Stolen Hearts (The Stolen Series Book 3)

by Renee Harless

  “Hey, what has you so worried?”

  “What if. . .what if she doesn’t like me?” I ask him honestly, my biggest fear purging from me without a second thought. “What if I remind her of everything that she’s lost?”

  Wordlessly Hunter wraps his arm around my shoulder and then pulls me against his side, my head immediately rests on his shoulder.

  “You’re worrying over nothing. She’s going to love you. And you forget, you’re the closest thing she has to her mother right now. If she is scared, we’ll work through it, but I don’t think you’re going to have anything to worry about. Besides, we’re just meeting her today; we can work out details and things tomorrow.”

  “You’re right. Do you think she’ll be scared?”

  “Probably, but that’s okay, I’m great with kids. You forget I’ve got a lot of cousins with children and Sara is starting up that daycare. I stop by and help when I’m in their area. Not that it’s happened recently. I’ve been too busy, which is really a shame. I kind of like the rugrats.”

  I continue to lean against Hunter, soaking in his warmth and composure as we wait for Tabitha’s arrival. But I’ve never been one for silence, the quiet usually getting to me after just a few minutes.

  “I’m surprised that Mr. Sedgwick never questioned our relationship. He never even mentioned the fact that I wasn’t wearing a ring.”

  “Maybe he thought you were one of those women that doesn’t like jewelry.”

  “Hmm. . .maybe.”

  “Do you?”

  “Do I what?” I ask, sitting up and away from him.

  “Like jewelry.”

  “Oh.” I pause and glance back out the window. “I’m not sure. I’ve never had any.”

  “Ever?” he whispers in surprise.

  Most little girls have at least plastic jewelry or costume necklaces and rings that they wear, but I was never that privileged.

  “Nope, never. Oh, look. They’re here,” I exclaim jumping from the couch and running for the front door.

  Even through my excitement and nervousness, I can hear Hunter vaguely say, “I’ll be changing that.”

  Mr. Sedgwick’s red sedan comes barreling up the driveway like a rocket launched into space until he comes to an immediate halt, dust and rocks flying everywhere from his braking. I try not to let my smile falter as I watch him scramble from the car and move toward the trunk to remove a few bags.

  An older woman with a pleasant grin waves at me as she exits and then turns around to open the back passenger door. As she reaches inside to unbuckle the carseat, I feel a hand slip into mine offering his strength.

  “We forgot a carseat,” I whisper through my frozen grin.

  “Naw, my mom is coming by with a carseat and stroller.”

  Surprised with his response, I turn my attention away from the car and look at Hunter. “What?”

  “Yeah, my mom wanted to do something nice. She’s pretty excited, first grandkid and all.”

  “Hunter. . .we’re not-“

  “Here she is.”

  Whipping my head around, I watch in wonder and alarm as a dark head of curls ambles out of the car holding a ratty teddy bear. The dark brown, almost black strands shimmer in the sun and a memory hits me before I can pull it back. A vision of my sister with her dark hair curled into ringlets for an Easter celebration comes to mind. We were clothed in matching dresses with pink and purple flowers covering the pattern. But I remember standing outside in the yard as the hats we were wearing flew into the air from a gust of wind. My sister and I had laughed as we chased them around the yard to keep from getting in trouble and every time I would look over to see if my sister had caught her bonnet yet, the sun would be beaming on her like a spotlight.

  “Oh, Viv,” I whisper as I continue to watch the child steady herself beside the foster mother.

  Even from this distance, it’s easy to see the fear and confusion on the two-year-old’s face. She’s uncomfortable with the unfamiliar woman squatting down to speak to her and offer her a hand. Tabitha refuses.

  “Why don’t we have a seat on the steps,” Hunter suggests. “That way she can come to you on her level.”

  Nodding, I take the two steps down to the ground and then sit my bottom on the last step, Hunter doing the same, but his grip on my hand never waivers.

  Tabitha has yet to look over in our direction; she’s listening intently to the foster mother and Mr. Sedgwick as I assume they try to explain the situation to her. I’m not sure how you tell a toddler that her mother is gone and she will be living with her aunt forever. Or I hope forever. I pray Mr. Sedgwick locates Vivian’s Will; I don’t want my niece anywhere near my old family.

