Chapter 23 – Kira
KIRA
“ D oes anyone know a Trisha Lynn?” I ask aloud from my seat at the dining table. My eyes are still very focused on Hattie’s laptop where I have the town’s event Facebook page up.
“Nope!” Hattie chirps triumphantly from the other side of the table where she’s playing Gin with Agnes…who happens to have a tumbler of actual gin in front of her. “Must be an out-of-towner.” She lays down two pairs, making Agnes grumble, reaching for her glass.
“This is amazing….over five hundred people have clicked on Going for the event. That’s not bad, right?” I lift my eyebrows hopefully.
“Who am I to say?” Hattie lifts her shoulder. “I don’t know what the norm is for tiny town festival but who cares? It’s bigger than your average garage party.”
“And I’m pretty sure half of them are from out of town,” I marvel.
Anytime I’ve seen a new interested account click on our page I’ve had to ask around to see if anyone knows the person so I’m not completely sure, but I’m definitely encouraged.
“So Hat, you’re going to have your tent set up with your organic doggy shampoo samples, and are you maybe going to have Ramathorne on display?
” I ask, referring to her French bulldog.
“You bet, and everyone who’s entered their dog in the parade will have had a spa date with me less than twenty-four hours prior.”
Agnes sets down a pair and a royal straight. “Suck it,” she grumbles, followed by a demure burp.
“Damn, I’m reading the comments and a lot of people are coming for the beer and the food,” I announce. “I hope Maggie has enough.”
“Add in a chili cookoff,” Hattie suggests. “That brings in more food at no cost.”
“Fantastic idea.” I let out a breath, feeling exhilarated. “And I’ve never had chili, so that would be fun to try.”
Hattie and her grandmother slide each other a sideways glance which I’ve come to learn is the universal poor rich bitch expression.
“My hope is for some fresh meat to show up and stay long enough for the street dance,” Agnes drawls. “The entertainment around here has been lacking lately.”
I make a few more notes, feeling both enthused and nervous. The festival is only a few days away, and I need to figure out how to round up some chili competitors and make sure there’s enough local craft beer on order.
Hattie and Agnes wrap up their game while I alternate between madly typing and scribbling on my notepad until the doorbell signals the halting of all activity.
“I’ll get it,” I volunteer. I’m already quite sure that it’s West with his sister Mackenzie and her four-year-old daughter.
I swing the door open with a smile and find a sex-on-a-stick mechanic with a little girl in the crook of his arm.
Her little arms are wrapped around his neck, and she’s sporting a shy smile that lights up her little brown eyes.
“Awww,” I can’t help the word being my greeting before ushering everyone inside.
“Is it a hot guy?” Agnes calls from the kitchen .
“Eww.” West’s sister shakes her head. “Sorry, I don’t mean the house.
I mean the whole brother being hot thing.
” She hooks a thumb at West before extending her hand out to me.
“Hi. Mackenzie Bradford. Down-on-her-luck single mother of a threenager, interior designer who talks way too much seeking solace in a stranger’s house,” she rattles off as we enthusiastically shake hands.
“Oh my God, other than the mom thing, we have a lot in common!” I feel excitement gleefully lighting up my bloodstream. “Did you say interior designer?”
“And did you say stranger?” Agnes leans in the doorway to the kitchen with a hand parked on her hip. “Because I recall speaking to you on the phone three times in the last few weeks for a minimum of forty minutes each.”
“Agnes,” my new roomie gives our elderly landlord a thankful smile and rushes over to hug her. Agnes sports a smug smile over her shoulder and gives her back a gentle pat before Mack pulls away. “I can’t thank you enough. And yes, we certainly got to know each other on the phone didn’t we?”
Agnes moves past Mack towards West who is still hoisting his niece on his lap and immediately starts gushing over her.
“Sorry,” Mackenzie turns back to me. “Yes, I did say interior designer. Out of work, in case you didn’t catch the down on my luck part,” she gives an awkward smile.
“Hey,” I raise my hand as if to identify myself.
