by Riley, Alexa
“Consider it handled. When you take her into the doctors, you have them call my number and I’ll make sure it’s all taken care of. I’ll get it worked out so you don’t have to do anything. Just send me anything you’ve got and I’ll make sure it’s done.”
I throw my arms around him and hug him close. “You don’t know what this means to me. She has to have her pills and I can't afford them without insurance. If the state finds out my mom is gone they might take Hazel from me.” All my worries begin to spill free and I can’t stop the tears that build up and then fall. I was going to have to go to the state if I couldn't get the insurance for Hazel. There would have been no other way. She needs her medication.
Shawn rubs my back softly. “Don’t cry, Bailey. You’re breaking my heart. I’ll fix everything.” I lean back and give him a watery smile. God, where did this sweet man come from?
“They are good tears.” He pulls me towards him and kisses my wet cheeks. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you.”
“How about you let me take you and Hazel out for dinner? Let me get to know your girl, too.”
“I think we can do that, but first let me introduce you to her,” I tell Shawn as I stand up and hug him. “Thank you so much.”
When we walk out of the office I feel lighter than I have in a very long time. Maybe ever.
Chapter 6
Shawn
Bailey pulls her hand from mine as we leave the office. I want to reach out and grab it back, but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. This is all uncharted territory for me, so I decide to go with the flow. I’m technically her boss, but as far as company policy goes you can date people you work with as long as you disclose it to Human Resources. I sent an email to our head of HR last night. I knew if I had even a second alone with Bailey I’d kiss her. Damn, that kiss. It was too fucking good, because now I can’t stop thinking about it.
I watch as Bailey goes over to one of the registers and leans in to talk to another young girl. She’s smaller than Bailey and looks a bit younger, but they both have the same blonde hair and soft brown eyes. They talk alone for a second until Bailey turns around and smiles at me.
“Shawn, this is my sister, Hazel. Hazel, this is Shawn.”
“I’m trying to see Britney,” she says and points the headphone in her ear. “You’re tall.”
“Thanks. It’s nice to meet you.” I hold my hand out for her to shake it and she looks at it and then smiles. She grabs my wrist and turns my hand so the palm is facing her. Then she hits it with hers like a high five. “Sorry, I guess I was doing that wrong.”
“It’s okay. That’s how we learn,” she says and shrugs. It sounds like something she’s been told before. “He’s hot, Bailey,” she says, a little too loud because of the headphones. “I like your tattoos.”
Bailey buries her face in her hands as Hazel steps closer to me and pulls my arm out so she can look at them. Her eyebrows draw together as she studies the lines and then she drops my arm and steps back.
“Do you like cows?”
The question takes me off-guard, but I nod. “Yeah, I do actually.”
“You should come meet Sugar. She would like you.” With that, Hazel turns back around and puts in her other headphone so that she’s got both ears tuned in.
“She’s trying to win tickets to go see Britney Spears,” Bailey says and looks at Hazel with so much love. “But Sugar is the cow that she’s adopted. It wandered past our fence one day and she loved her so much she couldn’t let her go.”
“I know the feeling,” I say as I reach out and tuck Bailey’s blonde hair behind her ear. She blushes, and I wish I could lean down and kiss her again, but I know if I do I won’t be able to stop. “So, what about dinner tonight? Can I take you and Hazel out?”
Bailey reaches over and taps Hazel on the shoulder. After a second she takes her earbud out. “Do you want to go to dinner with Shawn?”
Hazel looks at me and then looks at Bailey. “You get to come, too, right?”
“Yes. It would be the three of us,” Bailey says, smiling at her.
“Yes. I want spaghetti,” Hazel says.
“My favorite,” I say, and she smiles at me.
With that, I decide I need to walk away or I’m going to stand beside them all day and get nothing accomplished. I tell them I’ll see them later and go back to the office. I sit down then stand up, then I start to pace. I’m full of energy now and, more importantly, anticipation. I’m wound so tight that I end up going back out to the store and stocking shelves to pass the time. I end up meeting most of the employees that way and talk to a guy named Kyle who is friends with Bailey and Hazel.
“She’s the best,” he says when I ask him about Bailey. For a second I begin to feel jealous, but then he goes on. “I wish I could find a guy just like her.”
“She’s special,” I agree as I glance over to where she’s working.
“Just be careful.” The warning surprises me, and I look back to him and see his face is completely serious. The easy smile that was there before is long gone. “She’s been through a lot. And her sister is her life. They’re not something casual. You get what I mean?”
“Yeah, I hear you,” I say and nod. “She’s lucky to have a friend like you in her corner.”
The rest of the afternoon passes slowly. I have lunch brought in for the team, which is something I do for all the stores I visit, but I may have gone a little overboard this time. But the smile on Hazel’s face when she saw the giant cheesecake was enough to know overboard was just right.
The last hour of Bailey’s shift almost kills me. I spend every second watching the clock tick down and when it’s finally time to leave I’m practically bouncing on my toes.
“Are you guys ready?” I ask as soon as they clock out, and Bailey smiles at me.
