by Kimi Flores
Another vehicle began to make its way up the driveway. Peering over her shoulder, Leah seemed to come up with something. She made eye contact with me, mouthing ‘follow me’. Bri’s cries calmed to a whimper as Leah softly touched her back, telling Stefen, “Amor, the kids are here.”
“I’ll take her inside,” I offered.
Obviously confused, Stefen narrowed his eyes, looking at Leah as she reached over and pulled me within his view.
Bri’s bloodshot, defeated eyes gazed over his shoulder, and I took a few steps closer, knowing her brother was giving me the stare down. A thick layer of pure territorial power filled the space between us.
I had all the respect on the earth for Stefen and the way I imagined he’d protected Bri all of her life, but I felt the need to step in and help her.
Subconsciously, each of us puffed our chests while both women watched.
“It’s okay, man. I’ve got her now.” I reached out, placing my hand on Bri’s shoulder.
A growl vibrated within his chest and I felt his eyes darting between Bri and me, as we stared directly at each other. It didn’t matter that her expression said that she was embarrassed to have me see her broken like this because it also said that she wanted me there with her.
I felt Leah walk around the other side of Stefen, when the van parked behind their SUV. “Mi Amor, it’s okay. She’ll be fine. Trust me, please.”
He slowly released Bri, continuing to watch us. She snuck a look at her brother, nodded and assured him, “Go help Leah with the kids. I’ll be over in a bit.”
While he cautiously let her go, he reminded her, “I’m still close by if you need me. I’ll be back to check on you.”
Something switched in the air as he finally let go, allowing me to step in. Wrapping my arm around Bri, I gave him an appreciative nod, hoping it conveyed that I was aware of what he was entrusting to me.
Tossing my keys to him, I said, “Look anywhere you guys need to. I’ve got a couple horse trainers out in the corral, waiting for everyone. I’m gonna take her inside for a while.”
He nodded and turned to catch up with his wife, who had made her way toward the van filled with her students.
I walked Bri into my home, thankful that Stefen hadn’t put up a fight. Although I still didn’t know why she was upset, I couldn’t imagine Bri would want her brother and me to fight over who was better suited to take care of her.
The sound of her tiny whimpers echoed through my living room as I led her to the couch. Encouraging her to sit next to me, I reached for her hands.
She jumped when my fingers made contact with her palms. Looking at the small streak of blood on my finger, I opened her hand to find tiny punctures.
When she looked down in shame, I didn’t have the heart to ask about it. “I’ll be right back.” My footsteps stomped through the room as I made my way into the bathroom. After retrieving the first aid kit, I rejoined her on the couch.
“Let me see.” Pulling her hand onto my lap, I applied a small amount of peroxide, causing her to jump. My eyes darted to hers. “Sorry.” I puckered my lips, gently blowing onto her injuries. Kissing her palm just beside her wounds, I brought her hand back down to my lap where I applied healing ointment and gauze. My attention moved from her hand to her swollen eyes. A few pieces of hair were stuck in her lashes, and they moved when she blinked.
I swept my finger across her forehead, brushing the strands away. “I’m not going to force you to tell me what’s going on, but you can trust me, you know. If you want to tell me, or don’t, I’m here.” I never felt this way about a woman before and didn’t quite know what to do. One thing was for sure though, I was willing to give her whatever she needed from me.
Blinking hard, she hiccupped. “I’m not sure how I feel. I’m still in shock.” Her dry lips continued to quiver as she began to rub her temple.
“Wait here.” I really didn’t know what to do to help her but figured she could use a glass of water if nothing else. Darting into the kitchen, I pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and filled a glass with ice and the water, then reached for a bottle of Ibuprofen.
As I stepped out of the kitchen, I saw her holding her head. “Here, take this.” I opened the bottle, letting a couple pills fall into her uninjured hand, then gave her the glass.
