“Oh, Lenny. We’ll see.”
As we make our way back, Drew never loses his shit-eating grin. He gives a thumbs-up to Chris, who’s walking towards us.
Chris’s eyebrows arch in surprise and then he smiles. “Glad you decided to stay, Lena. Really. I wasn't sure if you would.”
“Figured I’d use you guys to kick my feet up for a bit. It’s temporary.”
Drew snorts. “That’s what she says, but she belongs.”
Chris grins. “Drew can be one convincing and persistent little shit.”
I nod. “No need to tell me. I’ve noticed.”
Drew shrugs cockily. Yeah, he isn’t going to deny it.
“I think you’ll fit in.” Chris shifts his attention to Drew. “I’ve got some stuff to do. I couldn’t find Kelsoe; if you see him, let him know.” He taps at the screen of his phone and then slips it into his pocket. “I’ll be back in a couple hours.” He gives Drew a pointed look before turning and walking towards a black and silver motorcycle that’s parked outside the garage.
“What was that about, Drew? What are you two hiding from me?”
Drew laughs. “He lectured me about hitting on you. He thinks it’ll scare you off. Don’t worry, I’m not going to listen to him.”
I punch Drew on the shoulder lightly and say, “Gee, thanks.” Taking a deep breath, I take it all in. They have a little community tucked away from prying eyes and on a beautiful piece of property. This place is amazing.
“What’s with the face? You okay?”
I swallow. “Fine. Just thinking.” I don’t tell him that I already love it here. There’s no point in that. David will find me before I turn eighteen. Luck is never on my side. “Thanks for showing me around. I’m going to go on my own for a while. Take a walk.”
“I don’t know…”
“Relax, Preppy. I’m not leaving. I just need some space to clear my head.”
Drew points at me. “I’m trusting you, Lenny. Don’t break it.”
“You shouldn’t trust me.” I give him my back and walk towards the woods where I saw some great climbing trees. “And stop calling me Lenny,” I holler over my shoulder, and Drew’s deep laugh fills the air.
I find the tree I spotted earlier on the tour. The branches are spaced out perfectly for climbing, and not far up, there’s a perfect branch to sit on. I pull the joint from my bag and tuck it behind my ear before climbing up. With my back against the trunk, I light up.
“You must be Alena,” a baritone voice says from below.
I blow out a cloud of smoke. “It’s Lena. You going to rat me out, Ramsey?” I’m guessing this is Ramsey from the description Drew gave me. All I see is a mass of curly brown hair.
“Nah. Bob doesn’t care about a little weed. Just don’t bring anything stronger than that around here,” he says from below.
“Bob, huh? I would have thought Kelsoe makes the rules.”
Ramsey chuckles. “Kelsoe giving you a hard time, Lena?”
“You could say that.”
I watch as Ramsey makes his way up. The closer he gets the more I worry about the branches breaking. This dude is massive. He makes it to the branch below mine and signals for me to pass him the joint. I do and then watch as he takes few hits before handing it back.
He studies my face then laughs. “You’re going to be trouble.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“Take it easy on ’em, Lena.” Ramsey gives me a last look before climbing down.
Feeling confused, I watch him walk away. That was interesting. I relax in the tree until my stomach demands attention.
I climb down a little too quickly, scraping my arm on a branch. I hiss and drop the rest of the way to the ground. I twist my arm, getting a better view of the red skin. Looks like a few layers have been scraped off my forearm. I’ve had worse. I blow on it to combat the sting as I walk back to the blue house.
I stiffen as a hand clamps over my mouth, and a strong arm wraps around my waist. I’m pulled against a man’s chest.
“Why the fuck are you here?” Kelsoe’s gravelly voice whispers in my ear as his hand falls away from my mouth.
I try turning around to face him, but he’s strong and keeps me pinned against him. “Get the fuck off me, Kelsoe, now,” I growl. I wait for him to release me, but it feels like he tightens his hold on me. My heartbeat picks up as my thoughts run wild. Just as I’m about to scream, he pushes me forward hard enough that I stumble. I spin around, ready to throw down. “What’s your problem!”
“You shouldn’t be here. You’re going to fuck everything up,” he says, taking a step towards me.
He goes to take another but pauses. He shakes his head, letting out a breath, and then turns. I watch him walk towards the river. He’s right; I shouldn’t be here, and I won’t be for long.
Chapter 6
Arriving in the kitchen, I begin pulling out food: a bag of chips, a jar of pickles, a case of strawberries, a bag of bagels, and a jar of peanut butter. My brain tells me I shouldn’t be helping myself to other people’s food, but my stomach is telling my brain to fuck off.
“There’s a deep freezer on the back porch,” Zack says, taking a seat at the table where I’ve lined up the assortment of food.
My stomach grumbles. I felt that one. “Thanks, kid. This should be enough for now.” I begin sampling food while Zack watches. I offer him some chips, but he shakes his head no. The peanut butter tastes amazing with the strawberries. “Any cheeseburgers in that freezer on the porch?”
“There’s hamburger meat in there, and buns in the cabinet. They taste good with a fried egg on top. You know how to make them?”
“Nah. You?”
Zack holds up his phone and shakes it back and forth. “I can look up how to.”
I point to his phone. “On that? It’ll tell us how?”
Drew walks in, a plastic grocery bag in each hand. “Bob bought ice cream. Kind of a welcome to the gang,” he says, setting the bags at the center of the table. He looks between Zack and me. “What are you two up to?”
“Nothing. Just sitting here.” I take a bite of my cinnamon-raisin bagel that’s topped with peanut butter and strawberries.
