9. River
Chapter Nine
RIVER
I blinked rapidly in stunned confusion.
Keeping my promise to Huntley, I managed to keep my car at the speed limit but between that and the traffic, my ride home took forever. I was about to come out of my skin with worry and the need to set my eyes on my kids.
As I pulled up to the house, I noticed Lake’s car coming in behind mine. She’d called me back on my way home, utterly apologetic that she missed my call and wasn’t there to help. Even though I told her things were under control, she insisted on coming to check.
I wasn’t used to everyone wanting to help, their worries, and their kindness. But deep down even if it made me feel a bit uncomfortable still, a warm feeling heated my insides too.
We made it out of the cars at the same time but I didn’t wait to chat. I made a beeline for the front door, not stopping to collect two hundred dollars. The board game, Monopoly, popped into my head and I shook it thinking how silly my thoughts were. I’d never played it as a kid, but I had played it with my kids recently during our game night the three of us liked to have .
A weekly tradition of our own.
After crashing through the front door, I stopped dead in my tracks causing Lake to run right into the back of me.
“Oof,” she muttered. “What are you doing?”
When I didn’t respond, she peeked over my shoulder and said, “Oh, umm, wow.”
Wow wasn’t the right word for what I was seeing. To me it was a much bigger picture.
Something along the lines of, holy shit.
Huntley, Lennon, and Breland all stood in the kitchen together making what I assumed was dinner.
And they were laughing.
Laughing, my kids were honest to God laughing with this man they hardly knew. I took in the scene and could see something had changed. He’d gained their trust and respect.
It was both astonishing and heart-melting.
Huntley’s head whipped in my direction and we just stared at one another for a beat before Lake was pushing on my back to get me moving.
“We are going to talk about this once your fireman leaves.”
Flipping back in her direction, she plowed into me again. “Your?” I repeated, half confused. “He’s not mine, are you crazy?”
Lake gave me an uh-huh look. “The expression on his face when he saw you says he could be if you wanted him to. You just have to say the word.”
My stomach twisted in knots. A part of me had a sudden urge of longing at her words and the other part of me felt like I might be sick. I might have felt like I could trust Huntley to help me with the kids as a friend but trusting him with my heart or body was different.
A man like Huntley deserved someone who could give him everything.
It just couldn’t be me .
That thought made me feel even more nauseated.
“Hey, hey, I’m sorry,” Lake stammered. “I didn’t mean to upset you. You deserve everything you want but don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
I felt his eyes on me. Without answering my sister, I turned back around to find the man himself standing with his hands shoved into his jean pockets watching me.
He looked good in my kitchen.
My cheeks warmed as I took in the denim that hugged his muscled thighs, along with the rest of him. The day we moved in, I’d thought I hated the way he made me think of things I never had felt before. Was that still true?
It was puzzling and I didn’t have the foggiest clue if the pieces could ever fit together.
I’d just said there was no way, but when he looked at me like he was right then, like he cared, I couldn’t be so sure I knew anything anymore.
Breland raced around him and headed toward me, breaking our eye contact. I held out my arms and she walked right into them. My girl didn’t always get touchy feely, she was so very much like me, and I knew that whatever had happened at school had rattled her.
Lake walked around us and talked with the guys as I murmured in my daughter’s ear. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get there.”
She pulled back and looked at me. “It’s okay. You sent the next best thing.” Bre turned and looked over her shoulder at Huntley for a moment and then brought her eyes back to mine. “You should have seen him. He was like Superman whipping in to save the day.” Then she blushed a little bit. “Only maybe with a dirty mouth.”
Dirty mouth?
“What do you mean?” I asked, but Lennon called out to say that dinner was ready .
“I’ll tell you later,” she said, rushing off.
A big huff of air escaped me, frustration over not being able to talk to her right away. However, she seemed okay right that second and others were around so waiting until later was probably for the best.
