CHAPTER EIGHTEEN #2
As if I’d conjured the man with words alone, a familiar black truck pulled into the parking lot.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he parked and slid out.
I watched as he strode across the parking lot in his favorite leather jacket and a worn Colson Construction tee.
As he walked, his thick thighs strained against dark denim, and I noticed the dark scruff on his jaw was even thicker.
“Girl,” Ellie muttered. “You are such a goner.”
My head whipped around to her, a denial bubbling up and spilling out on instinct. “I am not.”
That had her bursting out laughing. “It’s not a bad thing. You are marrying the man, after all.”
“What’s so funny?” Kye asked as he reached us.
Ellie grinned. “Just giving your fiancée a hard time about how head over heels she is for you.”
My cheeks heated, and I knew they were likely the shade of a tomato. My complexion always gave me away.
Kye’s lips twitched beneath his scruff as he wrapped an arm around me and kissed my temple. “Good to know.”
His amusement felt real, and I couldn’t help wondering if it was.
I wanted him to take pleasure in the truth Ellie had given voice to.
Everything in me twisted into knots, and I had a feeling this was how I’d be living for the foreseeable future—constantly wondering if the interactions between Kye and me were real.
“Okay, lovebirds,” Ellie said. “We’ve got lots of decisions to make and not much time to make them.”
I looked up at Kye. “Are you sure you’re up for this? You hate shopping.”
He nodded as he released me. “I want to make a home for my sisters. I want to make sure they know I helped choose the things that will be a part of that home.”
Ellie sucked in a hiccupping breath. “That’s so sweet. I think I’m going to cry.”
“Please don’t,” Kye said, a slight panic in his voice. “Trace’ll deck me for sure if you go home tearstained.”
That had her chuckling. “I solemnly swear not to tell him it was you.”
“Thank God,” Kye muttered.
“Okay,” Ellie said. “In we go.”
She held open the door, ushering us inside and then following behind. A familiar man with a round belly and ruddy cheeks headed toward us.
“Mr. Anderson,” Ellie greeted with a warm smile. “So good to see you again. Thank you for staying open a little later for us.”
“Oh, I don’t mind. But you may have to write my wife a note. She might think I’m fibbing and went night fishing instead.”
Ellie grinned. “Happy to give a sworn statement. Do you know Fallon and Kye?”
Mr. Anderson looked at us, his smile still in place, but a wariness hit his eyes when they reached Kye. “I sure do. Good to see you kids.”
“You, too,” Kye said. “Appreciate you helping us out.”
“Well,” Ellie began, “Kye and Fallon just got engaged and are moving into a new house. And Kye’s sisters will be coming to stay. We have about fifteen rooms to outfit, so we need to get busy.”
“E-engaged?” Mr. Anderson asked, shock evident in his expression.
I moved into Kye’s side, placing a hand over his chest. “That’s right. And very happy.”
I was pretty sure my accusing stare didn’t exude much happiness, but I didn’t give a damn.
“Oh. Well, congratulations. I’ll help however I can,” he said quickly.
Ellie tapped her phone screen. “I’ll let you know if we need anything, but I’m just going to mark down some product numbers and colors so we can get those orders in tonight.
I’m hoping you’ll do us a solid and have everything delivered the day after tomorrow.
I know it’s a Sunday, but given the large order we’ll be placing, maybe you can make an exception? ”
I swore I saw dollar signs lighting up in Mr. Anderson’s eyes. “Let me give a few of my delivery guys a call. See if they’d like to earn a little extra money.”
“Thank you so much,” Ellie said, then motioned Kye and me to the kids’ section. “I want to tell you my vision for each girl’s room. Then, we can go from there.”
I looked up at Kye. His amber eyes still had smoky shadows—ones I would’ve given anything to sweep away. I hooked his pinky with mine. “You okay?”
His gaze dropped to our joined fingers, and his pinky curled tighter around mine. “Yeah, Sparrow. I’m okay.”
I didn’t completely believe him, but I held tight to my nickname on his lips and his pinky wrapped around mine. Even as he let go and moved to listen to all the things Ellie listed off, I held on to the ghost of him—like I always did.
I held on even as Ellie took us through room after room, and we got lost in so many decisions my brain swam.
The sound of a text alert had me blinking away the haze.
Kye pulled his phone from his pocket. “Shit. I’m going to be late for my evening appointment.
” He glanced at me. “Think you can make the rest of the choices?”
My brows pulled together. It wasn’t unusual for Kye to tattoo people into the night, but he was pushing himself too hard with everything else going on. “You sure you’re okay with that?”
He pulled out his wallet and slid out a black credit card. “I’m sure. And I had Amex send over a card for you, so you’ll have one for whatever you need.”
I looked at the extended card like it was some sort of snake. “I don’t need that.”
Kye sent me an exasperated look. “Yes, you do.”
“You are getting married, Fal,” Ellie said, amusement in her voice.
Kye widened his eyes, sending me a silent message. One that said, “people are watching.”