“Runaway spoiled brat bride here, cut off by daddy dearest,” I sympathize and I realized we’re gripping each other’s hands like we’ve just found a new bestie and we’re latching on before the other one can get away.
“But this town is awesome, you’re going to love it here. ”
“She’s planning an Apple Bottom festival,” Agnes adds, not looking up.
“Apple Blossom,” I correct her. I named it for the beautiful, flowery trees that are sprinkled throughout the town.
“Whatever. Little Miss Ambition Reborn has turned this place upside down - in a good way,” she’s quick to point out. “You’ll find your niche too, I’m sure.”
We go back and forth while West’s eyes seem to roll around in different directions as he takes in the estrogen-fueled endorphins permeating the room.
“The preschool is so cute,” I think to tell her. “And oh! Do you like beer? Because this town knows what it’s doing in that department.”
“Wonderful idea!” Agnes pipes up from where Mackenzie’s little blonde daughter was showing her a plush snake that she seems very fond of. “You two scoot! Kira, show her the town, and I’ll show little girl here where I keep the world’s best chocolate chunk cookies.”
Agnes leads the cute little girl to the kitchen, while West lets out a breath that seems to say he can finally hear himself think.
“I should probably haul my things in.”
West holds up a hand. “Nah, I got it. Go with your new friend and burn off all this excess energy.”
“Really?” We both retort like creepy twins.
“Really. I’ll get you settled,” he starts when we hear Hattie’s alarmed voice from the kitchen.
“No gramma! Not those cookies! WRONG COOKIES!”
Mack’s eyes widen as she draws in a gasp and I make a move to intervene when again, my hot, manly boyfriend holds up his hand. “I got it. Go… ”
West
I’m pretty sure Kira and Mack broke some kind of record with how fast they hit it off. But it was sweet of her to send me a text from a few blocks away assuring me that she wasn’t going to develop some kind of bi-curiosity and cheat on me.
As for me, I stuck around with Hattie and Agnes while I hauled both my niece’s and sister’s things into the house before being talked into hauling them all the way up the stairs to the bedroom Agnes had designated for them.
Then I patrolled the house for hidden explosives and contraband hash that Aria could stumble onto and thankfully only came upon one questionable stash of brownies dating back to the late nineties.
When all that was done, the girls still hadn’t returned, and so I offered to show my little niece my place of business.
Really, I just kind of wanted to show her off and watch big, bad Razor go all sappy over her, but no…
Hattie had a better offer. Aria much preferred going with her to check in on the salon and see all the puppies getting buffed and fluffed. Fine.
The last of the lady horde abandon me and I take off for the auto shop and to log some hours with the Rolls.
With the festival only a few days away, it’s looking brand new off the assembly line.
Hell, better than that. It looks newly minted.
And somewhere in the middle of all the nonstop work, Ryan seemed to dislodge his head from his ass - at least mostly.
It seems the less people around, the better his attitude, especially when it’s paired with some kind of purpose.
We’re just buffing out a final wax coat when Razor strolls in, heading right for his work station. He’s still been dependable as fuck since his daughter showed up but he hasn’t brought her by and he seems more driven than usual.
Ryan looks up at him and then walks over to his backpack and rifling through it. When he straightens back up, he makes his way in Razor’s direction, looking almost pensive, like he doesn’t want to fuck up something as miniscule as getting his attention.
“Razor, is this the right brake pad you were trying to find for that Suzuki?”
“Fuck yeah,” Razor takes it from him and inspects it .
“There was an All Things Auto just coming out of the city so I stopped in.”
“Nice…” Razor looks up and regards him between drawn, bushy eyebrows. “You know how much time you just saved me?”
Ryan shrugs. “Was picking up more of those sparkplugs we go through a lot of. I asked if they had this and they miraculously had one in the back.” He turns away and heads back to start towards me to start unfolding the tarp.
He’s quiet for the next few moments while we put the Rolls to bed, and I dismiss him for the day.
“You really got that kid to face forward,” Razor remarks, wiping down a greasy wrench on a cloth.
“Yeah,” I muse, feeling the smirk pull at the sides of my mouth. “Looks like Hunt’s going to have to pay up on our bet and it’s going to be beautiful,” I flip my screwdriver in the air and catch it, feeling pretty damn satisfied.
