by Amy Vastine
“Mommy taught him everything before she went to heaven. They had to practice every day because he used to hurt my head when he combed out my knots.”
Kelly pressed her lips together and had that look in her eye that always made him uncomfortable. Avery didn’t understand how talking about her mom might make other people feel and their sympathy was sometimes too much. The sooner he got Kelly back home, the better.
“Let’s get in the truck. It’s late.”
A door slammed upstairs and Graham came stomping down the steps. He had on a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled up. With his hands in the front pocket, he trudged past all of them and out the front door.
“Kelly might have to sit in the front seat, Avery. I don’t think Graham is going to want to sit in front with me.”
“No!” Avery chased after her brother. “Graham! I’m sitting in the back with Kelly. You have to sit in the front.”
As much as Graham hated Donovan, he loved Avery more. He didn’t even argue; he just got into the passenger’s seat. He might be trouble, but that boy would take care of his sister until the day he died.
He apologized to Kelly again. “Today has been kind of a nightmare. I promise it won’t always be like this.”
“It’s okay,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. The contact made him suck in a breath. “Don’t apologize for being a good uncle.”
He didn’t feel like a good uncle. He felt like he was barely cutting it. Maybe she was just being nice, maybe she saw something he didn’t. Either way, he appreciated the compliment.
They all got inside the truck and Donovan headed back to the city. Graham stared out the window and didn’t say a word. Avery, on the other hand, talked nonstop. Kelly patiently listened to her go on and on in excruciating detail about her day at school. She even described everything she ate for lunch.
“At recess, we played tag and I was only it one time because I am super fast. I had my fast shoes on.”
“You have fast shoes?” Kelly asked, making Donovan chuckle. Avery had a pair of sneakers that he told her would make her run faster. He had to be careful what he said around Avery because she did not doubt anything he told her.
“They’re pink with silver sparkles. I wanted purple ones, but Uncle Donovan said they were fast shoes and I would run faster in them and he was right.”
“I think I might need him to buy me some of those shoes,” Kelly said, making eye contact with him in the rearview mirror. Those blue eyes were mesmerizing. “At the gym, I run on the treadmill and I can never go as fast as the guy who works out next to me. He always teases me.”
“Uncle Donovan, do they make the fast shoes for grown-ups?”
“I don’t know, Avery. I’m guessing not the same exact ones.”
“Shoes don’t make you fast, Avery,” Graham said from under his hood. “You’re fast because you’re fast. You don’t need stupid shoes.”
“They are too fast shoes and they’re not stupid!” Avery asserted. “Uncle Donovan said they are, so they are.”
“Uncle Donovan lied.”
“That’s enough, Graham,” Donovan warned. “Don’t make your sister upset because you’re mad at me.”
Graham pushed back his hood and glared at his uncle. “Do the shoes really make her fast? Are they magic shoes or did you tell her that because you were tired of shopping and you couldn’t find any purple shoes like she wanted?”
Donovan gave him a pointed look. “I said that’s enough.”
“You’re such a hypocrite.” The hood went back up. “You punish me for every little thing I do, but you lie to my sister every day.”
Donovan had no rebuttal. He was wrong and he was right. They drove in silence for a full minute.
“They are fast shoes, Graham. They are,” Avery said in her tiny voice. No one said anything after that until they pulled up in front of Kelly’s building.
“Do you want me to check your apartment?” he offered. Her building wasn’t one of the most secure places to live. Someone could sneak their way in with a little patience.
“I’ll be fine,” she said, opening her door. “If I see anything suspicious, I’ll text you.”
She gave Avery a hug and promised to eat dinner with them next time she came over. That was a good answer. As long as they never ended up back at his house, they could avoid spending an awkward meal together.
“See ya tomorrow,” Donovan said before she shut the door. He waited until she was safely inside before putting on his blinker so he could pull out into traffic.
“I think she’s my new best friend,” Avery said.
It made perfect sense why he had decided not to bring people into the kids’ lives. Avery got attached so quickly. He had thought this would be easier since he had no intention of getting into a relationship with anyone. But Avery could bond with a complete stranger in five seconds flat, and Kelly wasn’t a girlfriend. She wasn’t even a friend. She was a job assignment.
“Who was that? Why did you offer to check her apartment? Why are you going to see her tomorrow?” Graham asked. Donovan was surprised he was curious enough to say something.
“That’s my boss’s niece. She works at a radio station and someone was...being mean to her. I have to help keep her safe until we can find that person.”
“Why would someone be mean to Kelly?” Avery asked. “She’s so nice.”
“It’s hard to explain, sweetie.”
“Is someone trying to kill her?” Graham asked.
“Someone is going to kill her?” Avery screeched and then burst into tears.
“Are you serious right now?” he said to Graham. Donovan was ready to tape the kid’s mouth shut. Did he not understand how saying something like that could scare his sister? He tried to console Avery. “No one is going to kill Kelly. She’s totally safe.”
His phone chimed with a text. Don’t leave! was all it said.
Adrenaline flooded Donovan’s body. He hoped he hadn’t told Avery another lie.
