Without Claire

by Mallory Funk

  He told me that he wanted me to move in with him for a long time, and was insistent that I move in now. If I would have put up a fight, he would move my ass in anyways since I can’t move around that well. He said that he hated sleeping without me on the nights that I went back to my apartment. I had told him that I hated it too.

  Since all my clothes were covered in smoke, the girls had taken it upon themselves to get clothes for me. They refused to let me give them money. They had also pampered me at home since I didn’t want to go anywhere.

  Home. I can’t believe that after all this time, this place is home. I wanted it so bad, and now I finally have it. I can go to bed in Sam’s arms, and wake up in them every day. Well, except for prank days, but everyone put on a temporary truce until I get my cast off and can walk properly. The girls’ argument was that I couldn’t run away if they attacked with water balloons again which made me laugh. I know that everyone agreed since they didn’t want me to feel left out.

  Sam, Noah, and Cole have taken it upon themselves to go and check out my apartment. I told them to get rid of anything that was ruined, and that I had all the important things in a fire proof box. When Sam asked if I had anything of my family’s in the house, I told him that I didn’t as it was still all locked up in my old town. He nodded his head understandingly. He told me that Paige has a room in her house full of her parents’ things that she has never gone through, and that maybe we can help each other out with that one day.

  Paige and I both have different pasts and reasons why we haven’t gone through our family’s things, but I think that we are both the same in that we are scared to open old wounds. I know that I’m not ready, but I also know that whenever Paige is ready, I will be there to help her go through everything.

  After Sam and the others come back, they say that there is nothing that they can save from my place, but they were able to get my safe. I told him just to put it away, and I would open it when I was ready.

  Then he came in carrying a bag with a new lap top, tablet, and phone for me. I started crying immediately. He told me that he didn’t want me not having one to stop me from writing. I already know what I was going to be doing late into the night- playing with my new devices. I always had to spend time playing with new phones or computers when I got them. It was just something about having a new one that made it seem like Christmas.

  Sam had to practically pry them out of my hands so that I could pay attention to everyone at dinner.

  Thomas and Stephanie had come over, and the guys decided to make pasta. We all talked and laughed, but it wasn’t until Thomas and Stephanie left that we decided to play a game.

  I told everyone that I wanted to see Paige play Pictionary. They all had a look of terror on their faces, and Kyle kept glancing at the front door like he was going to run out of there any minute. Is she seriously that bad? I remember her being bad at charades the first night I was here, but how much worse was she at Pictionary?

  A couple hours later,

  I was wrong. Paige was bad. Very bad. No one wanted to be on her team so we ended up putting names in hats which seemed to make Paige even more mad.

  Sam had got placed on her team, and I had to bite my cheek from laughing at the look of horror on his face.

  Everyone took a turn while Paige sat back tapping her foot on the floor out of impatience, and grumbling at everyone to hurry and answer when someone took a minute too long for her liking.

  I think that everyone made Sam and Paige go last just to torture her. I could see amusement in everyone’s eyes.

  “Okay, you can do this. Be the board. You are the Board. Let your hand do the drawing,” Paige mutters quietly, but we all hear it. I bury my face in my hands to hide my laughter.

  “Okay… Come on board- let’s do this,” Sam says with a teasing smile.

  She narrows her eyes at him. “Don’t ruin my focus!” she snaps, and then turns around to the easel standing in the middle of the living room cracking her head from side to side and shaking out her arms. Seriously? This girl is unreal.

  I snort into my hands, and I hear Noah chuckle beside me. “This is going to be good,” he whispers through the side of his mouth. All I can do is nod my head. I’m not even sure that I’m breathing right now.

  Noah nudges me when I don’t bring my face up. “Watch, she’s drawing.”

  I calm myself enough to look up, but that’s short lived. I can’t help the burst of laughter that escapes me.

  Paige turns around, and narrows her eyes at me. “What seems to be funny, Claire?” She crosses her arms over her chest.

  I point to the drawing since I can’t seem to find my voice.

  She looks back at it, and then looks back at me. She glares. You’d think I should be scared of that look in her eyes, but I’m not. If anything, it makes me want to laugh even more.

  “You got a problem with my airplane?” At that admission, everyone burst out in laughter. I am literally gasping for air. Paige throws her hands in the air in frustration. Before she can storm off, Trevor grabs her waist and sits her on his lap.

  Let me give you a picture of this airplane. The body of the plane is ten times bigger than the wings which I’m sure would not work. There are what I think are clouds under it making it look like the plane is actually riding them. There is something long on top of the plane with a smile on its face.

  “What was the guess?” I ask through laughter.

  “I’m not telling you assholes.” Paige crosses her arms over her chest and pouts like a two-year-old.

  Courtney gets up and grabs the paper from Paige’s pocket with no shame of digging into her pants.

  She looks down at the paper and back at the board, and starts laughing. “It’s snakes on a plane.”

  I throw my head back and start laughing. It’s not long after that when everyone joins in.

  The rest of the night is spent making fun of Paige, and is filled with a bunch of laughter. Later that night, I head to bed with Sam and think of this as our new normal. This isn’t just Sam’s room anymore. It’s Ours.

