said, “Go ahead, babe.”
Suddenly unsure the words would come out, she cleared her throat. “Kyle was with me. The first time I drove down, I was with a church group and there was safety in numbers. Then I went to a different section by myself but understand I put myself at risk. I made a promise to some of the women there that I would bring some things for their children, so Kyle went with me today to take them.” Not wanting any more heated words, she added, “But I also promised Kyle that I wouldn’t go by myself anymore, even to visit the women.”
Before anyone could say anything, Kyle spoke, his voice still hard. “It’s one thing for us to have disagreements or lively debates, but to do so with someone who’s met you all for the first time—”
“No, Kyle, it’s fine,” she whispered. She looked around at the two families, seeing the true affection between everyone. “I didn’t have this growing up. This kind of… caring… enthusiasm.”
Glancing toward Sean, she added, “Believe me, Kyle was not happy when I went by myself.” She then shifted her gaze toward Tara. “I’d love to talk to you sometime about how I can help. I’m working on a series of articles about the different faces of Hope City and hope to showcase some of the homeless.”
“Son, you’re absolutely right.” Colm wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder and said, “Kimberly, you’re in the presence of a lot of law enforcement. We often see the worst in people, and my Sharon tells me that I need to spend more time looking for the good. What you did today was admirable.”
“Well, I think—” Hannah began.
“We agree,” Chauncey interrupted, pulling his wife closer.
Sharon’s glare toward Sean and Carter was only matched by Hannah’s glare toward Brock and Brody.
Rory grinned his flirtatious smile and winked. “You’ll get used to us, Kimberly. If you had a quiet household growing up, I’m sure this crowd seems unruly despite Mom’s best efforts.”
“Oh, I think this is lovely. I grew up in Sacred Heart… the orphanage.”
Once more silence descended, and the only sound heard was the birds in the trees. For a few seconds, she wasn’t sure they were chirping either.
“Shit,” Kyle hissed as his arms spasmed, tightening around her.
“Oh, fuck,” Rory breathed under his breath. His gaze jumped to hers. “Kimberly, I’m so sorry—”
Waving her hand around dismissively, she shook her head. “Oh, don’t be sorry. Don’t be embarrassed. It’s what I knew. I remember my parents a little bit, but they were in an accident when I was very young. Sacred Heart was a nice place. I have very fond memories from there.” She smiled and added, “Although, at mealtimes our conversations were not as lively, but I like this so much better.”
Kyle’s arm around her shoulders tugged her closer to him, and she placed one hand on his thigh and twisted so the other was on his chest, feeling his heartbeat underneath her fingertips.
“Babe, I feel like such an ass that—”
“It’s all good, Kyle. I’m just sorry we haven’t had a chance to talk about our pasts very much.” Smiling, she added, “I love your family.”
Sharon leaned back and huffed. “Well, thank goodness you love his family because right now I’m not so sure!”
Colm’s actions were similar to Kyle’s as he pulled Sharon close to him. Kissing her cheek, he said, “It’s all good, honey.”
The conversations finally settled into easy camaraderie, and
when it was time to say goodbye, she hated to leave.
Harper pulled her in for a hug and whispered, “Sean and Kyle are close, and we’d love to have you two over some time.”
Kallie grinned and added, “You ever need backup and Kyle’s not available? You call me!”
Amber offered a hug as well and said, “Brody and Kyle are best friends. You’ve got to come out with us or come over for dinner.”
Caitlyn and Bekki pulled her into a trio-embrace, both exclaiming they needed another girl’s night at the Celtic Cock.
As Carter helped Colleen get buckled into the car, Tara grabbed Kimberly’s hand. “Let’s talk soon. I’ve got lots of ideas for your stories and also ways to help at the Cottages.”
Finally, Sharon pulled her into a tight hug, and she felt emotion pouring from the older woman. Leaning back, Sharon cupped her face and said, “I’m thrilled to welcome you to our family, Kimberly. If you ever need anything, you call me.”
By the time Kyle managed to extricate her from his family’s goodbyes and get her into his SUV, she was exhausted.
“Babe, I am so fuckin’ sorry. I would’ve never taken you into that mess if I’d known—”
“You couldn’t have known, honey. We’ve never talked about it.”
A moment of silence passed as they drove out of the neighborhood full of family homes. She glanced to the side, observing Kyle opening his mouth to speak several times, then snapping it shut before uttering a word. “You can ask me anything,” she assured.
A sigh left his lips as he glanced toward her before looking back at the road. “You never mentioned… about your parents. Hell, I never asked.”
“We’re still in the getting-to-know-you phase.” She shrugged, shifting so that she could see his face. “Growing up in an orphanage is not something I’m ashamed of, but it’s hardly new relationship material. I wasn’t keeping it from you, it just never came up.”
“And your parents…”
“I was almost eight years old when my parents were killed in a car accident. My grandparents had already passed, and they had no siblings, so there were no aunts or uncles for me to go to. I was taken to Sacred Heart by a social worker with Social Services. Looking back, they probably thought it was going to be temporary, but most people looking to adopt are looking for babies. There were a lot of girls who came through Sacred Heart that were there for temporary reasons, but there were some of us that stayed.”
Kyle (Hope City Book 4) Page 16