  As if my internal musings call out to Tabitha’s subconscious, the little girl turns her entire body and stares at me. I blink, she blinks, then as fast as her short legs can take her she runs forward and launches herself in my arms. Tabitha’s tiny limbs wrap around my neck and cling to me with all of her strength. I squeeze her right back, equally as firm.

  No one says anything, not Hunter, Mr. Sedgwick, or the unnamed foster mother. But within that silence, I hear the tiniest of cries muffled by my neck and hair.

  “Oh, sweetie,” I comfort her, rubbing my hand down her hair as she continues to sob. “I miss her too, but I’m going to take good care of you.” My last words end on a shaky breath and I try my hardest to keep my own tears at bay, but I’m quickly losing the battle. I feel a brush of warmth against my back, trailing upward toward my shoulder. Hunter guides me to rest against him and I willingly comply.

  “Here are some tissues,” the foster mother offers with a kind smile. “She’s probably left a mess on your hair and clothes.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t mind.” I smile as I take the offered box, grabbing a few tissues from the pack before handing it back. “I’m Taylor and this is Hunter.”

  “I’m Ms. Grady. I’m not sure if Mr. Sedgwick had a chance to explain, but we received a call this morning about a set of five children being taken from a domestic situation. Unfortunately, we are only approved to foster five children at a time. We can send Tabitha somewhere new tonight if you’re not prepared for her yet, but Mr. Sedgwick felt that you had everything she would need.”

  “Oh, we’d be happy to take her tonight.”

  “Are you sure? I know that it can take some adjustment, I just hate to split up siblings right now.”

  Gazing down at Tabitha’s head where she had finally stopped crying and had worn herself out, snoozing on my shoulder, I smile warmly as I caress the back of her head.

  “I’m positive.”

  “That’s such good news. She’s had a rough couple of days, barely eaten or slept. I think she’ll be happy here.”

  “I sure hope so.”

  I watch as Hunter stands and carries the few bags inside the house with Tabitha’s things and then comes back out and shakes Mr. Sedgwick’s hand.

  “I’ll let you two know when I find out anything regarding your sister’s Will. I have a few teams working on it so we should find something soon. In the meantime, I’ll let you all get settled. I’m sure you understand that we have to do a few unscheduled drop-ins, but you don’t need to worry. I’m surely not. Anyway, you all have a nice afternoon.”

  “You too,” Hunter and I say simultaneously to the group.

  They amble back to the car, waving as they drive off.

  “Come on,” Hunter says, crouching in front of me, running his hand gently over Tabitha’s hair. “Let’s get her inside.”

  He helps me stand without jostling Tabitha and I follow him through the open door and down the hall to her new bedroom. Gently, I lay her in the crib and cover her with a soft blanket before Hunter and I lean against the railing, watching her lips pucker as she sleeps.

  “Welcome home, sweet girl.”

  And I get the strangest feeling that Hunter isn’t speaking only to Tabitha, that he’s talking to me, too.

  Chapter Seven – Hunter
<
br />   TAYLOR AND I SPEND the better part of our afternoon quietly sitting on the couch while Tabitha rests. I know that my mom is itching to stop by since she’s been texting me like crazy for the last two hours, but I didn’t want to overwhelm Tabitha or Taylor more than they already are.

  I watch Taylor aimlessly flip through the television channels until she lands on a movie to fill the silence in the room.

  “Hey, what do you think about seeing if Elle and Jackson want to bring Noah and Kennedy over this weekend? Tabitha may like to be around some other kids.”

  “Maybe? I don’t want to push her to too much too quickly.”

  The sound of bare feet shuffling along the hardwood floors of the hall perks up my ears and my head whips at the same time as Taylor’s as Tabitha ventures toward us.

  “How did she?” Taylor asks in awe.

  “I’m going to suggest we turn her crib into a toddler bed so that she doesn’t hurt herself.”

  “Good idea.”

