Chapter 61 Derrick #2
She shakes her head. “I need to keep busy.” She starts making us sandwiches.
Sienna and I take a seat in the kitchen, sitting in silence as we let her do what she needs to do.
“I’ll put the kettle on, too, everyone needs a cuppa tea,” she mumbles to herself.
Sienna and I look at each other, no words are needed to know what has happened to this family, to this community, is a tragedy of epic proportions.
Moments later, Hilda is placing some sandwiches in front of us before fiddling with the kettle.
Silently, Sienna and I dig into our sandwiches.
My mind wanders to my own family. Would I be this upset over their deaths?
I know I should be, but I guess as far as I am concerned, they are already dead, so knowing that they truly had moved on doesn’t change anything.
It’s sad, though, and I do feel that ache inside of me, wishing that things could be different, but they aren’t.
Maybe I should thank them, though, because I don’t think I would be living this life if they weren’t so against it.
They pushed me harder than I did myself to pursue my dreams, so I guess I can thank them for that.
Stacey and Oscar walking back into the kitchen, her eyes red-rimmed, pull me from my own thoughts.
“Here you go, love. A fresh cuppa and a corned beef sandwich.” Hilda places them down in front of her.
Jennifer and Rebecca come up and wrap their arms around their aunt as Oscar sits beside Stacey, his eyes never leaving her.
He’s been such an amazing strength to Stacey at this time, the Viking stepping up when she needed him most.
“We love you, Stacey.” Becca sniffles, clinging to Stacey, who is really trying to keep it together. Sienna and I look at each other, knowing she needs a moment.
“Girls, would you be able to show us around? It’s been years since we have been here,” Sienna asks as I get up with her. Becca and Jenny nod and take us to our rooms.
“You guys will have to share, is that okay?” Jenny asks.
“Of course. We’ve always been bed buddies when we travelled,” I tell them.
Becca frowns. “Did you two date?”
Sienna and I burst out laughing, which makes the two girls giggle.
“No, girls. She’s my best friend,” I explain to them.
“Can boys and girls be best friends?” Becca asks.
“Yes. Of course.”
“But you two seem like you love each other,” Jenny adds.
“We do. I love her with all my heart,” I say, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
“Then why did you never date?” Becca asks.
“I’m not his type.” Sienna smirks.
“But you’re gorgeous,” Jenny adds.
“Why, thank you, as are the two of you,” Sienna states.
“That’s not what Billy Jenkins says. He thinks I’m ugly,” Becca says, rolling her eyes.
“Billy Jenkins needs glasses. You two are gorgeous. Who cares what some little twerp thinks? Bet he’s the ugly one,” I tell them.
“Billy Jenkins is the most popular guy in my grade. All the girls have crushes on him.” Becca moans.
“Boys with egos, know them well,” I tell her.
“I don’t think he’s cute.” She huffs.
“Good girl, boys who say mean things are not cute,” I warn her.
“That’s what I tell my friends, but they are dazzled by his blond hair and blue eyes.”
“He is cute,” Jenny adds.
“Let me give you some advice, girls. Boys who say mean things and are cute are insecure jerks. Having a cute face doesn’t change a horrible personality. No amount of plastic surgery can make you cute on the inside.” This makes the girls giggle, which is nice to hear.
“So do you have a girlfriend?” Jenny asks.
I shake my head. “I kind of have a boyfriend.”
The girls say, “ooohhh.”
“Can we see?” Becca asks.
“Sure.” I open my phone and find photos of Charlie and me from Hawaii.
“He’s cute,” Becca adds.
“I think so. And he is as gorgeous on the inside as he is on the outside.”
“Is he a cowboy?” Jenny asks.
“Yeah. Kind of. He was in the military and now lives in Montana. At the moment we live apart,” I explain.
“Why?” Jenny questions.
“It’s only new. And he’s not a fan of LA, but my life is in LA.”
“But you like him, don’t you?” Becca asks.
“Yes. So much.”
“Then why don’t you just be with him?” Becca states as if it’s that easy, and she’s probably right, it is.
“My business is in LA.”
The girls remain silent as if mulling this over.
“They aren’t annoying you, are they?” Amelia asks, popping her head into the bedroom.
“Go away.” Becca groans, folding her arms across her chest.
“We are helping Derrick with his boy problem,” Jenny adds.
“Doubt he needs your help,” Amelia bites back with the sass of a fifteen-year-old.
“See that’s where you’re wrong, I do.” Jenny pokes her tongue out at her sister while Becca smiles. “They were just explaining why they think I should move to Montana and be with my man.”
“I think he should too,” Sienna adds, smirking.
“What?” I gasp, surprised by her comment.
“He makes you happy,” Sienna explains.
“Yeah, but my work is in LA, plus you guys are there. I can’t leave the babies.” The girls are staring at the two of us talking, utterly fascinated. If it takes their minds off what has happened to them, I’m glad my love life could be helpful.
