“You know, you’ve just described my situation perfectly,” Dexter declared, laughing softly through his plump lips, which had turned an odd shade of purple with the cold.
“How so?” I pressed curiously.
“I thought going to college would show Aunt Sarah that I meant business. I thought it would prove to her that I was serious about getting my life back in order. But I just couldn’t do it here. I needed to get away. Seeing my mom every day… it was tearing me apart. How selfish is that?”
“It’s not selfish. It’s how you dealt with a situation the best you knew how. Nobody blames you, Dex… for anything.” I cupped the freezing skin of his beaming red cheek with my gloved hand and rubbed it softly. “So, you’re doing it for someone else too, eh?” I asked, reverting the subject back to our original – less angst-ridden - discussion.
“Kinda,” he shrugged. “I mean I really do want to make something of myself – make her proud. But I’ve fallen so behind anyway when I decided to go all MIA on your ass, and I just don’t know if I’m interested enough to catch up. But then, we gotta think of the fees, doll. We still gotta pay for the full year so we might as well give it a shot don’t you think?”
“Maybe. Let’s just agree that it’s not a priority. Family is a priority and Sarah is family. No one should be alone on Christmas.”
“Sure, Cindy-Lou,” he teased. You’ve seen The Grinch right? If not, then that comment will have gone completely over your head so just ignore it. Or Google it. “That’s one of the reasons I love you so much. You’re always thinking of everyone else. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – you fucking amaze me, doll.”
I was grateful my cheeks were too red from the frigid weather to expose the blush I now felt heating them up. My insides literally melted when he said things like that. No one in the whole world has ever made me feel as special as Dexter and I could only hope in time he would learn to feel that way as well - because he is the most special person in the world to me too.
“Thank fuck for that,” Dexter blared when he saw our bus approaching. “I’m getting’ freakin’ frostbite here.”
“Hypochondriac much?”
“Hey, you’ll have a little more sympathy when my dick gets so cold it shrivels up and falls off. I’m not the only one who makes use of him these days remember?”
“Him?”
“Sure. I’ve actually been thinking of naming him lately. Maybe… Percy. Yeah, Percy Penis. Got a nice ring to it don’t ya think?”
“What I think is… you need to stick your arm out for that bus or we’ll be here all bloody day,” I said, rolling my eyes and trying not to giggle.
“Come on, doll. Take my hand.” He offered his hand out to me and I placed mine in his – pink glove to brown. Then when the bus slowed he pulled me up the steps and raced me to the back like we were still in high school. But he didn’t stop there in his quest to relive his lost teenage years – because we made out on the back seat all the way home. I was too busy engrossed in all things Dexter to be embarrassed, and I can officially say that was the funnest bus ride I’d ever taken in my life.
**********
Later in the evening Dexter went out for a long run to make up for all the ones he’s missed since being here and Sarah had an appointment with Deborah’s solicitor regarding her will. Left alone I decided to make myself useful and set about making dinner. There were potatoes in the pantry and what looked like minced beef bagged up in the freezer so I decided to make a good old British shepherd’s pie to surprise them both.
While dicing the onion I found in the fridge I thought back to the afternoon and the moment we told Sarah we were staying on for a few weeks. Sarah being the selfless person she is, she tried to tell us it was unnecessary and that she would be fine, but when I looked carefully I saw her wedge-clad feet tapping away as if she was nervous about our response – as if she was worried we might agree with her. Then, when we made it clear she couldn’t get rid of us so easily, her face twisted into its first true smile since Deborah passed away. I think I even detected a hint of a squeal.
I’ve not told anyone back home about our plans yet but I know they’ll understand. Well, maybe Chris will have an opinion as usual. No doubt he’ll be miffed I’m risking my degree for some lowly barman I barely know or something along those lines. As for my parents – I doubt they’ll even notice I’m not there. Little do they know I wasn’t planning on being there anyway this year. But hey, my mum will have her posh friends to impress so she’ll probably be grateful her embarrassments – sorry, kids – won’t be there to ruin it. And if I do end up risking my degree? I have no doubt in my mind she’ll be first in line to say I told you so.
After scraping the onion into the bottom of a frying pan the doorbell rang. Wiping my hands on a nearby dishcloth I tentatively made my way towards it. It felt sort of cheeky opening the door to someone else’s house like I owned the joint, but I couldn’t ignore it in case it was someone important. Or maybe someone wanting to pay their belated respects. Anyway, I headed for the heavy door and dragged it open.