Her watery eyes met mine. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Popping the pills into her mouth, she took a swig and rubbed her head. Quietly, she asked, “What do you do when life pulls the rug out from under you?”
I was silent for a long moment. Because I wasn’t sure what to do. At least, not the right thing to do. I’d had the rug pulled out from under me many times, but I never handled it right. Not until I got sober.
Finally, I answered, “I choose to focus on the good in my life. We all have shit to deal with, but the good normally outweighs the bad, doesn’t it? I usually get lost in riding my horses and bikes or going to the vineyard to see Zach and my uncle.”
Biting down on her top and bottom lips, she nodded as she slowly blinked. “You’re right. I have a lot of good in my life,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ll tell you what’s going on later, but for now I need to go be with the kids. That’s something good, right?”
I smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. Really good.”
Chapter Ten
Let the Adventure Begin
Josh
Filled with nervous anticipation, I made my way up the colorfully tiled stairs at Bri and Dani’s Spanish-style condo complex. I wasn’t happy about why Bri had become so vulnerable with me, but in all honesty I was thankful she’d opened up after the kids left the ranch. Although I had a feeling she was holding something back, I couldn’t believe what she did share.
I’d never met someone whose parent rode them every step they made. It seemed as though her mom wasn’t happy about any of the choices she made and was sure to tell her.
And today, we were leaving town together. I couldn’t wait to get her away for a few days and take her mind off everything. Nothing had been spoken, but it seemed like our relationship was moving in a new direction, and I was happy to see where we ended up after Alison and Paul’s wedding this weekend.
Then again, come Monday, she could hate me all over again. Man, I hope not.
Lifting my fist, I exhaled a long breath as I knocked on the door. The loud cackling on the other side was unmistakably Dani’s. I hadn’t spent a lot of time with her yet, but her laugh was easy to identify.
“Those were new, dammit!” I heard Bri scream.
The door flung open as Dani yelled behind her, “That’s what you get for leaving them in the middle of the room.”
Turning to face me, Dani held a small dog in her arms and a huge grin on her face. “Hi. Come on in.” She stepped a little closer, chin down and her eyes looking up at me. “If you dare.”
Confused, I peeked around the very girly living room filled with purple velvety furniture. “Should I ask?”
Dog in arm, she plopped on the couch and whispered, “Yeah, let me tell you my side before Messy Marvin gets back in here.”
Craning her neck to the side, she peered down the hallway. “Okay, so my girl in there has a bad habit of leaving her shit all over the place. I’m dog-sitting for a friend, and Buster here has become quite protective of me.”
She peeked down the hall once more as she stroked the dog’s head. “Anyway, I tripped on a pair of her too-high heels this morning, while Buster followed me. I fell flat on my face, almost landing on top of him. I may have yelled and threw them while he watched. Well, apparently when I wasn’t looking, he chewed on the heel and—”
We snapped our heads toward Bri when we heard her approach. With her hair up in some sort of bun, she leaned on one leg, popping her hip out.
Damn, she looks hot when she’s pissed. Glad I’m not the source this time.
Her hands went wild once she began to speak. “He shit in my brand new shoe.
That’s what he did.”
Pursing her lips, Dani brought the dog up to her face, kissing his head. “All he knew was that those damn things laying in the middle of the room were trying to kill me.”
Strutting toward me, Bri’s eyes met mine as she mouthed, “Sorry.” Then leaned closer, allowing me to hug her before she turned and warned Dani, “That dog better be gone when I get home.”
Dani huffed, “He will. I only have him for a few more days.”
“Good.” Bri whipped around, grabbed her purse from the counter, the handle of her extra-large designer suitcase, and the garment bag that I assumed held her dress for the wedding. “Let’s get out of here.”
Stunned, I looked back and forth between Dani and the front door Bri had just left wide open. Her heeled sandals clacked as she made her way down the concrete walkway.
“Um, okay, I guess I’ll see you later then.” I awkwardly started after Bri.
