Three
HUNTER
“Taylor!” I yell, working my way through the first floor. Of course, the back door is still open, and the television is turned up as loud as it’ll go. I shut it off, scanning the room for my toddler.
Mia sits on the step to the kitchen, giggling uncontrollably. “Have you seen your brother?”
“No-yes.” She laughs cutely. I kneel down, tickling her tummy as I turn my sights toward the kitchen and Taylor’s favorite hiding place, the pantry.
“Taylor,” I tap lightly on the door, opening it to peek inside to find him sitting, buck naked with a box of Cereal O’s.
He grins as he shoves handfuls into his mouth. “Yeah, Momma.”
“Seriously? That’s all you’ve got for me.” I cross my arms, hoping he understands how much trouble he’s caused.
He holds up a handful of cereal. “You want some?”
“No, baby boy.” I sigh, leaning down to pick him up. “Let’s go find you some more clothes.”
“Okay,” He tilts his head, grinning at me. “and momma?”
I shake my head because I can’t resist that mischievous smile. “Yes, although I’m not sure why either of us should at this point. The neighborhood has seen all our goodies.”
“I got goodies.” He winks at me with both eyes, stealing my heart repeatedly.
“True, but definitely not funny.” I carry him up the stairs with Mia in tow. I sit Taylor down as Mia rushes past me, pausing at the entrance.
“Momma, all red.” As she laughs her ass off at my embarrassment, I can’t help but join her.
By the time I dress them, I feel like I need another shower, but that’ll have to wait because I need to call my big brother and cuss him out. I hit dial and wiggle into my shorts while waiting for him to answer. The second he does, I hear laughing.
“Were you gonna tell me?” I growl through the phone.
“How was I supposed to know you were gonna run out in the yard naked?” Raith bellows through the phone.
“A little heads-up of not only when he was arriving but who it was would’ve been nice,” I grumble, reminding myself he’s such a smartass.
“Would it have made a difference?” He chuckles.
I narrow my eyes, ready to jump through my phone and beat my brother. “Probably not, but you should’ve told me. I looked like I was insane.”
“That’s what I heard.” Raith snorts.
“I come by it, honestly.”
He continues to snicker. “Yup, that’s what I hear.”
“I’m sorry…what?” I gasp. “Have you spoken to him already?”
“Your new neighbor? Yes.” He pauses. “Why?”
“What was said?” I put my cell on speaker, setting it down so I can start dinner. “Or are you keeping that from me too?”
“You’re joking, right?” He waits for me to answer him like I have a horn growing from my forehead, and he wants a photo once it’s out.
“What did he say?” I cut the stove on and ease into the next topic like a pro. “Did he ask if I was married or that he didn’t recognize me at first or mention how I looked?”
Raith mulls over his options, and I hope he doesn’t think too long about them. “What do you mean by how you looked? What did you look like?”
“Myself,” I answer nonchalantly. “I mean, I’m not sure if I looked my best. I looked the same way I did in high school….”
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?”
“I don’t know; what do you mean?” I hold my breath, praying Griggs
didn’t say anything.
“He said you looked good, but now I’m wondering what he meant by that.” He mumbles.
I shake my head as I answer as if he can see me. “Probably nothing.”
“Tell me what I’m missing.” Raith hesitates. “Wait a sec… hadn’t you just got out of the shower?”
“Hey, Taylor! Don’t do that!” I grab my phone from the counter, rubbing my hand over the receiver. “Gotta go. Taylor’s on the run again.”
I hung up before explaining to my big brother that I had given his best friend the most incredible homecoming gift in history. Although, by the sound of it, he wasn’t as impressed as I was.
Griggs and I had a secret; we were madly in love in high school. Raith had one too, or so he thought, but I found out about his ultimatum for Griggs a month after he left Cherry Grove and me.
He also left me brokenhearted, and I never got over him. I simply made one wrong decision after the other once I came to terms that Griggs wasn’t coming home again.
Now, there’s no way I can tell my brother or Griggs because it would hurt them both, but it would ruin their friendship and possibly forever. Sometimes, the past is best left there.
Although now that Griggs and I have had our risqué run-in, I’m not so sure that’s possible for us. Ghosts aren’t always invisible, and we have a past with many of them.
“But I mean, what could it hurt to finally know how many tattoos are on his body and what I could do with the knowledge of his piercings and their precise placement.” My face flushes, and once again, I tighten my thighs with Griggs dancing around in my mind’s eye.