“Hi,” a man – early fifties maybe, with faded brown hair and a firm smile – greeted me. “I’m looking for a Dexter Michaels,” he stated. “I knew his mom,” he clarified.
“Um, he’s out just now but he shouldn’t be long. You’re welcome to come in and wait for him,” I offered, feeling guilty leaving him stood out in the cold.
“Thank you,” he said warmly. “I will.” Smiling welcomingly I led the man into the living room and motioned my hand towards the couch for him to sit down.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” he answered curtly, looking around the room – almost like he was analysing it. Fair enough I thought to myself. He seemed like a miserable old sod to be honest but then he was probably grieving seeing as he knew Deborah and everything.
Naturally I stayed with him out of politeness, standing behind the armchair and resting my forearms on it. I tapped my foot against the carpet and checked the clock every ten seconds. He didn’t speak so neither did I. I was beginning to regret opening the door now. The atmosphere was so silent and awkward it was getting embarrassing, and the more seconds that passed the hotter my cheeks became.
Seventeen minutes later (though it felt like seventeen hours) I jumped upright to the sound of the key turning in the lock. I rushed towards it – eager to see a familiar face.
“Happy to see you too, doll,” Dexter teased, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I’ve just done a five-mile circuit though so I probably stink. You might wanna back off a little.”
“You’ve got a visitor,” I said with a smile – relieved that I could return to busying myself in the kitchen while Dexter tended to the stranger in the living room. Dexter’s eyes flipped to the couch where the man whose name I’d forgotten to ask was in the middle of standing up.
When all traces of blood visibly drained from Dexter’s face, the smile I was wearing evaporated from my face instantaneously. Sensing something bad was happening I grabbed Dexter’s forearm and squeezed it anxiously. The man offered Dexter a sly looking grin which made his arm tremble beneath my fingers before taking a step towards us.
“Hello, son.”
To be continued…
This isn’t the end of Emily and Dexter’s story. Stay tuned for the next instalment of the Take My Hand series - Hold On Tight, coming January 2014.
Other titles by Nicola Haken
Inevitable
Saving Amy
Available across all e-platforms and in paperback now
Acknowledgements
I need to begin by thanking my wonderful family and friends for their continued support and encouragement. Without my parents and my husband taking over the kids while I write, none of this would be possible. I love you all!
Next is a special shout out to all the fabulous bloggers out there. Thank you for all the amazing work you do in helping to promote us authors. Thank
you for bigging us up and encouraging us and most importantly, for sharing all the hot guy pictures ;-) I truly believe I wouldn’t have made it half as far as I am without your support. BOOK BLOGGERS RULE!
Extra thanks goes to The Book Enthusiast and Book Enthusiast Promotions. Especially Debra for all her hard work and support with my blog tours and to Paula for inflating my ego, her unwavering encouragement and for being an all round awesome gal!
Another shout out to my fellow authors too. I have made so many new and wonderful friends since starting this journey and again I feel encouraged by all of you. It’s like we’re all in this together and I love that!
Yet again, thank you to James at Cover Designs by humblenations.com for my fabulous cover which I adore.
Thank you to my best friend/sister in law/fellow book addict, Keeley Wall, for being you! Thank you for brainstorming with me, reading with me, editing with me, pimping me out and most of all, for just being amazing!
Thank you to my fabulous beta readers for lending me a few extra pairs of critical eyes. Extra special thanks to Karen Peacock for all her amazing feedback, suggestions and pimping!
Finally I would like to thank my readers. I am overwhelmed by your support and positivity and I’d like to say a HUGE thank you to each and every person that’s read one of my books. As for my Facebook likers and Twitter followers – I love getting to know you all and thanks so much for joining in with me. You guys rock!
About the Author
I live in Rochdale, England with my husband, four children and Heinz 57 dog Pippa. I’m a true home bird and have never lived more than a street away from the family home where I grew up – currently living smack bang in the middle of my parent’s and sister and her family.
I read as much as I write and am a self-confessed ‘book whore’ who is proud to have a list of book boyfriends longer than my arm. When I’m not reading and writing I can usually be found being the house’s resident slave – cooking, cleaning, picking up after everyone… although if you ever catch me doing a bucketful of ironing – call an ambulance. That means something’s seriously wrong with me!
That’s about it really. I’m actually pretty boring. That’s why I write – all the exciting stuff goes on in my head! Oh, and did I mention I’m the world’s biggest Twilight fan? Well I am – so there ;-)
And that’s my life…
Thanks for reading!
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Take My Hand Page 26