I took the card gingerly, as if it were some sort of mini bomb. The card itself was heavier than the two cards in my wallet. I slid it into my back pocket.
One corner of Kye’s mouth kicked up. “See? Was that so hard?”
“Don’t you have to go stick painful needles in someone?” I shot back.
He chuckled, moving into my space with only the slightest hesitation as his gaze flicked to Ellie. “My sparrow, so averse to needles.”
“I can’t imagine liking them,” I grumbled.
Kye wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. “Sometimes, the pain is worth the beauty in the end.”
As he held me to him, I let my walls slip for just a moment. I let myself revel in the heat and strength that was Kye. I let the scents of oakmoss and amber wrap around me.
His lips dropped to my forehead. “Text me as soon as you get home. I wanna know you got there safely.”
I struggled to swallow. It felt like something was twisting my throat into knots.
Kye’s demands to know I’d gotten somewhere safely were nothing new.
Protectiveness had woven its way through our bond and remained no matter how much time had passed.
But this felt different. Maybe because he was holding me, or because his lips were hovering over my skin.
Whatever it was, I held on to it all, knowing the memories would be all I’d have one day.
“I will,” I whispered.
He held me for a second longer before releasing me and heading to the door. I watched him go until he disappeared from sight, memorizing the cadence of his powerful steps and how his jacket hugged his broad shoulders.
When I finally forced myself to turn away, I found Ellie grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She started fanning herself and shook her head. “Damn. You two are just … damn.”
My cheeks heated. “Come on. Let’s finish making our choices before my head explodes.”
She chuckled. “Let’s do some damage to that black card. That’s what they were made for, after all.”
“Made for?” I asked, confused.
“You don’t know the card that man just gave you?” Ellie asked.
I shook my head.
Ellie wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Oh, my sweet, innocent friend. The card Kye handed you is an American Express Centurion card. Aka, a black card. There is no credit limit, and it comes with all the crazy perks for travel and stuff.”
It suddenly felt like the credit card was burning a hole in my pocket, and I had a deep urge to throw it into the river. “I didn’t know things were that good for him.”
Ellie laughed. “Well, at least he knows you aren’t marrying him for his money.”
No, just to save his sisters.
Ellie and I hurried through the rest of the furniture selections, paid a bill with Mr. Anderson that was more than my car and a few years of rent put together, and then headed for the parking lot.
Darkness had descended, but the streetlights had come on, and I could hear people making their way to The Sage Brush around the corner.
I took a deep breath, feeling my headache roaring back to life.
Ellie reached out and squeezed my arm. “You’re doing great. You’re making an amazing home for those girls, and they are so lucky to have you.”
“Thanks, El. I really hope you’re right.”
“Well, if it isn’t the righteous bitch herself,” a female voice sneered in the distance.
I turned to see Renee striding toward me dressed in a miniskirt and tank top.
She had to be freezing. I braced at the fury swirling in her amber eyes.
But Renee’s eyes didn’t look like Hayden’s, Clem’s, or Gracie’s.
And they sure as hell didn’t look anything like Kye’s.
Hers carried a deadness that matched her soul.
“You think you can turn my girls against me?” Renee snarled. “They love me, they need me, and I’ll get them back.”
I stared back at the woman who had done so much damage to so many innocents, trying to pull in the ugly hate swirling inside me and keep from lashing out.
I wanted to tell her that they hadn’t needed her for a long time but would now get what they truly needed—a real family and a home where they felt safe and cared for.
I met those dead eyes and removed every speck of emotion from my voice. “Whatever you say, Renee.”
My lack of emotional response seemed to infuriate her, and red spots took shape on her cheeks. “You’re gonna get yours, you uppity bitch. You’re not better than me.”
“I am. Not because of where I come from, but because I don’t treat human beings like garbage,” I clipped, a little emotion slipping free.
Her lip curled in disgust. “You think you can clean him up? Make him into someone acceptable. He’ll always be trash. Worth nothing more than the dirt under my shoe.”
Kye’s words from last night echoed in my head. “You think I’m not used to people looking at me like I’m not worth the dirt on the bottom of their shoes?”
My heart spasmed, and for a second, I thought I might be having a heart attack. This. This was where he’d heard the ugly vitriol. The place that had ingrained those lies in him. From the woman who was supposed to be his mother.
“That’s right,” Renee snarled. “You see the nothing he is. And he’ll bring you nothing but pain and grief—the same as he brought me. Should’ve known I was carrying the devil’s spawn and thrown him in the trash when I had the chance.”
The fury that slammed into me was almost more than I could take. I wasn’t a violent person. Actually, I was quite opposed to it in ninety-nine-point-nine percent of situations. But I suddenly found myself lunging.
Only Ellie grabbing my arm saved Renee from a fist to the face. “Don’t. You’ll put yourself at risk.”
Renee cackled. “She’s mad ’cause she knows I’m right.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” I growled. “Kyler is everything. And you missed out on the greatest gift of your life: knowing him.”
Renee’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Just remember who you’re getting involved with, bitch. You best be sleeping with one eye open if you’re mixed up with him.”