I followed my girl into the kitchen, the aroma of something delicious hitting my nose. Then my eyes wandered again to the larger-than-life fireman standing close and goosebumps skated across my skin.
“I’m gonna get out of here and let you guys eat,” he told me, but hesitated as though he didn’t want to leave.
“Yeah, me too,” Lake said from next to him, beating him to the goodbyes. “Bronson and Stormi are at home probably waiting to eat, too.”
After telling the kids she’d see them soon, she said to Huntley, “Tell Val hi for me next time you visit and that I can’t wait to see her again.”
“I sure will,” he told her but was looking at me.
It dawned on me then that Huntley had told me earlier when we texted that he was going to see his mother today and I’d probably broken into their time when I called. Now I seriously felt horrible for bothering him.
He shook his head at me as if he could read my mind or something.
Then my sister added, “Your mom is a rockstar and I am in awe of how strong that woman is after everything she’s been through.” She graced him with a big smile. “You too for that matter.”
“That she is,” he said about his mother but not commenting on himself as he watched me with eyes that seemed uncomfortable and unsure.
Lake knew his mom that well? And what happened to them? A pang of jealousy raced through me and hurt. We’d talked about how close he and his mom were, about her job, but it seemed like my sister knew so much more. I knew they’d worked together for some time so I was being ridiculous, but I couldn’t seem to help it.
Unaware of the turmoil running through me at her words, Lake walked up to me and leaned in to give a small hug, stopping shy the last inch for me to take hold if I was okay with it. Once I closed the last bit of distance and wrapped my arms around her, she whispered in my ear. “I’m gonna come back when all the kids are in bed to have a glass of wine with you. Well, watch you have a glass of wine, while I have some juice.”
No wine for her, my niece or nephew was growing in her belly.
When she pulled back, she gazed at me for confirmation, and I nodded. I knew she had questions and I guess a part of me was ready to talk. Things in my life were feeling a bit muddled and it would be nice to talk to someone. Plus, I really did want to try and embrace the new relationship with my sister.
I gave her a small smile. “Okay, you know where to find me.”
I stood then looking at Huntley, unsure what to do or say, but I knew we needed to talk about what happened at the school. I’d just have to bury the other feelings swarming me.
First it was only right he ate what he made. “You should eat, you helped make it after all.”.
He gave me a small smile. “It’s okay. You guys need time together to talk.”
It felt wrong after all he did but also felt easier because his presence had me jittery. He sparked some live wire in me and made me feel way too many emotions.
“I’ll walk you out.”
A quick nod and he turned to go but was stopped by Lennon who reached out and shook his hand. “Thanks, man. ”
“Any time,” Huntley told him, placing his hand in my son’s. “You guys got my number, don’t be afraid to use it.”
Then the man looked at me and added, “If your mom is okay with that?”
“Of course,” I said, immediately. I don’t know what happened at the school yet, but my kids had done a one-eighty when it came to this man.
I looked around and didn’t see Breland, where did she go?
The guys dropped hands and I followed Huntley to the door. Just as he was about to open it, I heard feet rushing across the floor and turned to see Breland with her dog in her arms. She handed Roxie to me and then wrapped her limbs around Huntley, who’d also turned at her approach.
For a second he froze, clearly as shocked as I was, but then he embraced her back.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him.
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
When Breland pulled back, she was blushing. She plucked the dog out of my arms and then blurted, “You have to let him come to game night soon.” Then she ran off toward her brother.
She wanted him to impose on our sacred game night? As the thought settled inside me for a second, I realized it didn’t feel like an imposition at all.
I liked the idea of him coming.
Huntley opened the door and wandered outside. I followed him and shut the door behind me as he turned toward me.
“Game night?”
“Yeah.” I smiled at how carefree Lennon and Breland were on those nights. “The kids and I do one each week. You should see how much fun we have.”
I looked down at the ground seeking courage to send out the olive branch I was wanting to extend. Taking in a deep breath, I glanced back up into Huntley’s eyes.
