Hated You Then (Book One: Love Hurts Duet)

by M. Robinson

  She scowled, stepping toward me, shoving what was left of the stuffed animal into my chest. “Fine. Then I’m going to find the man that’s inside the bunny.”

  “This isn’t Toy Story, Camila. There’s no one inside of it.”

  “You’ll see,” she cryptically coaxed, spinning her way toward the garage door.

  “Where are you going?!”

  “I just told you!”

  She sidestepped Jagger, who was standing in the kitchen with a huge grin on his face, as if he knew exactly what she was talking about.

  What the hell was going on?

  “What about Journey?” I called out after her.

  “You can watch her!”

  “What? I’ve never watched her before! You can’t just leave her with me! It’s not my job to watch her, it’s yours!”

  “You can handle it for an hour! Just hold her, feed her, change her diaper! You’ve seen me do it hundreds of times!”

  “Mary Poppins, what the fu—”

  “Finish that sentence, and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap when I get back!” She slammed the door behind her, and there we were left with my baby sister alone for the first time.

  “What do we do with her?” Jagger asked, standing next to me. Shaking his head.

  “Uh... she seems alright down there.”

  “For now.”

  Journey was sitting on her old Ninja Turtle blanket on the floor, gazing at us with an expression like don’t fuck this up or I’ll shit on you.

  I slapped Jagger’s chest. “Tag, you’re it.”

  “What? Camila said you were responsible for her. Not me. Plus, I think she’s dropping a bomb right now.”

  “Uh... I don’t think so.”

  “She has her poop face going.”

  “Journey, do you hear what he’s saying about you? Tell him you’re just flushed cuz Mary Poppins killed your bunny.”

  “Gah!”

  “See.” I slapped him again. “She’s just chilling.”

  “Nope. I think she’s pushing a turd out.” He picked her up, holding her in between us. “Check her.”

  What other choice did I have, her diapered ass was in my face. “Fine.” I pulled her shorts and diaper away from her butt. “Oh my God, Journey! What is she feeding you?”

  She fell into a fit of giggles, kicking her legs. Causing the massive explosion in her diaper to get further all up in there.

  “What do we do?”

  “We’re gonna have to change her.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know the rules.” I shrugged. “I guess we’ll hose her down.”

  “In the sink or the tub?”

  “Sink. She’s too small for the tub.”

  “Good call.”

  Journey chose that moment to let out the loudest fart, making me and Jagger laugh our asses off.

  “You’re supposed to be a lady,” I said to her, kissing the top of her head.

  “She must take after you.”

  I shrugged again, nodding toward the kitchen. “Let’s go before it starts running down her legs.”

  We gagged the entire time we took her clothes off, resisting the urge to throw up.

  “Aim her ass toward the sink, Jagger! The sink! Not my face! Can’t you see I’m dying here, man?”

  “Excuse me! I’m the one holding her!”

  “She’s got a hanger, bro! There’s a hanger, and I can’t get it to come off!”

  “Bah! Gah! Mah!” she fumed with fury.

  “It’s not you, Journey, it’s your butt,” I reassured her. “That’s not normal.”

  I turned on the sink, testing out the water until it was warm enough to use the sprayer.

  I was about to go to town on rinsing her swamp butt down, but Harley intervened, “Holy crap!” she breathed out, walking into the kitchen from the front door. “What are you doing to her?”

  “Oh! Perfect timing!” With a big huge smile on my face, I didn’t think twice about it. I grabbed Journey out of Jagger’s hands, and in three long strides, I was cleaning her dirty ass onto Harley’s bright pink shirt.

  “Jackson!”

  Moving Journey side to side and up and down against the fabric, I made sure the poop chunks were now on Harley’s chest.

  “There we go.” I brought her back to me. “Now we can hose you down.”

  Harley’s mouth dropped open and I grinned. “Thanks for the help.”

  “Aunt Skyler!” she yelled bloody murder, hauling ass to the bathroom to try and salvage what was left of her horrible shirt.