CHAPTER SIX
STANDING OUTSIDE HER door with the “apology” note in her hand, Kelly suddenly felt completely vulnerable. She dropped the sheet of paper on the floor and pulled out her phone as she made her way back to the elevators. She pressed the down button on the wall as her heart pounded.
How did he get in her building?
The elevator doors opened as she began to text Donovan not to leave. An unfamiliar man stood inside and the fear of the unknown made her turn and run for the stairs instead of joining him. She probably looked like she had lost her mind, but she didn’t care. Whoever this stalker was, he could get in here. She flew down the stairs while trying to send off her text. When she got to the ground level, she pushed the door open and bumped right into another man.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
The panic that overwhelmed her made it impossible to answer. She was in the midst of a fight-or-flight response and her brain screamed, “RUN!” She pushed away from the stranger and sprinted out of the building, hoping Donovan wasn’t very far away. His truck was still where she’d gotten out. He didn’t hesitate to jump out of the truck.
“What’s the matter?”
“He was in there.”
“Right now?” Donovan pulled her behind him, putting himself between her and the building.
The scariest thing about that question was she had no idea if he was or not. “I don’t know. He left a note on my door, so he was.”
“You’re fine,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her right in the eye. His voice was calm and unwavering. “Take some deep breaths. I’m going to have you get back in the truck, but I don’t want you to scare Avery, okay?”
Kelly glanced back at his truck and could see Graham staring at her wide-eyed. She couldn’t see through the tinted back windows but assumed Avery was doing th
e same. She didn’t want to alarm the children, but she couldn’t stop her heart from wanting to break through her rib cage.
“Look at me, Kelly,” Donovan said sternly. She did as she was told. “You’re safe. I’m right here. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Take some deep breaths. Slow and steady.”
She inhaled through her nose and exhaled out of her mouth, following his example. Her body began to relax and her heart rate went back to normal.
“Thank you,” she said, meaning it more than ever.
“I’m going to call the detectives in charge of the vandalism while you wait in the truck with the kids, okay?”
Kelly nodded and got in the truck. Avery stared at her with fear in her eyes. Kelly put on her bravest face even though she felt anything but.
“Hey, sweetie. I decided I have to try your uncle’s spaghetti and meatballs. I thought I could live without them, but I can’t.”
“No one is trying to kill you?” Avery squeaked out.
The question caused some more heart palpitations. “What? No. No one is trying to kill me.” At least she hoped no one was.
“Why did you look like you were running for your life?” Graham asked from the front seat.
“I was afraid you had already left. I was just trying to catch you.” She patted Avery on the leg, hoping she was convincing enough.
Graham scoffed. “You’re just like my uncle,” he said, turning around to face the front. She wasn’t fooling him, but Avery seemed pleased with that answer.
Donovan got in the truck. “We need to park. I have some work friends stopping by and I need to talk to them for a minute.”
“But we have to get home and make Kelly spaghetti and meatballs as big as my head,” Avery protested.
Donovan made eye contact with Kelly through the rearview mirror. “Do we?”
“That’s why I came running out,” she explained. “I decided dinner sounded too good.”
“Right. Well, we just need to wait a couple minutes. It shouldn’t take long and then we’ll make dinner.”
Donovan started the truck and drove around, looking for an open spot. It didn’t take as long as Kelly had feared for the detectives to show up. Donovan asked the kids to stay put while he and Kelly talked to his “work friends.”
“I thought it was a note from the association or something. It was just taped to my door,” Kelly explained to them. “I didn’t even think about the fact that no one else had one on theirs.”
“Did you notice anyone suspicious when you came in or went out?” one of the detectives asked.
“No one on the way in. On the way out, everyone looked suspicious, but I think that was more my fear than them being dangerous.”
They had a few more questions and took the letter as evidence. Kelly went into her apartment to grab an overnight bag. Donovan suggested she spend the night at her uncle’s while they did some investigating. The detectives were busy canvassing the floor when she finished locking up. They knocked on a few of her neighbors’ doors to ask them if they had seen anyone hanging around who didn’t belong.
The letter had been some sort of apology for messing up her car. He also stated he was disappointed that she had gotten the police involved. Kelly had wondered how he knew that was true. He assured her he wouldn’t hold a grudge if she was sorry for hurting his feelings. He understood she might be confused about her feelings because he hadn’t revealed himself to her yet, but he would...soon.
She didn’t want him to. Kelly wasn’t confused. She wanted him to go away.
“Are you okay?” Donovan asked her as they made their way back to the truck.
“I’m disappointed more than anything. I had this hope that he was done with me because we had ruined his fantasy. I just wanted him to disappear.”
“Well, it’s concerning that he knows you talked to the police. That means he’s closer than we thought. I’m also wondering if he knew where you lived all along or if he followed you home last night. Everything else came to the station before today. That has to mean something.”
Kelly could feel the anxiety returning. “I’m sorry I told Avery I was coming over for dinner. I’m sure you want to get rid of me for the night.”
