4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Porter
It’s been less than 24 hours since I touched Adelaide Harper for the first time in a decade, and I feel like I’m going through withdrawal all over again. A simple touch of her body against mine and I’m needing more.
My feelings for her have never wavered. I love Adelaide Harper as much now as I did ten years ago. My body craves her. Which is how I know, I’m going to rent this house we are pulling up to. Because it means Adelaide Harper will be my neighbor. I don’t even need to see the house, I’m already sold.
I pull into the driveway and can’t help but stare ahead at the beauty that haunts my dreams standing in front of the house next door.
“Oh. My. God. Uncle Porter! Look! This house is next door to Ms. Harper!” Kayla is squealing with delight in the passenger seat. Obviously she has made the same observation as I have.
“Yeah, looks like it is.” I try to act indifferent after her inquisition last night. She caught us much too close and wants to know the tea as she puts it .
As soon as I put the truck in park, Kayla is off running to Addy who is shoveling the light dusting of snow we got last night off her walkway.
I get out of my truck to greet Lauren who got here before we did.
“You ready for this one, Porter?” She smirks my way.
“I feel like you did this on purpose.” I raise my brow to Lauren, knowing she put this rental in here on purpose.
“I may or may not know your history together, and I may or may not be pushing to help my girl out. Provided you didn’t show up with anyone, I assume you’re single,” she winks.
“Always have been. Only one girl ever got my attention.” I shove my hands in my pockets and head into the house, leaving Kayla with Addy. Even though I already know this is the one for us.
When we come out of the house, Addy and Kayla are in the front yard. “Hey Kayla, why don’t you go in and check it out. It looks good to me. Even has a room with a walk-in closet for you.”
“Shut up! Really?” She runs through the front door and I can hear her talking to Lauren a mile a minute. Asking questions that she shouldn’t even be worried about, like how often the police department is called to this neighborhood.
“I’m glad Lauren was able to show you some houses so soon.” Addy shifts from foot to foot. She seems nervous about something .
“Yeah, it’s great. We saw a few yesterday but none of them really worked for us. I’m thinking with a teenage girl we definitely need two bathrooms.” I chuckle.
“Oh of course you do,” a slow smile takes over her face. “I think she’s really going to flourish in a safe home environment, Porter. I feel bad saying this considering the circumstances, but I’m glad you’re here for her.”
I step into her space, and she sucks in a breath. “I’m glad I’m here too.”
I was just about to cup her cheek and pull her into me, when Kayla comes running up to us excitedly. I take a step back from Addy.
“This is it, Uncle Porter! This is the house.” She claps her hands together. “I love it.”
I already know that, so I just let her think she had the deciding opinion. I look at Lauren and nod my head. “Sounds like the lady has made her choice.”
“Ok, let me give the owners a call, I’ll be right back.” She walks away already on her cell phone.
I made sure that all the houses we were seeing were available with short term leases, now I just hope they’re willing to rent to me specifically. Hopefully the owners don’t know my family history.
“Oh my gosh! Ms. Harper! We’re going to be neighbors! How awesome is that?” She hugs Addy. This is the happiest I’ve seen her since I got here, and her happiness is contagious .
Addy is facing me, and since I know she’s happy to have Kayla in a stable home, I’m assuming that the slight bit of nervousness on her face is solely because of living next door to me.
The fear of not getting a house because of my family is like cold water washing over me where Addy is concerned. I ran, and stayed away, for a reason, and I would be smart to remember that.
After the people of this town were so quick to believe the worst of me just because of my last name, I couldn’t let Addy continue to live her life that way with me. She’s too good, she deserves more. It was a breath of fresh air when I got to New York and no one knew that the Jackson family was full of addicts.
“Good news! The house is yours! I explained the situation to the owner, who is best friends with Walter Smith.” Lauren nods and we all know that means he’s kept up to date on town gossip, “and he says you can move in whenever you’re ready. I have the keys at my office.”
“Oh wow, that’s fast. We don’t have any furniture yet. But I guess I could bring over the air mattresses I brought from New York.” I shove my hands in my pockets, nervously trying to think of things a teenage girl needs.
I start to mentally go through a list of things we both need, and the money we need. It’s going to be a lot. I’ll have to talk to Ronnie about maybe doing some custom jobs on antiques like I did in New York. Hopefully he’ll let me rent a bay. “Let’s do this today, I want Kayla out of that park. I will figure everything else out tomorrow.”
“I bet Adelaide would be happy to help you figure it out! She’s great at finding deals!” Lauren winks.
I look over to Adelaide, and she looks like someone just suggested she help the devil. Her face is stoic and drained of color, but she’s too polite to let it stay for long.
“Um, yeah. I could do that. Just text me though, I have to go, um, right now, so I can meet - Mom.” She manages to stutter out her excuse.
Before anyone could even say goodbye she was already crossing the yard and back in the safety of her own home.
We follow Lauren back to her office to grab the keys, and sign all the paperwork, then I bring Kayla home to get her things. I have no personal attachment to anything, but she does. This is still currently her home, albeit one she doesn’t want.
“Uncle Porter, I’m done packing my things.” Kayla timidly approaches my old room where I set up for the time being.
“Are you sure? That was awfully fast.” It looks like she only has two bags of things.
“Yea, not like Mom takes me shopping, so I really only have what Ms. Stacey was able to get me and the stuff from Mrs. Harper. Plus it’s not like we had a lot of nice things,” she shrugs off the emotions I know she’s warring with. The same emotions I felt when I had only a backpack full of memories to leave with.
Unfortunately, I know all too well how she feels. It seems this place continues to hold bad memories for another generation.
“Ok then, let’s get loaded up and leave this place behind.” I need to text Addy. Kayla needs things, things that I can provide, but have no idea how to find or shop for.
She stops after taking a step out of my room and turns toward me, “Thanks, Uncle Porter.”
“For what?” I ask confused.
“For listening to me. And believing me. And fixing things in a way that I was comfortable with. It means a lot to me. Even if I wasn’t the nicest when you got here.”
My heart just broke in a million pieces. I should have been here for her well before now. I should have ignored everything my sister set in motion. It wouldn’t be my first run in with the law.
With that in mind, I pull out my phone to text Addy while Kayla retreats back to the living room to wait for me.
Me: Hi Addy, it’s Porter. Not sure if you still have my number. But I was wondering if you’d do me a favor ?
Adelaide: What’s wrong? Something with Kayla?
Of course she’s concerned for Kayla. Not me. I have no right to ask that she would worry about me. Not anymore. Can I ask her to do that? Can I ask her to forget that I ran, and ask myself to forget why?
Me: Kind of. She has nothing. No clothes. No makeup. No, anything really. I know girls need a lot of . . . stuff. But I don’t know what to do or where to start? Think you could help?
Adelaide: Absolutely. Bring her by at 3:00.
I put my phone away, glad that Addy is willing to help us, and that I don’t have to shop. I’m happy to just bankroll the shopping.
Kayla and I throw the last of our things in the truck and head over to the office of the park. I terminate the lease on the trailer, after a slight argument from the owner, I rolled up my sleeves showcasing the muscles in my arms, a simple threat for the hundred pound man, he decides it’s best for me to terminate .
I bring Kayla to the new house to get set up. Furniture shopping is going to have to be on my list as soon as possible. I don’t know how much longer I can stay on the air mattress. At almost thirty, air mattresses are no longer compatible with my back. Especially after the amount of years I’ve spent under the hood of a car.