“What were the terms?”
I lazily cross my arms and swing my upper body to face his direction. “Oh you’ll see,” I dangle the carrot and when he rolls his eyes add, “Trust me, it will be so much more satisfying if it’s a surprise.”
“It better be,” he looks at me sternly before mosying back over to his work station.
Later that evening, it’s only me left in the place. Most nights I enjoy the quiet and solitude to decompress from the day, but I’m only too happy to see Kira on the other side of the door just as I’m about to lock it up for the night.
“Hey you,” I hold it open and reach out to pull her through before setting up all the locks. She’s still in her jean shorts and black Shane Auto t-shirt from before and her hair is twisted up off her neck, making the cockmonster in my pants roar to life. “What brings you here?”
My hands find her hips as hers find their way to the back of my neck.
“I missed you,” she admits sweetly before placing a kiss on my lips. I get what she means. We’ve both been bogged down - her with festival planning and me busting my ass on the car. And my dick clearly missed her pussy as he strains between us.
“I missed you too. I thought you’d run off into the sunset with Mack.”
“Please,” she gives me a feisty little grin. “If that were to happen if anyone, it would’ve been Janet from my language arts class junior year.”
And now the cockmonster is angry and drooling. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I ask with a pained expression that makes her laugh.
“Sorry,” she gives a regretful little pout as I lead her to the corner stairs. “Your sister is awesome though.”
“Well you two make a great pair because so are you, Princess,” I give her a quick kiss. “Want to stay with me tonight?”
“I’d love to,” she looks happy at the prospect. “Plus it will give your sister a chance to settle Aria in at Agnes’s. She said she’s a good little girl but has trouble getting to sleep at night.”
“Think you want to make a regular thing out of it?” I ask, eyebrows raised at her.
“Of what? Me sleeping over?”
“Every night,” I verify and those blue eyes go wide.
“Really?” Her eyes search mine from behind her lashes.
“Yeah…it’s getting crowded at Agnes’s, and I have a feeling things are about to get busier…”
She bounces lightly in my lap. I swear the beast in my pants is growing fangs. “It will make the long days apart a little easier if we can come home to each other at night. What do you think?”
“West…?” Kira’s eyes look happy, like two little light blue li ghts dancing with joy and just a trace of uncertainty. “Do you…?” She tries again but it seems some kind of nerves are holding her back.
“I love you,” I tell her, my voice unwavering.
Kira lets out a breath and her smile relaxes at my proclamation. “Why me?”
I lift a shoulder as I secure my arms around her because I seriously don’t know how to explain it.
“I’ve watched you make a life for yourself in this town, and I’ve loved every minute of it - how you’ve taken what you wanted according to your own rules.
By getting to know the people here and appreciating them for who they are.
By being so eager to learn new things. Finding out who you really are on your own and going after what you want.
And you did it all through kindness, not stepping on a single person. ”
“Well,” she interrupts as her eyes dart skeptically to the side. “Except maybe Preston.”
“A single person who didn’t deserve to be taken down a notch,” I amend.
“I love you too,” her fingertips feather over the light layer of scruff I’ve grown lately.
“Why me?” I return, turning her words back to her.
“Because you held me up while I did all that,” she explains simply and it makes perfect sense.
“So what do you think?” I ask. “After the festival? And when you give it your woman’s touch, Hunt will lay off me for it looking like a barren bachelor pad.”
She nods thoughtfully, a shadow of impish mirth dancing in her eyes.
“No way… let’s really drive him crazy. I think we should make a giant Jenga tower out of pizza boxes. Ooh! Or we could send him an email pretending to be Martha Stewart telling him he wouldn’t know interior decorating if it kicked him in the balls!”
My dick practically lunges at the opening of my jeans .
“Good God are you ever perfect for me,” I practically growl affectionately.
“What do you say we celebrate by going upstairs?” She suggests, her voice getting breathy. “Before that thing in your pants Hulks out.”
“No idea how perfect,” I reiterate before I scoop her up and book it up the stairs.