Before I closed the door, Dani said discreetly, “She’s been on edge all morning. I think her mom’s been trying to text her, but she’s ignoring her phone. The dog crap was just the cherry on her shit-tastic sundae today.”
I wondered how I was supposed to respond to that.
Noticing my discomfort, Dani told me, “Just keep her mind off her mom, and she’ll be fine. I’ve met her mother and that is one evil woman.” She bent down and picked up Buster, who’d followed her.
Waving goodbye, I jogged down the terrace until I caught up to Bri in front of the elevator I hadn’t noticed when I arrived. “Hey,” I held onto her face, catching her eyes. “Do not let anything ruin your time away.” I held my hand out. “And I’ll take your phone.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m fine. You don’t need my phone.”
“You’re right, I don’t need it, but neither do you.” I wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Everyone important already has my number and can call my phone if they have to get a hold of you. Please, Bri.” I gave her a light smile. “Let me show you what a few days of living without that dread and fear can feel like, okay?”
Her mouth scrunched up. “Fine.” She pulled her phone out of her purse, slapping it hard on my open palm.
“Be right back.” Spinning around, I jogged back to the condo. When Dani answered, I handed her the phone. “Let Stefen know about this, so he can handle it while Bri has a little peace over the next few days. Tell him to call my phone if he needs anything.”
Lifting an eyebrow, she smirked. “Dude, I don’t know how you managed to shift the power there, but you’ve got my respect. Now go rock my girl’s world this weekend. She deserves it.” She gave me a naughty wink.
Not sure how to respond to that.
I chuckled, making my way back to Bri and pushed the down button.
She shifted back and forth before, hanging her head. “How am I supposed to stand up for myself if you guys keep me in a bubble?”
My eyes shifted from Bri to the open elevator door. Grabbing her suitcase with one hand, I led her in with the other.
As the doors closed, I ran my knuckles across her cheeks. “Bri, you need to heal first. While you’re healing, I’ll be here to keep anything harmful away from you. And when the time comes, I’ll step aside and let you kick ass.” I leaned in, kissing her cheek before a bell sounded and the doors opened to the parking garage.
A woman stood outside the doors with one hand on a stroller and her other holding a little boy.
“Ewww that’s gross,” the boy said, obviously catching me kissing Bri’s cheek. The woman I assumed was his mother tried to cover his mouth as Bri and I started to exit.
I snickered, standing in front of the door to make sure it stayed open for her. As the boy passed, I leaned down, rustling his hair. “You won’t always think that way, buddy.”
Standing up, I reached forward to grab Bri’s hand. I lit up when I noticed her smiling.
I intend on keeping that look on her face the whole weekend.
The sound of her heels echoed through the garage. Once we made it to my truck, I carefully tossed her bag in the bed.
She bit her lower lip, allowing her clasped hands to hang in front of her. “Thanks for picking me up and letting me hitch a flight with you.”
Walking toward the passenger side, I pulled the door open for her. “My pleasure.”
Thank God I was able to charter that plane last minute. When she initially mentioned her seasickness, I’d blurted out that I’d chartered a plane, before I actually had.
Once she was in and I closed her door, I made my way around the front of the truck, hopped in and headed toward the airport. I couldn’t wait to take Bri away from all the shit she’d been dealing with.
Let the adventure begin.
⁂
Bri
I shifted in my seat, trying not to look as devastated as I felt while the side of my head began to pulse. The moment we got on the plane, I went into the bathroom and took one of my pain killers. With the stress from the morning texts I’d been fighting hard not to read and the change in altitude, I felt a migraine in my near future.
Back in my seat, I asked Josh if he minded if I took a nap. Just as I hoped he would, he kissed my forehead and handed me a travel pillow. The truth was I was still processing my mother’s words.
Tightening my closed eyes, I wanted to give Josh a break from my drama. Though those words still rolled around in my head, haunting me.
