Chapter 11 Kari
ELEVEN
KARI
I glanced at the clock while I pulled my hair back into a ponytail.
It was still relatively early, although I knew Max had been in the office for a while.
He’d woken me up by accident when he was getting ready, but I couldn’t say I didn’t enjoy the show.
Watching him walk into the room, damp from his shower, smelling all fresh and clean with a touch of the woodsiness from his cologne was intoxicating.
There was something inherently sexy about a man getting dressed. The routine of it all, the care of their appearance. The way his muscles rippled as he moved, the shy smiles he gave me when he caught me watching.
Wishing he had stayed home instead of going into work, I grabbed my phone off the kitchen counter and opened my Gmail.
To: Max
From: Kari
Re: Buenos Dias
Getting ready to run to my house and pick up a few more things.
Just wanted to tell you that I miss you and packing and carrying all of those heavy boxes won’t be nearly as fun without getting to watch your muscles while I do it.
:( I’m probably going to need a full-body rub down when you get home. Just saying.
I waited a minute to see if he’d respond and he did.
To: Kari
From: Max
Re: Sounds like a buenos noches, too.
Maybe we make it a buenos...well, I don’t know how to say weekend in Spanish. I was talking to Cane this morning and told him I’d like to take you to his cabin in Payson. We can relax, fish, maybe do a little horseback riding? Sound fun? Oh—just pack the boxes. I’ll move them, sweetheart.
Horseback riding? Who does he think I am?
To: Max
From: Kari
Re: This is me you’re talking to...
And I’m not a country person. I’m all about the relaxing part, but you lost me at fishing. And the only thing I’m going to be riding is you. ;)
Within seconds a response came.
To: Kari
From: Max
Re: This is me you’re gonna be riding...
Sweetheart, I have a shit ton of things to do today and I can’t concentrate when I’m thinking about you on my cock. You’ve simultaneously ruined me and energized me, you little troublemaker.
I laughed and closed my email. I grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, noticing a new sticky note from Max stuck to the front.
Permanent = lasting or intended to last or remain unchanged indefinitely
I grabbed the Sharpie out of the drawer next to the refrigerator and peeled off a new sticky. I stuck it next to his and wrote:
Unsure = not feeling or done with confidence
I grabbed my things and jumped in the car, heading towards my house. Florida-Georgia Line blared through my speakers, making me laugh when I realized I was singing along. It was just another way Max had rubbed off on me. I turned the volume down, the music interfering with my thoughts.
Max had changed my life. He filled some sort of emptiness I didn’t really even realize was there.
I had lived feeling alone for so long, I didn’t even realize it.
It just became who I was, a part of me. Max changed all that.
He filled the vacancy with laughs, smiles, and warmth.
My life had been dull and now it was vibrant, bursting with red cups, multi-colored sticky notes, and the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen.
My smile faded as I realized the pain I would feel when it was over.
It would, without a doubt, be worse than any pain I’d ever felt before.
It wasn’t so much that I had chosen Max, it was that he had chosen me.
He endured my mood swings and just kept coming back when I pushed him away.
Hell, he didn’t budge when I’d shoved him back.
He’d just smirk, his dimple sinking into his cheek, and wait for me to realize he wasn’t leaving.
But he would.
And I couldn’t blame him.
All I could do was enjoy it while it lasted. I’d have to figure out my sunshine later when he took the warmth from my soul when he left. Because if he wouldn’t leave, I’d have to make him once he knew. I couldn’t look in his eyes and see the pity or the resentment that would undoubtedly be there.
With a frown, I picked up my ringing phone. “Hey, Jada,” I said with more enthusiasm than I felt.
“Hey, sister! How are you?”
“I’m just pulling into my house, actually. Going to get a few things from here.”
She snickered. “How are things going now that you are officially living with Max?”
“Good. I mean, it’s really no different.”
“So I don’t need to plan a wedding soon?”
“Hardy har-har,” I mocked. “Did you call for something besides to annoy me?”
She laughed. “Yes, actually. I think we picked out the baby’s name.”
“And?” I asked, pulling into my driveway and turning off the car.
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you for being mean.”
“Maybe I’ll call Cane because you know how forthcoming he is about all things baby,” I said, taunting her.
Cane had called to tell me that Jada was pregnant before Jada had a chance to, much to her chagrin.