There was a lump in my throat, but I managed to get the words out around it. “Would you like to come to our next game night? We could work it around your schedule?”
A radiant smile blossomed across Huntley’s handsome face.
There I go again thinking of words like handsome.
With my palms clasped tightly, I waited for his response.
Huntley reached out a hand toward me and waited. Did he want me to hold his hand? Was this his own version of an olive branch that he was extending back to me? Unlocking my hands, I slowly placed one of my palms in his.
“I’d love to come to game night, Warrior,” he said softly as a jolt raced up my arm.
His touch electrified me and then grounded me all at once. All the stress and worry of the day seemed to swoosh out of me as his thumb slowly rubbed back and forth across the top of my hand.
Our gazes locked on one another, everything else faded away. Why was I not running and afraid of this hulking man standing so close to me? My heart began to race when he looked deep into my eyes as if he could see straight into my soul.
“I wanted to share more of myself and my life with you when we were talking about family, but I just wanted to protect you and not scare you away.” Huntley blew out a deep breath. “My father wasn’t a nice man, but I’ll tell you about it whenever you think you are ready.”
So many questions were running through my mind. Did I want to know the answers? I searched his eyes, so full of warmth, understanding, and concern. Yeah, I wanted to know.
“I’d like that,” I whispered .
He nodded, knowing I didn’t mean right then. Giving my hand a small squeeze, he released it. A part of me wanted to grab it back and hold onto it forever.
Like another lifeline.
“I should let you get back inside so you can talk to the kids, but the principal is wanting to talk to you.”
“Are you going to tell me what happened there today?”
Huntley’s face contorted and I could see him trying to quell a bout of anger that took hold at my question.
He masked it, visibly calmed himself, and said, “I think that’s something the kids should tell you themselves, but we’ll talk after they do.”
“Okay, thank you for going to get them. And I’m sorry I messed up your time with your mom.” I looked away, no longer meeting his eyes. “I forgot you were going there. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Please look at me,” Huntley said in a soft voice.
Slowly, I lifted my head and met his eyes once again.
“I told you before, sweetheart, you are never a bother. I meant it.”
Overwhelmed with feelings, an insane need to hug him like Bre had done a short time before slammed into me and I moved closer. Huntley’s eyes widened but he opened his strong arms as if knowing exactly what I needed. I wrapped my arms around his middle, allowing my head to rest on his broad chest.
Slowly and very gently he hugged me back and I basked in the warmth of his embrace.
I didn’t know it could feel this way.
A content sigh escaped and I heard Huntley let out one of his own.
“Thank you for trusting me to hold you,” he choked out.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as the sheer velocity of what was transpiring took hold. I was letting him touch me. His strong arms had me in their grasp and he could probably do whatever he felt like but all he wanted to do was hold me tenderly.
And I trusted him.
With reluctance, I pushed away from his chest and he released me, dropping his arms. When his gaze met mine, his green eyes gave me a pleading, needy look as one of his hands raised ever so slowly up between us but he paused, not touching me, just waiting.
I nodded in approval and at a snail’s pace, he brought his palm to my face. Then, with more tenderness I knew existed, he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his calloused thumb.
“Don’t cry, Warrior. I know it’s a lot but you’re so strong.”
He gave me a sweet smile and once again dropped his hand. “Go in there and eat with your kids. Text me later.”
In a shaky voice, I simply replied, “Okay.”
“Or call,” he told me, his smile widening. “I like to hear your voice.”
My insides went a bit mushy at that confession.
“I could probably manage that,” I told him before opening the door and stepping inside. “Bye, Huntley.”
After he said goodbye, I shut the door and pressed my back to it, taking in some much-needed breaths. The day had been a whirlwind and it wasn’t over yet. Looking through the big open living space into the dining area, my kids were staring at me.
“We have a lot to talk about,” I said as I strode toward them. “But first someone tell me what Huntley said when he picked you up.”
Lennon and Bre both laughed.
I better brace myself.