“It’s fine. It was a good excuse. Graham got her all upset by asking me if I was protecting you because someone was trying to kill you.”
That didn’t help keep the fear at bay. This stalker was obsessed, but he wasn’t going to kill her. She was going to keep telling herself that until she believed it. “No one is trying to kill me.”
Donovan gave her a gentle pat on the back. “No one is trying to kill you. Plus you have the entire Nashville PD looking out for you. No one is going to do anything to Captain Bonner’s niece.”
His words were reassuring. Uncle Hal always had her back. For the first time in forever, she was grateful for his overprotectiveness.
They got in the truck and drove to Donovan’s house. Avery was full of questions on the way back. Trying to downplay what was happening wasn’t as easy to do when being interrogated by the most curious seven-year-old on the planet.
Graham was out of the truck before Donovan had it in Park. Kelly offered to help Donovan cook dinner. She wasn’t much of a cook, but she could handle filling a pot with water so they could boil the noodles.
“We have to make the meatballs first. Right, Avery?”
“Meatballs first because they take the longest because they’re so big.” Avery pushed a step stool by the sink and began washing her hands. Donovan had her trained quite well.
Kelly noticed the chalkboard menu on the wall by the refrigerator. Every day of the week had a different dinner listed next to it. Today was spaghetti and meatballs. Tomorrow, chicken enchiladas were planned. It was fascinating how organized Donovan was. There was something very attractive about a man who could cook and braid hair but still exude manliness.
“The only thing my dad knew how to cook was hamburgers on the grill,” Kelly shared, taking her turn at the sink to wash her hands. “Truthfully, he wasn’t very good it. Sometimes the burgers were more like hockey pucks.”
“You can’t eat hockey pucks,” Avery said.
Kelly’s eyebrows lifted. “Exactly.”
That earned her a chuckle from Donovan. “Hopefully, the meatballs will be to your liking.”
“I love them,” Avery said. She was clearly Uncle Donovan’s biggest fan.
Donovan had all the ingredients out on the kitchen island. Kelly didn’t even realize meatballs had eggs in them. Avery situated herself in between the two adults and Donovan gave them both a job.
“How are you at chopping onions?” he asked Kelly.
“I’m probably good.”
“Have you chopped onions before?”
“Not really. I’m better at doing this...” She pulled out her phone and pretended to call someone. “Hello, I’d like to order some food for takeout.” She put her phone down. “The delivery guy from Johnny’s Grill and I are practically best friends.”
Avery slapped her hand against her forehead and giggled. Donovan moved the cutting board back by him.
“I think I’ll chop the onions while you help Avery measure out the other ingredients. You can pour things into measuring cups and spoons and then dump them into the bowl, can’t you?”
Kelly picked up one of the measuring cups. “I can handle that.”
“I’ll help you,” Avery whispered to her. Her big brown eyes were framed by the thickest lashes. She was the sweetest thing.
Avery added bread crumbs to a small bowl and Kelly poured a half cup of milk in there, as well. Avery stirred it a bit and then left it so the bread crumbs could soak up the milk. In the bigger bowl, Donovan had placed two kinds of ground meat. Avery and Kelly both added a pinch of salt and pepper. They put in some garlic and parsley, as well.
Donovan
sniffled and pretended to wipe tears away. “I’m done with these onions. They always make me cry.”
Avery’s giggle was the perfect remedy for the anxiety Kelly had been feeling about her situation. “He always cries when he does the onions. I don’t know why it’s so sad!”
“Your uncle is a very sensitive guy.”
Donovan smirked and pushed his sleeves up. “Who is going to crack the eggs for me?”
Avery raised her hand. “Me!”
“Probably a good idea. For some reason when I make scrambled eggs for breakfast, they’re always a little crunchy from little bits of shell.”
“Ew! You’re not supposed to eat the shell.”
“I know. I don’t try to eat them. It just happens.”
“It’s a miracle you have survived this long on your own,” Donovan said. “I also feel bad for your future children.”
“My future children will be fine,” she argued. “I plan to marry a man who can cook or one who loves eating out as much as I do. Maybe I’ll even marry the delivery guy from Johnny’s Grill.”
“When’s dinner going to be ready?” Graham called down from upstairs.
“About forty minutes!” Donovan yelled back. “Why don’t you come down and help?”
“No, thanks!” he said before slamming his door shut.
Donovan scowled. “I’m going to take his door off if he does that again.”
“I was a big door slammer when I was in high school,” Kelly admitted. Her parents used to make her so mad when they would set so many annoying limits. It was like they didn’t trust her judgment at all. “Sometimes it’s the only way to let off some steam.”
“I think he can find other ways that don’t damage my house.”
Kelly realized she had crossed a line. She shouldn’t get in the middle of Donovan and his nephew. She had no idea what was going on between the two of them. “You’re right. I didn’t mean to mind your business.”
* * *
DONOVAN WASN’T LOOKING for parenting advice from someone who didn’t have any children herself. “Who’s ready to get their hands dirty and make some meatballs?” he asked, changing the subject.