  Epilogue

  Sam

  Last night after we played games and I held Claire in my arms, I fell asleep knowing that she was going to have nightmares. They happen almost every night, and they always end with her screaming my name. I asked her what they were about, and she said that they were of the fire. She told me before she blacked out that the last thought she had was me, but in her nightmares, she doesn’t make it out of the fire. I just hold her tighter now whispering in her ear that it’s all going to be alright. I hope that one day they will go away. If she needs to talk to someone, then I will be there to support her.

  I think of the last four months, and everything that happened. I didn’t know that one family dinner would bring Claire into my life, and on her birthday too. I know I will never forget that day because it’s the day that changed my life. It’s the day that my “one” came into it.

  I never knew what love felt like. I had no desire to find it until I had seen my brothers fall for their girls. I started to wonder what it would be like to find the girl for me. The one to make me see only her and no one else; the one I knew without a doubt that I would do anything for. I don’t remember ever feeling so happy than when Claire is with me. When the fire happened, I didn’t know what I would do if I had lost her, if she hadn’t of woke up in time. I couldn’t imagine my life without Claire, and I hope that I don’t have to for a long time.

  The next morning, we head down for coffee. Claire insists upon walking down the stairs by herself even though I try to persuade her to let me carry her. She called me crazy and told me to let her walk. I reluctantly agreed, but I told her that I was making her coffee, and to go sit down. She grumbled that she wouldn’t be able to carry it outside anyways with her crutches.

  As I am making coffee, Tara comes in looking a little pale, but she has a fake smile on her face. I know these girls that I call my sisters inside and out. I know that she is prete
nding to smile because the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. She enters the kitchen, grabs a coffee mug from the cupboard, and then quickly clutches the counter. I grab her elbow afraid that she is going to fall.

  “Whoa, babe, are you okay? You don’t look so good.” I ask, her worry lacing my tone.

  She looks up at me and blinks slowly, and I swear that she is getting paler by the second. “I… I… don’t know what’s wrong…I was fine last night,” she says on a whisper. It looked like it took all of her strength to talk.

  “Here let’s sit you dow-“ Before I can finish my sentence, she sags in my grip; however, my reflexes are quick, and I am able to catch her.

  “T?” I move her head and it flops back. I notice that her eyes are closed.

  “T! Tara! Wake up babe! Shit.” I reach out my hand, and notice it has a slight shake to it. I feel her neck for a pulse. It’s there, but it’s weak. Fuck. No, no, no…

  “Fuck! Someone call an ambulance!” I yell loudly.

  Trevor comes running in from outside with Kyle on his heels. I hear stomping down the stairs, and Derek and Courtney come running down. I look at Derek, and the color drains from his face before he runs to me and Tara.

  “Baby? BABY? Fuck. Wake up, baby! What the fuck happened?” Derek is yelling now.

  I hear Trevor on the phone calling the ambulance. I shake my head, and put her in Derek’s arms.

  “I don’t know. She came into the kitchen looking pale, and then it looked like she got dizzy reaching for a cup, so I told her that maybe she should sit down, and that’s when she collapsed right in front of me. I was able to catch her so that she didn’t hit anything, but her pulse is barely there. Fuck!!”

  The paramedics come crashing into the front door. They tell everyone to give them some room. We all move back, but Noah and Luke have to hold Derek back. I have my arms around Claire while we wait on them to work on her.

  They put Tara on a stretcher and look at us. We all look to each other with panic and worry in our faces. This can’t be happening.

  Next in the Hastings Brother Series:

  Courtney and Cole’s Story (Winter 2018)

  Other books by Mallory Funk:

  The Hastings brothers Series:

  My Sweet Paige (Trevor and Paige)

  Without Claire (Claire and Sam)

  Crazy about Tara (Derek and Tara)

  Cole and Courtney (Winter 2018)

  The Davis Sisters Series:

  Loving a Davis (Mark and Ava)

  Falling for a Davis (Tyler and Jessica)

  A baby with a Davis (Novella) (Coming Fall 2018)

  Saving a Davis (Eliza and Carter) (Coming Winter 2018)

  Vicious Snakes MC:

  Accidentally Yours (A MC Novel)

  Connect with me:

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormalloryfunk/

  Instagram: malloryfunk33

  Email: authormalloryfunk@gmail.com

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17077624.Mallory_Funk

  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mallory-Funk/e/B0746LG54Q/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

  BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mallory-funk

  Author Notes:

  Thank you so much to my husband for standing by me and listening to all the ramblings I go on about my books!

  Another thanks to my Beta Readers Lori and Ashley! I love that I can bounce ideas off of you for books and your continued support for my work!

  To my editor Amber! Thank you for putting up with my nagging on how the edit it going! I get nervous how every story is turned out and you help me make my books what they are!

  To my sisters and mother! I love the support and how much you guys love my books! I’m so thankful I have you all to come to!

  About the Author:

  Mallory Funk has enjoyed writing since she was a child. Raised by three other siblings by a single mother, Mallory often places an importance on her characters having, or developing, strong familial bonds. Mallory has always wanted a big family, and is now married with three children. Mallory has a strong sense of humor and making people laugh. Her teasing nature is always in good fun, and often shows up in her writing. Mallory can usually be seen at her home in Nipawin, Saskatchewan sitting with her laptop, and laughing at her own jokes as she writes them for her newest book.