“I thought this day would never end.”
I reach out and take her hand in mine as we walk out the back door.
“You’re holding hands,” Hazel says.
I hold my other one out for her. “Do you want to hold hands, too?”
Without a word she slips her hand in mine and we walk out across the parking lot. When we get to where the employees park, I point to my car.
“Do you want to ride with me? I can bring you back here.”
“Why don’t I follow you in case we need to leave early?” Bailey says.
I don’t ask her what she means by that, but she’s probably doing it for Hazel, so I agree. We walk over to her car and I lean down and give her a kiss on the lips before she gets in.
“I don’t want him to do that to me,” Hazel whispers loudly as she gets in the car with Bailey.
I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling as Bailey closes the door and they begin talking. I turn and walk to my car, but as I do I hear the sound of an engine straining to start. I look back to see smoke coming out from under Bailey’s car as she keeps trying to crank it up and it won’t turn over. There’s a loud grinding noise and then silence.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask when I rush over and open her driver side door.
“It’s okay. It actually happens a lot. I think it’s the transmission,” Bailey says as she gets out of the car with embarrassment in her eyes.
“No worries. I had a Jeep that you had to roll to get it to go into first gear.” I squeeze her arm and shrug it off.
“Really?” she says, and then she smiles.
“I got really good at it,” I admit. “I’ve got a guy who works on my cars for me. Why don’t you leave your keys under the mat and I’ll have him come pick it up tonight? I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m not sure I can afford to fix it right this second,” she says, looking away from me.
“Hey,” I say, touching her chin. “Let me help you, babe. I can take care of it. He owes me anyway.”
“Seriously? Why are you being so nice to me?” she asks.
“Because you deserve it. And I like taking care of what’s
mine.” I step closer and place my hand on the back of her neck. I hold it there and lean down to press my lips softly to hers. “I’m here now, okay? You don’t need to worry about anything ever again.”
“I’m hungry,” Hazel says, and I laugh. “Can we take your car? This one is broken.”
“Yes, we can,” Bailey says, and we all pile into mine.
I text my friend on the way to the restaurant so that by the time we’re leaving it’s been picked up and taken to his garage.
We spent the whole meal talking about things we love like music and food. Hazel was disappointed she didn’t get the tickets on the radio today, but I told her I could try to find some. Seeing her eyes light up at the possibility made me want to take her to a hundred concerts. The sisters talked about what movies they love to watch together and the fun things they’ve done. Neither of them talked about their mom, and I guess that was a good thing. I made Hazel order two desserts because she couldn’t decide, and you would have thought it was Christmas morning. Bailey and I held hands the whole way through dinner and I kept looking over at her just to make sure she was real. How could someone so perfect be sitting next to me?
When we left I asked if it was okay to drive them home. And then, since I’m at the store again Monday, I asked if I could pick them up and take them to work. Hazel agreed before Bailey did, but eventually they both said yes. Hazel even invited me over for Sunday Funday. I had no idea what that was, but I’m going to be there bright and early. I want the whole day with them.
“Hazel, I’m going to talk to Shawn for a second, okay? Go ahead and go inside,” Bailey says when we get to the house.
“You’re going to kiss,” she says before she gets out of the car and closes the door.
We laugh, but she’s right. As soon as the door closes, I pull Bailey to me and kiss her like I’ve been starving for months instead of hours. It’s hot and heavy and I run my hands over her breasts and between her legs as she pulls me closer. We’re like teenagers alone for the first time and I can’t keep my hands off her.
We kiss for so long that I have no idea what time it is when Bailey breaks away. She rests her hand on my chest as she breathes heavy, and I smile at her, doing the same. The two of us together are like gasoline and fire. It’s explosive in every sense of the word, and I don’t want to try to control it.
“I just need to say something before I tell you goodnight,” Bailey says, suddenly serious.
“Okay, if we’re going too fast or something I can slow down.”
“No, that’s not it.” She smiles and shakes her head. “Definitely not that. I just want to be sure that this is serious for you before we go any further.” There’s vulnerability in her eyes, and I understand why she’s saying this. “We had such a great time tonight. I haven’t seen Hazel that happy in a long time. But I can’t break her heart if this goes south. You might not have signed up for me plus one, but she’ll be with me forever. She’ll always live with me, she’ll always be my responsibility, and I’m not saying that for sympathy. I’m saying it because you need to decide if this is what you want.”
I take a breath and then hold her face with both my hands. “Bailey, this is serious for me. I’m in this one hundred percent. I’ve never felt this way before, so I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but this is it for me. I understand what she means to you, and I wouldn’t ever take that away. We don’t have to decide everything right this second, but if you want to, I can. I’m not going anywhere, and I’ll take as much of the both of you as you’re willing to give.”
Her eyes tear up and she smiles so sweetly at me.
“I want the whole package, Bailey. That’s what I’m after.”
She kisses me softly, and this time the kiss is so much more than it was before. Yes, there’s still passion and desire, but it’s deeper. The feelings that I have for her have come so fast, but that doesn’t make them any less real.