  She wobbles her way toward us, and with a dreamy look still on her face, she climbs up on the couch and plants herself between Taylor and me. Settling her head against Taylor’s legs, she stretches her tiny legs across mine.

  “Comfy?” I ask and she nods before reaching behind her and grabbing the blanket resting along the back of the couch.

  I chuckle when I notice how easily she has made herself at home here, now if only I could get Taylor to do the same.

  “Hey, Tabitha, did you sleep in a big girl bed at your house?” As she nods enthusiastically, I continue, “Were you learning how to use the big girl potty?” Again, she nods, moving her entire body. “Can I call you Tabby?” Instead of agreeing, this time she squishes her button nose in disgust.

  “Pwincess.”

  Surprised to hear her speak, Taylor looks down and rubs a gentle hand against Tabitha’s head. “You like to be called Princess?”

  “Mommy Pwincess.”

  With a sad smile, Taylor looks lovingly at Tabitha before turning her eyes toward me.

  “You know,” I begin, “I have just the thing for a princess. Want to see?”

  Both girls look at me in anticipation and I hurry off the couch and down the hall to where I had stored a special gift for Tabitha and Taylor. Returning to the living room with my hands full, I place a pale pink box in each of their laps.

  One pair of raptured eyes stay focused on the task at hand, but the other narrows in my direction before turning back to the box and opening it slowly.

  “A weal pwincess cwown!” Tabitha shouts as she grips it tightly in her hand. I laugh behind my hand as Taylor pulls out a matching tiara as if it’s going to snap at her.

  “You think this is funny, don’t you?” Taylor asks as Tabitha bounces around her on the couch in delight.

  “You should put it on, I bet you’ll look like a queen,” I joke, earning me another glare.

  “I do it!” Tabitha shouts as she grabs the crown from Taylor’s hands and places it cock-eyed on her head. Instead of rolling her eyes, Taylor smiles at Tabitha and helps her place her own tiara on her bouncing ringlets.

  “Beautiful,” I exclaim to them both.

  “You’re going to pay for this later,” Taylor warns as she tries to settle Tabitha back on the couch.

  “I sure hope so.” Her head swings up at me in surprise and I wink before heading to the kitchen for a bottle of water.

  The water soothes my dry throat, my nervousness of Tabitha waking up in an unfamiliar place and screaming out had shaken me to my core. But I should have known someone related to Taylor would be just as resilient as her aunt.

  My knuckles turn a translucent shade of white as I set the bottle aside and grip the edge of the kitchen counter, my gaze trained to my backyard. That plot of land left untouched in my drawing now calls to me. Something inside of me knew there was only one thing that could be placed there, even before I knew of Tabitha’s existence, I have envisioned a playground for the family I hoped to have one day. A family I can now see clear as day splashing in a pool, climbing through a row of trees lining the yard, and calling out from their clubhouse.

  I can see it all as if it’s right there in front of me. A vision I wasn’t prepared for prior to this week but now doesn’t seem all that scary.

  “Hey, Hunter? There is a car coming.”

  I knew she couldn’t stay away. She’s about to get a hell of a surprise when she realizes that she not only gets to meet Taylor, officially, but that Tabitha is here as well.

  Shaking my head despite my smile, I move back toward the living room where Tabitha is sitting on the floor opposite from Taylor. From what I can tell they’re having a pretend tea party.

  “It’s my mom, I haven’t said that Tabitha is here, but she probably wants to meet you. If it’s too much, I can meet her on the porch and explain that it’s not a good time.”

  Taylor smiles as Tabitha takes a sip from her pretend teacup and then turns her eyes toward me.

  “It’s okay. She seems to be adjusting well. Maybe she just needed someone that felt like family and a couple hours of shut-eye.”

  “Okay, good. Because my mother is ruthless. She would have found her way inside one way or another.”

  Taylor lets out a laugh-filled huff, she’s familiar with my aunt after planning both Jackson’s and Cooper’s weddings. Must be a motherly thing.

  As I move toward the door to greet my mother, I send a wink in Taylor’s direction loving the way her cheeks redden and she tucks her chin down toward her chest.