  “What?” I called out after her. “I said thank you!”

  Skyler rushed into the kitchen, her eyes darting from us to Journey. “Jackson, what is going on? Where is Camila?”

  “She left.”

  “She left?!”

  “Yeah... uh...” I thought quick on my feet, coming up with a reason on why she wasn’t here so she wouldn’t get in trouble.

  She was doing us a solid and going to yell at our father for us, the least I could do was return the favor.

  “She umm... had to take her mom to the ER,” I lied, covering for her. “She fell down the stairs.”

  By the look on Skyler’s face, she was as shocked as I was, but for a completely different reason.

  “She didn’t call me.”

  “Oh, it’s cuz I told her not to. I told her I’d tell you.”

  “Bah!” Journey exclaimed, bringing everyone’s attention back to her and her rank ass.

  “Come here, baby,” Skyler soothed, taking her out of my hands to walk back toward her nursery. “What were your brothers doing to you?”

  “Dah, bah, mah!”

  I swear my baby sister was a genius. She had to be... she was related to me.

  I turned to follow her, but right when I spun around, I was smacked in the face with what I’d least expect.

  Harley’s shirt.

  That still had poop on it.

  “Oh, Gremlin... you better fuckin’ run.”

  “I win, always, dickwad.” She laughed and took off running.

  For the next hour, I was in the shower burning off my skin.

  Fuckin’ Gremlin.

  Skyler spent the night in the guest bedroom, but I was the one who got up with Journey the next morning. Wanting a few minutes alone with her before I went to school.

  I was feeling the loss of my mom hard that day.

  It was Noah and Skyler’s anniversary, and he’d planned a surprise party for her that evening. My mom would have loved planning alongside Noah. It was her favorite type of celebration. She used to go all out for my dad and her’s as well.

  When Mary Poppins walked into Journey’s nursery, she quickly smiled. Watching as I held my baby sister in my arms, rocking her in her chair. This was the first time she’d ever seen me hold her, let alone look down at her with so much tender love and care.

  Journey was pulling at my shirt, holding onto it so tight. She didn’t want to let go and neither did I.

  “You’re a natural, Jackson. You’re going to make a great daddy one day.”

  My eyes flew up to hers. “I don’t want kids.”

  “You say that now, but you’re so young. You have a full life ahead of you.”

  I shook my head, snapping in a harsh tone, “I wouldn’t talk about things you don’t know, Camila.”

  Her hands surrendered in the air. Addressing the elephant in the room instead, “Thank you for covering for me yesterday. I really appreciate it. You didn’t have to do that for me.”

  Skyler must have told her what I said.

  “I didn’t do it for you, Mary Poppins, I did it for Journey.”

  She nodded. “Well, maybe you also did it because you’re starting to accept me?” Rocking on the heels of her feet, she added, “You know, maybe even like me? A little, not a lot. Definitely more than you like Harley,” she teased, hoping it would tear down some of my walls. Even if it was only for a second.

  “You’re right,
” I agreed. “I hate Harley.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Do you though?”

  “What are you trying to say, Camila?”

  “Nothing, just an observation.”

  “Ah, so the same girly bs she tells me all the time.”

  “Which is?”

  “I’m mean to her cuz I like her.”

  She shrugged, smirking. “Do you?”

  “Fuc—”

  She glared at me.

  “F-u-c-k no.”

  She laughed, unable to help it. My smartass mouth always had that effect on people.

  “You girls watch way too many Disney movies.”

  “Says the guy who has a few in his room.”

  It was my turn to glare at her.

  Once again, she put her hands up in the air in a surrendering gesture. “What? I didn’t put them there.”

  “Neither did I.”

  She didn’t have to ask to know what I was implying.

  “I can move them if you want.”

  My gaze narrowed in on her, searching for something in her expression before snipping, “Yeah, whatever. Did you find my dad?” I grilled, changing the subject to another discussion I did want to have.