Did my mother really say that she wanted to drown me?
I had no plans of ever bringing a child into the world, but for her to remind me that I wasn’t good enough to be a mother was heartbreaking.
I still couldn’t believe she’d said, I hate you. The words had just tumbled out of her mouth. It didn’t matter how much I wanted it, I really wasn’t strong enough to deal with this alone.
Even though he doesn’t know how bad it is, I’m not sure how I would get through this without Josh right now. Hopefully he’ll stick around once he sees the entire clusterfuck my life has become.
Moving my head to look at our intertwined fingers, I smiled. He’d held onto my hand the entire flight. I peered up to his face. He’d apparently gotten bored and fell asleep himself. His head tilted back onto the headrest, and his mouth was wide open. Surprisingly, he wasn’t snoring.
Unable to stop my roaming eyes, I took in his golden tanned skin, long lashes, straight nose, and luscious bowed lips. Damn, he has gorgeous lips.
Still asleep, his tongue darted out, licking them before closing his mouth. I lifted my free hand, touching my mouth with my fingertips. We hadn’t really had a first kiss this time around yet, but it was tempting to sneak a quick peck while he slept.
Nah, I don’t want to disturb him.
My fingers continued to trace my lips as I stared at him, attempting to ignore the discomfort building in my aching head. A dreamy look covered my face when his eyes popped open and his head snapped down toward me.
Knowing I’d just been busted, I tried to look around the plane. The heat that radiated off my face was a telltale sign that I was also blushing.
He stretched his legs, then let go of my numb fingers, reaching his arms straight out in front of him, grunting. “How long was I out?”
“Um, I don’t think very long.” The pulsing of my head was becoming a little more intense.
No, please. Not a migraine, I pleaded internally. Peeking out the window at the island below, I rested my head back in the seat.
Hopefully I’d caught it in time and it wouldn’t be so bad.
Stretching my legs as well, I repositioned my body, looking for a comfortable spot in my chair.
The blaring over the intercom did not help my head. “Mr. Tucker and Miss Hunter, we’ll be landing momentarily on Catalina Island where the weather is currently a beautiful seventy degrees. Please fasten your belts. A taxi is waiting on the tarmac to take you to your hotel. Thank you for flying with us today, and we look forward to serving you again on Sunday. Enjoy your stay.”
My eyes squeezed shut, the throbbing becoming more unbearable by the minute. “I have a migraine coming on.”
“Oh man, I get those too. Do you have any meds?”
Forcing a breath through my mouth, I answered, “Yeah, I took them earlier.”
“Have you had any caffeine today? That always helps me.” Reaching over to the ice bucket on the table next to him, he pulled out a cola as the plane made contact with the ground.
Squinting, I offered a labored smile. “Thanks.”
He raised his index finger. “Oh hold on.” I watched through narrowed eyes as he grabbed a napkin, dried the can, then cleaned the mouth before popping the top and handing it to me. “Here, take a drink.”
How sweet. My heart fluttered momentarily. Without hesitation, I took a sip. It was my favorite soda.
By the time the plane landed, we’d taken the twenty-five-minute taxi drive, and entered the elaborately decorated spa and resort, I had to lay down as soon as possible. Everyone from the wedding party was scheduled to meet for dinner in a few hours, so I hoped the nap would be sufficient.
Josh stepped up to a beautiful dark-haired attendant, whose eyes widened when she saw him.
If my eyes didn’t hurt so badly, I would’ve rolled them.
I stood in front of another clerk, who seemed too young to be working the front desk of a luxury resort and attempted to smile as she gave me name. I couldn’t wait to go lay my head down for a few hours.
After pecking away at the keyboard for far too long, the young woman looked up, seemingly uneasy. “Um, I’m sorry but the last room was just taken, and we won’t have any available until tomorrow.”
My head began to spin, adding to the nausea I’d started to feel. “What?” I groaned.