  “Hey, Mom,” I call out. My mother hasn’t aged a day since I can remember. Her dark hair is cut right at her chin, showcasing ivory skin not showing a single wrinkle.

  She looks up at me, her green eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun as she yells back toward me. “Ya know, you could come help your mother with this box.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  My mother stands beside me as I pull out the large wrapped box from the back of her SUV and awkwardly carry it into the house.

  “Oh, let me help you with that,” Taylor says, jumping up from the floor.

  “That’s okay. I’ve got it.”

  Sliding the oversized box down my body, I place it on the foyer floor in front of Taylor.

  Waving my mother forward, I introduce them. “Mom, this is Taylor Hughes. Taylor, this is my mother, Amanda.” The two women shake hands and I can immediately see that my mother is just as taken with Taylor as I am. “And this,” I point into the living room,” is Tabitha.”

  “Oh. Oh my!” my mother whispers in a shocked expression, her eyes widen and sparkle in delight. “She’s here already?”

  “Yeah, it’s a long story.”

  “Can I?” she asks, her question clearly meant for Taylor as she maintains her anxious gaze toward the living room.

  I turn my attention away and look at Tabitha playing in the living room, carrying on with her tea party as if nothing has changed.

  My mom approaches the toddler slowly and then sits crossed leg in the spot Taylor has vacated. Tabitha looks at her and blinks twice before pretending to fill a cup with tea and handing it to my mom.

  “Well, that went better than I expected,” Taylor adds as she leans against the living room opening watching the scene unfold.

  “Yeah, mom has always been really good with kids. Why don’t you open the gift? I’m sure it’s the stroller I mentioned earlier.”

  Cautiously, Taylor moves toward the box and slips her finger under the brightly colored paper exposing the white cardboard box beneath. As expected, the box is filled with the top-of-the-line stroller and carseat in a separate box resting on top.

  “Oh my gosh, Hunter. I can’t accept these. They must have cost a fortune.”

  “You would insult my parents if you didn’t. They’re thrilled to have someone new to spoil.”

  Before I have a chance to move, Taylor launches herself at me, pulling me against her body. Of course, my mom finds this as the opportune time to tur
n her head and pin us beneath her gaze. She smiles as I wrap my arms around Taylor’s waist and tug her just a little bit closer.

  “God, I’m a mess,” Taylor whispers into my neck as I feel droplets fall onto my skin. She sniffles against my shirt and then pulls back and looks at me in embarrassment.

  “Did you just wipe your snot on my shirt?” I ask in mock disgust, pulling the upper portion of my shirt with two fingers.

  Denying my claim, she shakes her head while looking down at the floor.

  “I think you did. I think you wiped your nose on my shirt on purpose.”

  “I did not!” she exclaims in horror. “It just happened. I’m sorry!”

  “Oh, I absolutely think that you did it on purpose. Don’t worry though, I’ll get you back for ruining my shirt.”

  “Ruining? You can just wash it, Hunter.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know. There is an awful lot of snot on this shirt. Pretty sure it’s destroyed.”

  “Destroyed? Hunter, you’re being ridiculous.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see about that,” I tell her as I grip the hem of the shirt and rip it over my head, leaving my bare chest right in her line of sight. Her eyes widen and I can’t help but smirk as I turn away and head down the hall for a clean shirt.

  “Thank you for the gift, Mrs. Divers,” I hear Taylor say as I reach into the dresser and tug on the new shirt.

  As I’m walking back to the room I see my mom guide Taylor to a seat on the couch as Tabitha continues to play, I opt to take a seat on the floor across from the two-year-old.

  “I can’t begin to understand what you’re going through; losing your sister and taking custody of your niece. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my husband or me.”

  “Oh, well. . .” I hear Taylor stutter, “That is very kind of you.”

  I know my mother wants to explore more about Taylor, especially since I spilled the beans yesterday about us faking a serious relationship so that social services were more inclined to leave Tabitha in our care until her sister’s Will is found, but she must sense Taylor’s apprehension. I’m not even entirely sure why Taylor seems so bewildered with family, but I could tell from meeting her a few years back that if she were given a choice between fight or flight, she would effortlessly fly off into the distance without a backward glance.