  “Kind of.”

  “Was he working?”

  “You could say that.”

  “His precious hospital is all that matters to him anymore.”

  “I don’t think that’s true at all.”

  “How do you know? Did you talk to him?” I questioned with hopefulness in my voice.

  “I could just tell.”

  “How?”

  “I could see it in his eyes. He misses you as much as you miss him.”

  I jerked back. “I don’t miss him.”

  “Jackson...”

  “I don’t. I don’t need him. To hell with him.” There was so much pain in my words, in my tone, in my demeanor when it came to the man who’d given me life.

  There was no hiding it anymore.

  I wanted nothing more than the chance to go off on him.

  “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry. Trust me, I know what that feels like.”

  “You think you know everything, don’t you, Mary Poppins?”

  “I know I’ve become your punching bag, and I don’t care what you tell yourself, I know you don’t hate me. But if it makes you feel better to take stabs at me, then so be it. Hit me again, Jackson, because maybe there’ll come a day when you can see me as your friend and not your enemy. I’m actually a pretty cool person. If you gave me half a chance, you’d see I’m not a threat to you. To anyone for that matter. I’m not here to replace anybody. I just want to help you.”

  “And then what? When you’re done helping, you what? Just leave us behind?”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “No.”

  She smiled, thinking she got through to me.

  She didn’t.

  Not even for a second.

  I’d already lost both my parents. I wasn’t going to let anyone in my life that I could lose all over again.

  It hurt too damn much.

  Hastily, I stood. Handing my baby sister over to her.

  “Journey wouldn’t like that,” I declared the truth. “Cuz let’s face it, Camila, we both know she’s the only one who wants you here.”

  She grimaced, and for the first time, I felt regret pull at my eyes.

  “Did that make you feel better? Because the expression on your face says otherwise.”

  “Everyone leaves, that’s just life.”

  Her eyes watered, only fueling my anger.

  The last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel bad for me. Take pity on me.

  Fuck that.

  “I’m sorry, Jackson, I hate that you feel that way. I wish there was something I could—”

  “What did he say? I want to know what my father said to you.”

  “That he loves you very much.”

  I couldn’t tell if she was lying or not, but my sister and I hung on to her every word. As if Journey could understand and needed to hear it as much as I did.

  Her stare moved all around the nursery until it landed on Journey’s bookshelf in the corner of the room.

  “Your dad is hurting, and he doesn’t want you to see how bad.”

  “He is?”

  “Yes. He broke down.”

  “In front of you?”

  “Mmm hmm.”

  “After he said he was hurting?”

  “Sort of.”

  “So, my father who’d just met you for the first time, willingly told you all this?”

  “Mmm hmm.”

  “Why do I feel like you’re lying?”

  Our eyes connected.

  “Why would I lie?”

  “You tell me.”

  “I am telling you. Why is it so hard for you to believe that your father loves you?”

  “I don’t know, Mary Poppins, maybe cuz I haven’t seen him since my mom—”

  “There you are,” Skyler interrupted. “Jackson, you’re going to be late for school. You gotta go.”

  I backed away, nodding. Grabbing my backpack off the floor, I walked out of the room, taking the truth of where my mother was...

  With me.

  Chapter 23

  <>Harley<>

  Then: Twelve years old

  “Baby girl, you look beautiful,” Daddy complimented me when I strolled into the livin’ room. All dolled up for the surprise anniversary party we were attendin’. He was standin’ in the entryway with his hands in his pockets, wearin’ a black suit, lookin’ all handsome.

  I twirled around in a circle for him, loving the feelin’ of my dress puffin’ out at the bottom. “Thanks, Daddy. It’s new.”

  I was beyond excited for the evenin’ ahead. Momma and Aunt Lily took Shiloh and me shoppin’ for the occasion, spoilin’ us like the princesses we were. We spent the whole day together, doin’ girly things like gettin’ our nails and hair done, talkin’ about all the latest drama, includin’ how much Trigger was botherin’ Shiloh these last few weeks.

