Chapter 15 Beau
Beau
I slam the door to my house, lock it, and go straight to the kitchen.
Tonight was an absolute shit-show. I don’t know who I want to kill first, Apex, Hunter, or both at the same time.
I did my best to keep my patience. I didn’t fully succeed, but I didn’t kill anyone either, so I guess that means I passed.
It helped that I spent most of my time with Slider and Ty.
Pez joined us too. He’s apparently a new member of the Devil’s Blaze that joined when King came over.
I like him. He’s tall, muscular without the bulk of some and funny.
He has pretty blue eyes that are the color of a summer sky and dark hair that is short, but definitely a day or two past time for a haircut.
I got the feeling that he was watching over me while Apex and Hunter worked out their issues.
I didn’t really care. They spent so much time trying to assert their position in my life that I finally told them both to go fuck off.
I felt I had to. If not, I was afraid one of them might hike up his leg and piss on me to show his ownership.
It was that ridiculous. I’m not kidding, if one of them wasn’t bringing me a beer—when the other already had—they were ordering food and bringing it over to the pool tables or dart boards.
Eventually, there was so much food around me I could barely look out over top of it. It was ridiculous.
What annoyed me the most is that when Hunter wasn’t trying to one-up Apex, he was hilarious and obviously doted on Ty.
It’d take a fool not to see what a good father Hunter was.
Maybe that shouldn’t have gotten to me as much as it did, but I was raised by my father.
It was just the two of us and watching them together totally hits me hard.
Hunter loves his son, shows it easily and isn’t afraid of his emotions. It’s beautiful.
I push those thoughts aside, trudge straight to my master bath, stripping as I go.
I need to calm down and relax. The best way I know to do that is in water.
I’m a Pisces and even if I don’t follow astrology, I will be the first to admit that water calms me.
I’ve thought about moving and buying a house on the Cumberland River.
The only thing that stops me is my home belonged to my dad.
It’s like a piece of him. I don’t see me giving it up.
I still feel him and that makes me happy.
Still, it might be time to think about a nice vacation home.
It’s not like I travel a lot. I’ve seen a lot of places, but I don’t think any place is prettier to me than Kentucky. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
It takes me an hour of soaking in my tub, surrounded by my strawberries and cream bubble bath to finally feel my muscles untense.
I’m not big on wearing a lot of makeup. I don’t spend hundreds on my hair.
Still, my lotion and bubble bath are a must. I slide on dad’s old Lexington Legends jersey he bought when we went to our first baseball game.
My dad was a big man, so it falls almost to my knees.
If I wore a belt, it’d look like a dress—well, a casual dress with Lexington Legends written across the front in bright green lettering.
I blow dry my hair, put on my “chill” playlist so music plays through my different Alexa units that are spread through the house (kitchen, utility room, my bath and bedroom, office, and great room).
I’ve just sat down and reclined back on my sofa, glass of wine on the coffee table, book in my hand when my doorbell rings.
I close my eyes hoping whoever it is will go away.
It rings again. By the fourth ring, my peace is at an end.
The piano music of easy listening tunes has stopped because I told Alexa to do so.
It’s just too bad I can’t tell whoever it is outside to leave as easily.
“I know you’re in there, Beau. Hurry up, mine and Ty’s hands are full,” Hunter calls out. My heart stops for a minute. His and Ty’s hands? What in the world?
“Hunter? What on earth?” I ask even before I opened the door.
When I do open it, my mouth falls open because Hunter is there with a large duffle bag and Ty and Slider are behind him.
Both boys are carrying duffle bags with their school’s name on the side.
Hunter is also carrying a large takeout bag from the local sandwich shop. “What’s going on?”
“We brought some sandwiches and chips. The boys were hungry, and I didn’t see you eating much, despite me constantly bringing you food.”
“If I had tried to eat everything you and Apex kept trying to force on me, I wouldn’t have been able to walk through my front door,” I mutter.
“She’s got you there, Dad,” Ty laughs.
“Sure does,” Slider adds. “You guys were out of control.”
“Shut it,” Hunter says, but does it with a smile and not bothering to hide his own laughter.
“C’mon, Ty. I’ll show you where my room is here,” Slider says.
“Come get your food when you get settled,” Hunter tells them.
“Sure thing, Dad. Hey, Beau?”