“We wouldn’t want you to leave, but we also want you to be happy,” Sienna adds.
“Jackson offered him a job in LA …” I let the words hang.
“You think he would feel comfortable there?” Sienna asks.
No. He looks much more suited to Montana. “It’s early days ...”
“It is, but seeing the two of you together, you look right.”
“We do?”
“Yeah. And I don’t want you to think Montana is something bigger than it is, it’s just a state.” Sienna smirks.
“Yeah, but … what about the other stuff?” I ask her cryptically.
“Will work itself out.” She grins.
“Being an adult seems hard,” Jenny adds, which has us all bursting out laughing.
“Come on, you two, let’s leave them to settle in,” Amelia says, ushering her sisters from our room.
“Did you mean all that?” I ask Sienna.
“Of course. Look, it’s new with Charlie, I get it, but you haven’t stopped messaging him the entire way to Australia. And he’s responded every single time. I think he’s as locked in as you are.”
“You think?”
Sienna nods. “Yeah. And look, he has some important things to work out, he’s suffered a lot, but I think once he’s worked through what he needs to, he’s going to be an unstoppable guy, and he’ll be coming for you.
” I stare at my friend. I hope she’s right because this is the first time I’m saying screw it and opening my heart to a man.
“I’m going to go for a walk and call Evan and the kids,” she says, grabbing her phone and walking out.
I stare at my own and decide to do the same, picking it up and calling Charlie.
“Derrick,” he says my name sounding relieved.
“Hope I didn’t wake you?”
“No. You can call me anytime.”
My heart skips a beat hearing his soothing voice as I break down on the phone.
All I can hear is Charlie’s soothing words, telling me to let it out, that he has me, that I’m going to need to be strong for Stacey and her family, so if anytime I don’t think I can be to call him no matter the time, to let it out and let him be my strength.
If this man didn’t already have me falling for him, his words would have.
“I don’t know how you go on after something like this.” I sniffle.
“Humans are resilient people. You adapt. You do whatever it is to get through the day and the next. There are going to be some good days and some fucking bad days coming, and it’s all the process. All you can do is be there for them.”
“I don’t want to say or do anything that could hurt them.”
“There’s nothing that you can do that can hurt them any more than they are hurting now. Be yourself, your wonderful, bubbly, funny self. You bring such light to people, Derrick, now is the time to use it.”
Tears slide down my cheeks. “I miss you.”
“I wish I could hug you right now, but know that I miss you too,” he confesses.
“When I get back, can I come to see you?” I ask.
“Of course. You can come see me anytime,” he assures me.
“I’d like to see what life is like there.”
“If anyone can style Midnight Falls, it’s you,” he teases.
“Guess I’m getting ready to launch into my cowboy era.”
“Think assless chaps will look good on you.”
“Same,” I say, biting my bottom lip.
“I’m sure we can arrange something.” He growls, and now my dick is hard.
“Ease up, now is not the time to make me hard,” I warn him.
“Sorry, but you’re the one putting images of you in assless chaps in my mind. Then I went to thoughts of bending you over the hay bales in the barn and taking you, and now my dick is hard.”
“Charlie!”
“Sorry. You’re sexy, D. And I miss you and I wish I was there with you.”
Aw. This man. “When I get back, I’ll make sure you’re my first priority.”
“You don’t have to,” he says quietly.
“Yes, I do. You seem to have put an image in my mind, and now I really want it.” I hum.
“Yeah …” he sighs.
“Yeah.”
“Fuck, D.” He groans.
“I know, baby, I know. I’ll come home to you soon.” I say goodbye and hang up.
My phone beeps, and I roll my eyes thinking it’s Charlie messaging me again, but I still when I see the message.
Chance: I heard what happened. I’m sorry. Are you okay?
Derrick: Thanks for your message. Just arrived in Australia.
Chance: If you need anything please let me know.
Derrick: I appreciate that, but I won’t be calling you.
Chance: Derrick, please. I’m sorry. I wish I could take back how I acted in Hawaii because I was a dick. It was because I was jealous. Because I could see that you were truly done with me and I would give anything to take back how much I fucked up with you.
Derrick: Appreciate the apology and your condolences and I hope you’re doing well. But please don’t contact me.
Chance: Derrick. Please. I’m sorry. Don’t shut me out. I need you. I thought we were friends.
Derrick: I don’t know if we can be friends, not right now.
Chance: But I’m sorry.
Derrick: I need space.
Chance: Please, don’t shut me out.
Derrick: It’s for the best for both of us.
Chance: Tell Charlie, I’m sorry. I won’t interfere between the two of you. Please, just don’t leave me.
Derrick: Chance, you don’t need me anymore.
Chance: But I do. You mean the world to me.
Derrick: Just give me time.
Chance: Ok.