Chapter 20 Abby
CHAPTER TWENTY
Abby
I groan, glancing around Maverick’s room. I asked him to clean up in here this morning before I dropped him off at school, but I didn’t have time to check it before we ran out the door.
I’m not the neatest person in the world by any means, but his seven-year-old version of cleaning is obviously different from mine.
I guess we will tackle that tonight.
Nudging his laptop out of the way, I put the laundry basket on his bed and start pulling out folded clothes, setting them next to the basket.
Would it take me the same amount of time to actually put the clothes in his drawers? Yes. Do we have to do things that logically don’t make sense for the sake of teaching our kid things? Also… yes.
With the mindless task occupying my hands, my brain wanders to Wyatt and the kiss we shared a few days ago.
I still can’t believe it really happened, but in the same breath, the sensation of his lips on mine still lingers there even days later.
It wasn’t the smartest idea I’ve ever had. And yes, I’m fully aware I was the one to first close the distance between us.
What the hell was I supposed to do, though? He was staring down at me with those dark, chocolatey-brown eyes and those perfectly kissable lips, and I caved.
Sue me. It’s been a long time since I even kissed a guy, let alone anything beyond that.
I can’t really bring myself to regret it, either, because it was a damn good kiss. Nothing else can happen between us, but that kiss will be enough.
Yeah, okay… sure.
I drag in a deep breath, trying to push down my own intrusive thoughts. A knock on the front door jerks me back to reality.
I grab the laundry basket, walking quickly to the stairs. “Coming,” I shout.
Through the window beside the door, I see Kane standing on the porch. My mind starts whirling with possibilities of why he would be knocking on my door.
Leah… Panic starts to rise inside of me. I rush the rest of the way to the door, tossing the basket to the side.
“Is she okay?” I ask. The words are flying out of me before the door is even open all the way.
His eyebrows draw together in confusion before they settle again. “Leah’s fine,” he says reassuringly.
A gust of air wooshes from my lungs. “Oh… okay,” I say a little shakily, opening the door the rest of the way. “Come in?”
It comes out more as a question than a statement.
He hesitates for a second but slides past me into the entryway. I expect him to walk further into the house, but he stops a few feet away. Indecision is written all over his face, but he quickly shakes it away with a jerk of his head.
I close the door behind me, and suddenly the curiosity I had about why he was knocking on my door withers away now that I know Leah is safe. He is here in my house, and we are alone.
It might not be the same house we were in together three years ago, but the electric connection thrumming between us is very much present.
We stare at each other, neither one of us daring to break the silence. Only a few feet of space separate us, and I’m grateful for it because without it, I don’t know what I would do.
Geez… Look at me. Just a few days ago, I was kissing his best friend, and now here I am staring at Kane like maybe we could have a replay of that one night.
And then there’s Linc. We didn’t kiss, but we were a breath away from it, only feet from where Kane and I are standing right now.
What the hell am I doing?
We both seem to come back to reality at the same time. I blink a few times while he takes a deep breath.
When his gaze settles back on me, there is more determination there. I can’t decide if I like it or not.
Either he’s determined to kiss the daylights out of me or keep me at arm’s length away. My brain and heart are at war as to which option is better.
“They caught him.”
I’m so fixated on his eyes that his words don’t immediately process. “What?”
“Leah’s boyfriend,” he clarifies. “They caught him.”
“Oh.” Relief washes over me. “I’m so glad. How long is he going to be held?”
I’m glad the police were able to arrest him, but I understand the realities of how the justice system works. As much as we would all love for the man to be held in jail indefinitely, that just isn’t how things work.
Kane shakes his head. “I don’t know. Not long enough, I’m sure.” He shakes his head, seemingly disgusted with the fact. “He’ll probably be let out until his trial is held… whenever the hell that will be.”
I know he’s probably right, but I don’t fucking want to hear it. I can’t stand the thought of anything else happening to Leah or her looking over her shoulder and expecting the worst.
“We aren’t just going to desert her. I promise,” he says.
“I…” The rest of the phantom sentence trails off because I really don’t know what I want to say.
“We’re getting her a security system for her house, and we will be here for her whenever she needs us.”
He says it so seriously. I know they will follow through. Not that I would have doubted them.
They’ve all been here for someone who’s practically a stranger, just because it was the right thing to do.
“Where are you getting the money from to pay for that?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“Everyone from the club pitched in,” he says with a shrug, like it isn’t a big deal. When it’s actually a huge deal.
“Thank you,” I say quietly, emotion clogging my throat. Then I’m closing the space between us, wrapping my arms around him.
He stands there like a statue for several beats before sliding his arms around me. His hands span almost the entirety of my back. The side of my head rests against his chest as I squeeze him a little tighter.
“Thank you,” I mumble again.
“You don’t…”
“Just let me say it, Kane.” I don’t have the courage to tilt my head back and look up at him, so I keep my eyes focused on the ground. “I can’t thank you enough for what you all have done for her.”
I feel his breath ghosting over my hair. “You’re welcome.”
The words are quiet and slightly pained. I don’t think Kane Bradley is very good at receiving compliments.
I do move my head to look at him now. “You’re a good person, Kane.” His jaw tenses with discomfort. “You are,” I reiterate to emphasize my point.
“So are you,” he says, surprising me. His knuckles graze down my cheek. We are both silent. His hand hasn’t moved, fingers gently tracing over my jaw. “I should go.”
His words seem to be said more to himself than to me.
Still, neither of us attempts to extract ourselves from each other’s hold. I am caught up in him, just like I was years ago.
“In another life,” he whispers. His lips ghost against my temple, and then he steps away.
My hands fall to my sides, already missing his body pressed against mine. He gives me a look that I’m sure matches my own—longing and resignation.
With a shake of his head, he walks out the door.
As soon as the door clicks closed, I miss his calming presence like something is lost, but I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is.
It doesn’t make any sense. I’m fully aware of that. I know we decided this distance is what would be best for Mav and Oliver, but I’m starting to see the cracks forming in that reasoning.
Would it really be so bad if something happened between Kane and me? Linc? Wyatt?
I slide my fingers into my hair, tugging slightly. Fuck me. This is all just… a lot.
When I walk into the kitchen, another reality smacks me in the face. The guys aren’t going to be around anymore. I mean, they’re still going to be living in Aspen Springs, but they won’t be camped out outside my house every day.
Sadness washes over me. I shouldn’t care that I’m not going to see them as much, but I do. I care a lot.
I’ve gotten to know all the club members who have been stationed here, but the friendship I have built with Linc, Wyatt, and Kane during that time is something different.
Friendship?
Maybe more?
I can try and deny it all I want, but it really feels like more than friendship… with all three of them. It’s absolutely ridiculous.
It has less to do with the fact I’ve developed feelings for three men, but rather that I have feelings in the first place. Finding someone to connect with is something I slowly let go of over the years.
It was never something I thought would happen to me, but it’s hard to ignore the feeling growing inside me that they’re all special in their own ways.
I’m beyond grateful that Leah is safer now, but I can’t fight the absence I feel knowing it will force more distance between us.
The distance is for the best. I know that on a logical level, but my heart doesn’t want to be logical right now.