It was the best New Year’s Eve news I’d ever gotten.
He went on and on, ignoring Jada’s protests in the background. It was pretty adorable.
“Don’t even,” she warned, making me laugh.
“If it’s a boy, it’s going to be Benjamin Thomas.
Benjamin is after his grandfather and Thomas after Dad.
We’re still a little unsure about a girl’s name.
I like Anna Marie, Anna after Mom and Marie after Cane’s grandmother.
Cane likes Carmin Elizabeth. I have no idea why. ”
“Oh, Jada! I love them!” I squealed, giggling at Cane’s randomness. “Why won’t you just find out if it is a boy or a girl? I want to buy blue or pink, not green and yellow.”
“Cane wants to be surprised, so we’re going to be surprised. But I think it’s a boy.”
“That’s funny because I think it’s a girl,” I said.
“So does Cane,” she laughed. “He’s sure it’s going to be a girl. He said it’s his payback for being a hellion.”
I saw my neighbor, Gladys, come out of her house and look strangely towards my car. “Look, Jada. I need to go. Gladys is giving me the stare down and I feel weird sitting here ignoring her.”
“Go. Love you.”
“Love you,” I replied, getting out of the car. Gladys gave me a little wave.
I made my way across the lawn towards the grey-haired old lady that lived next door.
Gladys was a sweet woman. She made me chicken noodle soup when I came down with a bad case of bronchitis one fall.
Last winter, she fell and hurt her hip. I visited her a lot, bringing her the crossword puzzles she liked and her mail in the afternoons.
Gladys had lived in the neighborhood for years, maybe even decades. She knew who lived where and how many kids they had. For a woman that didn’t get around a lot, she didn’t miss much.
“Hi, Gladys,” I called out. “How are you?”
She ambled down the few steps on her porch and made her way towards me. “I’m good, dear. How are you?”
“Great.”
“Have you moved? I haven’t seen you around much lately.”
I smiled, tossing my car keys in my purse. “I am in the process of moving, actually.”
“I hate that. You’re such a nice neighbor.” She smiled sadly.
“I don’t know what I’m doing with the house, so I’ll be around off and on for a while. Most of my stuff is still here right now.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Have you had someone checking on it for you?”
“No,” I said. “Just the pool guys every-other-week as usual.”
“Huh,” she huffed. “I know I saw someone in the backyard last week. I let Molly out,” she said, referring to her dog that was as old as her, “and she started barking like crazy.” She shook her head, trying to remember.
“I wish I could remember what day it was. It was probably your pool guys. Yes, I bet that’s what it was. ”
I suddenly felt very uneasy. “Could it have been Max? Or maybe my sister’s husband? You’ve met Cane before, right?”
Gladys was watching my face closely and touched my shoulder.
“Honey, I’m sorry to frighten you. I’ve been a little nervous lately.
I watched one of those shows the other night about these home invasions the young hoodlums are doing now.
I hate to say that it really scared me; my mind’s been running around like crazy. ”
“I have the security system set, so if anyone had gotten in, it would’ve gone off.”
“That’s good. It was probably just my imagination, come to think of it. Hey, I have a kettle of soup on. You have time to come and grab a bite to eat?” she asked hopefully.
“I wish I did, but I need to grab a load of my things and get them home before it gets too late. And I need to go check on my sister if I can find time today.”
She patted my shoulder again and turned towards her house. “You take care, Kari. And good luck with your boyfriend.”
I smiled as I thought of Max. “I will, Gladys. You have my number if you need anything.”
I headed to my front door with a heavy sense of unease. Although she said not to worry about it, I did.
What if someone was lurking around outside? Who could it be? Why would they bother?
With a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, I hesitantly unlocked the front door. The system beeped, letting me know it was still armed. I typed in the code and turned around.
The house was exactly as I left it. Nothing had been touched or moved.
I walked cautiously into the kitchen and it appeared fine as well.
The back door was shut tight. It hadn’t blown open since Max fixed the loose lock that had plagued me off and on for a few months.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Gladys had thought someone was milling around.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Max’s number.
Max
“Just a second, Sam.” I held up a finger. “Hey, sweetheart,” I said into my cell phone.
“Hey.” Her voice made me smile. “I’m at my house and was just talking to my neighbor. You remember Gladys, right? Anyway, she said something that got me on edge a little, so I’m changing the security system code.”
“What did she say?”