“Yeah, honey?” I answer Ty. Honestly, I’m confused and not able to move. I just keep staring at the three of them like I’m stuck in a dream. I mean, there’s no way this can be real … Can it?
“Does it matter what room I take?” Ty asks. I blink.
“Um … no. Slider knows where the extra rooms are. There are two upstairs, but Slider’s is downstairs in the basement. There’s one connected to Slider’s by the bathroom,” I tell him. You can just take whichever one you like the best.”
“Oh, cool,” Ty says.
“Let’s check out the basement. You’ll love it.
Aunt Beau set up a game system and a huge ass television down there.
That’s all that’s down there except for our rooms. It’s like our own place.
There’s even a mini fridge down there!” Slider says.
I wince because until Slider said it like that, I didn’t realize that I’d kind of spoiled Slider when he was around.
The truth is, I didn’t figure I’d ever have a family of my own.
So, I kind of adopted Slider and gave him my love.
I shrug off my guilt. Slider’s a great kid and I love him.
“Alright!” Ty says excitedly.
“We’ll not see them the rest of the night,” Hunter laughs.
“Am I keeping the boys tonight?” I ask stupidly as I follow him down my hall.
“Yeah, Gordo is still gone on whatever errand he’s doing and apparently wherever he’s at Mary Ann is still with him.”
“Great,” I mutter. I need to find a way to knock some sense into Gordo.
“I see you have the same view of Mary Ann as I do,” Hunter replies dryly.
“She manipulates Gordo. I’m not sure why he can’t see it. Lord knows everyone else does.
“Yeah,” Hunter agrees. “Ah, hah. This must be your room.”
Before I can respond, he tosses his duffle bag on my bed. “What are you doing?” I hiss. Hunter drags me into the room, closing the door with his foot.
“I told you I was moving in, Beau. You can’t be shocked I’m here.”
“I beg to differ. I can be very shocked. I know this because I am! You can’t just move in with me, Hunter.”
“Why not?” Hunter asks, facing me as he puts a hand on each of my hips. He does it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. I ignore the thrill that moves through my body with his touch. I also ignore that I like the sound of him moving in with me, and how that makes me feel.
“You can’t move in someplace where you’re not wanted,” I explain as if I’m dealing with a child—which I’m starting to fear I am. “That’s not how it’s done.”
“Have you moved in with many people, Beau?” he asks, and I really hate that he’s trying to be logical right now.
“That’s beside the point. Your son can stay tonight, but you two are not moving in.”
“We are,” Hunter agrees. He’s acting like I’m the deranged one. The bastard even bends down and kisses my nose. He kisses my nose! What the hell is that???
“You’re deranged and trust me, Hunter, I’ve had some scary deranged people in my life. I think you might be the king of deranged though!” I huff.
He pulls back to look at me, his hand going to cup the side of my neck, his long, beautiful fingers pressing into my skin. It shouldn’t feel as good as it does, but God …
“You’ve had deranged people in your life? Would you care to expand on that?” he murmurs, studying my face.
Panic hits me immediately. Shit. Shit. Shit.
What made me say that? That is not a road that I’m going to go down with Hunter.
I don’t even know what Hunter is to me. Tonight, he was a big fat jerk.
I was pissed at him. Although, there was a small part of me that loved the attention he was giving me to try and keep Apex away.
He also says he’s moving in and for the life of me I can’t figure out why I’m not freaking out and calling the law to escort him out of here—or better yet, calling Torch.
I should totally call him and tell him to get his son and check him into the psych ward. Yes, I should definitely do that.
But I’m not.
Is it because Ty and I bonded tonight? Maybe a little, I can concede that. I’d be lying if I said that was the reason I’m not calling Torch and demanding Hunter leave, though. I swallow down the worry that hits me. I think I’m scared if I kick him out that I’ll never see him again.
How did everything get so messed up in my head?
“Everyone has deranged people in their life. Hence, you being in mine,” I mutter, hoping that covered enough for me.
I’m not telling Hunter about my past. No man wants a woman with as much baggage as I have.
I don’t want my baggage. I really don’t want to rehash it with Hunter.
My past is done and finished. There’s no point in revisiting any of it.
Donald Hyde is a memory that is best left buried.
My ploy works because Hunter just pulls me into his arms and hugs me. “I left the food in your living room. Let’s go eat.”