  With his heated looks and flirty smiles and cocky attitude.

  Gossipin’ about Jackson Pierce and his wicked ways, too.

  It took five different stores for me to find “the dress”, the one that fit not only my style, but my figure as well. I picked out a knee-length, light blue strapless dress with matchin’ strappy heeled sandals that I never wanted to take off.

  Of course, I added my own spin to the flowy material, sewin’ a few bows and sparkles on to make it pop and stand out. I hated blendin’ in with everyone else. I had my own sense of style, and I didn’t keep up with trends.

  I was a fashionista through and through, and it only got worse the older I became. One day, I’d have my own online store called Harley’s Closet. Dare to be Different.

  I already knew my color scheme and logo for my social media and website. It would be a photo of me and my future furry best friend. I wanted a Wheaten Terrier, but I refused to buy one. I’d have to wait until a similar breed showed up at the shelter I still volunteered at.

  Always rescue first.

  “Wow, Harley. You’re gettin’ so big. Where did my baby girl go?”

  My smile lit up my entire face. “I’ll always be your baby girl, Daddy.”

  “I’m gonna hold you to that, sweetheart.”

  This was the first time he was seein’ my dress, and to be honest, I was a little worried he’d think it was too revealin’.

  It wasn’t.

  This was the man who thought my knee-length shorts and skirts were always too revealin’. I assumed Momma was behind his change of heart. She knew how excited I was to be wearin’ somethin’ more young adult and not childish. I was growin’ up, and he needed to accept that.

  “You look just like your momma did at your age.”

  I noddin’, agreein’ with him. I loved nothin’ more than when he’d say those words to me. My momma was the most beautiful woman I’d ever s
een. She was breathtakingly stunnin’, and I always wished I’d find a man who’d look at me the way my daddy looked at her.

  As if she was the only thing that ever mattered in his whole world.

  “How are you gettin’ so big?”

  “That’s what happens when you feed me, silly.”

  He laughed, pullin’ me into a hug.

  I gazed up at him, settin’ my chin on his chest. “Daddy, do you think I’ll ever find a boy who loves me like you love Momma?”

  “Not before I put him to ground, baby.”

  “Creed!” Momma shouted, steppin’ into the livin’ room. “You’re horrible. Stop teasing her.”

  “Who’s teasin’?”

  I laughed, shakin’ my head. Daddy said what he meant and meant what he said.

  Always.

  This wasn’t a shock to me by any means, knowin’ all along I’d have to find a guy who’d have to make my father fall for him as well. It’d be the only way I’d ever get to have my own lobster.

  With Daddy’s approval.

  Or else, he really would put him to ground.

  No doubt about that.

  I hugged him one last time and let him go, fully aware he couldn’t wait to hug his wife. Swiftly, he made his way over to her, drawin’ her toward him.

  “You look good enough to eat, Pippin.” He leaned forward, whisperin’ in her ear.

  I smirked, knowin’ he was sayin’ somethin’ really dirty. My father’s blatant affection for my mother never bothered me, but my brothers were a different story.

  “Damn, Pops. Get a room,” Luke grumbled, provin’ my point. Walkin’ in with Owen behind him.

  “I did. My house, ya feel me?”

  “Loud and clear, still fuckin’ gross.”

  “Luke!” Mom reprimanded.

  “Fuck isn’t a bad word. It’s in the dictionary.”

  She disagreed, “That makes no sense.”

  “It does in my head.”

  I scoffed out a chuckle, bringin’ his attention over to me. “You gonna let her ride out like that?”

  “There is nothin’ wrong with my dress, baby brother. Dad says I look beautiful, you cock-blocker.”

  “Harley Jameson!” Momma chastised.

  “What? That’s what Daddy says to them. He says they’re supposed to be my cock-blockers. Why am I always gettin’ in trouble for repeatin’ the things he says? But Luke and Owen can say anythin’ they want?”