She gets out of the car and walks into her house, and she gives me one last look before she closes the door. In that moment, I want nothing more than to follow her in and hold her while she sleeps. But I’ll just have to count down the hours until I can see her again.
Chapter 7
Bailey
Chapter 7 Bailey
“When is Shawn going to be here?” Hazel asks.
If she didn't already like Shawn, he put her over the moon yesterday when he showed up for Sunday Funday, where she proceeded to introduce him to every animal on the farm. That was after she devoured the chocolate sprinkle donuts he brought over for breakfast.
We spent the whole day together and it was perfect. More than perfect. I need to remember to take down the handyman flyer I put up at work, because after lunch Shawn fixed all the things on that list that I’d needed taken care of. Hazel was his helper and she loved every second of it. The two of them clicked so well together. Watching them, you’d think they’ve known each other for years.
“I’m sure any second,” I tell her as I brush out my hair and take one last look in the mirror. My stomach is already full of butterflies about getting to see Shawn again. It was hard when he left each night, but as soon as I lay down for bed he called me. Three nights in a row we’ve talked for hours. How could I know someone for such a short amount of time but feel like I know so much about them?
“I hear him,” Hazel squeals, and it makes me laugh.
I grab her backpack off the sofa along with my purse and we walk out of the house. Shawn is getting out of his car, but my eyes go to a black SUV that’s sitting in my driveway. Shawn doesn’t notice as he’s busy giving Hazel a hug.
“You get to drop me off at school,” she tells him.
“I sure do.” He holds her hand for a second until she pulls away to go look at the new car. “Before you say no, just know I own a handful of cars and I’m not going to miss having this one in my garage.”
“Is that for us?” Hazel’s eyes are filled with excitement.
I stare in shock, unsure what to say. It’s too much and I know I should tell him no.
“Really, babe, it’s no big deal.” He walks over towards me and cups my face so I have to look up at him. “It’s safe, and yours cost more to fix than it's even worth. I don’t like you and Hazel being without a car.” My eyes begin to water. “Don’t even think about crying.”
“It has lots of buttons,” I hear Hazel say, and I smile.
“Thank you,” I manage to whisper, feeling all sort of emotions bubbling up.
“You drive and I can show you how all the buttons and stuff work. But I will need to take it for a few hours today. I have some meetings at Corporate today, but I’ll be back to pick you up before your shift is over.”
“You should bring pizza for dinner,” Hazel says, still sitting in the car.
“I think I can handle that if Bailey is okay with it.”
“Sounds perfect.”
I give him a kiss before climbing into the SUV. Hazel buckles up and asks a million questions about what each button does. Shawn answers every one for her with a smile on his face, not at all getting frustrated with her. It makes my heart warm. He’s really in this. All of it.
When we drop her off at school he gets out and opens the door for her and she makes him lean down so she can kiss him on the cheek.
“She really likes you,” I tell him, and he looks over at me.
“Hope she’s not the only one,” he teases.
“No, definitely not,” I admit, feeling my cheeks heat.
I’m way past like, which should be scaring the crap out of me right now. But I’m going to enjoy every moment of this with him and I’m not going to fight it. All of this feels so right. Even with how easily he’s slid into our lives. It’s all so perfect.
He pulls up to the store and I hop out of the car. He walks me to the back door and kisses me breathless before we walk in.
“I’ll be back before your shift is over,” he says against my mouth and kisses me again. “Call me if you nee
d anything.”
“Okay,” I tell him, even though I won’t. I don’t want to bother him when he’s working.
“Promise,” he says more firmly, reading me all too easily. I pull him down for another kiss and dig my fingers into his hair.
“Promise,” I say when we pull away.
“See you later, babe.” He turns to leave as I open the door and go inside. A few seconds later Kyle is coming in the back door behind me and I know he saw us.
“I caught you sucking facing.” He gives me the stare down. “You better start spilling. I knew something was going on with the way he was watching you all day, but I didn't know it was sucking face level already.”
“I really like him,” I admit. “So does Hazel.” I can’t help but be excited because it makes it all so much more special.
“I might have done a little digging on him after I saw him eye-fucking you.” I smack Kyle’s arm. “Sorry, but the man was clearly living out all kinds of dirty fantasies with you in his head the other day.”
I bite my lip to keep from smiling. I love that he’s been eye-fucking me, but I don’t want to admit it out loud. I’m more prudish than I should be at my age. I've spent all my free time with Hazel and the rest of my time working, so I haven't even gotten to jump into this world of dating. It’s still all so new to me. It makes me feel sexy to think about him looking at me in that way. It’s so different than when Mason sets his eyes on me.
“Anyway, he’s good people. Does a ton for the community and works hard. Not even a slut. Couldn't find any details on him hooking it up with anyone. Especially anyone at the company. People say he doesn't even flirt. There were even a few rumors about him being a monk or that maybe he’s asexual.”
“He’s not,” pops right out of my mouth, and Kyle laughs.
Okay, we haven't done much, but I don’t think a monk kisses the way Shawn does. I’ve also felt exactly how excited he was when we’ve been pressed up against each other.