Drew sets bowls and spoons at the center of the table. He scoops some chocolate ice cream out for me and then hands me the bowl. I haven’t had ice cream since…school maybe?
Drew laughs. “Whoa. You’re not pregnant, are you?”
I glare at him. “What? Why would you ask me that?”
He looks at me like I’m crazy. “What the fuck are you eating?”
I glance at the food in front of me. I guess it looks like a lot because instead of putting the chips and pickles on a plate, I’m eating straight from the source, but I’m not eating it all. “Shut up, Preppy. No, I’m not pregnant.”
“Whatever, Lenny,” Drew says, patting my head. “Chris dropped a bag of clothes off for you. I put them in your room.”
“What?” I say around a mouthful of ice cream. My throat turns to ice as I hurriedly swallow the large bite. “He went to my mom’s house?”
“Calm down. No. He went to the thrift store,” Drew says. “Don’t look at me like that, Lenny. You didn’t have anything, and he spent like twenty bucks. It’s no biggie.”
I mix my ice cream around with the spoon. “I’ll pay him back. I’m working tomorrow. I can throw you some money for the food too.”
“Don’t worry about the money. And you think that’s a good idea, working?”
I look at him like he’s crazy. “Um, yeah. That’s how I make money.” My brows come together. “Why wouldn’t I work?”
“Your stepdad.”
I lift a shoulder. “He won’t mess with me in public.”
I finish my bowl while Zack and Drew talk about some new video game that I know nothing about. I hurriedly wash the dishes I used and then go to my room. I slowly approach the bed. There’s the bag. It takes up the bottom half of the bed. Even with it closed, I ca
n tell there’s a lot of stuff in there. I let out a breath, my cheeks puffing out. Screw it. I grab the bag, turning it upside down to shake everything out.
There are shorts, jeans, pajamas, tanks, T-shirts, and a pair of flip-flops. “Fuck.” This had to cost way more than twenty. I pick two pairs of shorts, three tanks, two shirts, and the flip-flops to keep. I’ll take the rest back. I can’t afford all this, and it won’t all fit in my bag. I can’t help but notice the clothes are exactly what I would have picked for myself: casual. I kick off my black combat boots. The flip-flops are a little big, but they’ll work. I strip off what I’m wearing and then throw on a pair of shorts and a black tank. The tank dips low in the front, but it’s perfect for the hot weather.
I swing the door open to take a walk and clear my head. Drew’s on the other side with his fist raised like he’s about to knock.
His eyes widen. “Lenny, you have boobs, and they’re big.” He grins, grabbing my arm. “But that’s not why I’m here.”
Ignoring his comment, I let him pull me down the hallway. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to get dinner started.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Drew just snorts. I stiffen as we enter the kitchen. Kelsoe’s leaning against the counter looking at the screen on his phone.
His eyes land on me and then move to Drew. “What the fuck’s she doing here?”
“She’s going to help us cook. Chill out, man.” Drew turns to me. “We’re making lasagna, garlic bread, and green beans.”
I eye the contents on the counter. “Like from scratch?”
“You have no idea how to cook, do you?” Kelsoe asks, looking like the smug asshole he is.
I don’t have to deal with this. Just because I chose to stay here doesn’t mean I have to interact with him or anyone else.
I turn to walk away, but Drew catches my wrist. “Come on, Lenny. Don’t be mad. We’ll show you how.”
“Let her go, Drew. She doesn’t belong here. She’s getting in your head,” Kelsoe says.
I pull out of Drew’s grip. “I’m not even hungry.” I give him a sweet smile. “You guys have fun.”
As I walk away, I hear Drew say, “You don’t have to be embarrassed. Lots of people don’t know how to cook lasagna.”
I’m not embarrassed. I’m just not hungry, and I don’t want to deal with Kelsoe. I flop down on the bed I’m borrowing and stare at the ceiling. I like it in here. It’s quiet. This is what I’m used to.
I don’t like dealing with people. If everyone here leaves me alone, I can stay long enough to save a little money. Once I’m eighteen and have my documents, I’ll get a bus ticket outta here—go somewhere where it doesn’t snow. Maybe Florida or Texas. My stomach rumbles as the scent of garlic and cheese drifts into my room.
There’s a gentle knock on the door, and I get up to open it. Kelsoe’s on the other end with his bare and very muscular chest on display. His waist is narrow, and he has a prominent six-pack. The gray sweatpants he’s wearing hang just low enough to show off a V shape. Holy shit balls this dude is sexy. A sexy shithead. Damn my body for responding to him. My skin seems to buzz at his close proximity.
Kelsoe clears his throat. “You didn’t eat dinner.” His eyes run over my body, his mouth twisted into what can only be described as disgust. “You should eat.”
I feel myself getting defensive. I know I look a little too skinny. My ribs poke out more than they should. I’ve been steadily losing weight. “I have to get up early for work. How do I get to the store from here?”
His eyes widen as he zeros in on my arm. “What happened?” He moves his hand like he’s going to grab mine, but he stops himself, dropping his hand back to his side.
I narrow my eyes. “Scraped it on a tree.”
His tongue darts out showing that fucking green ball that’s all too sexy. The smirk on his face tells me he knows it. He does it again, this time slowly running his tongue across his full lips. I rest my hand on my hip and give him an “Are you serious?” look even though he’s igniting a fire in me. I might be attracted to him, but that does not mean I will act on it. I’m not stupid enough to fall for his type.
He meets my stare, daring me to say or do something. I know for a fact by the way he’s treated me that he’s not into me. So, what is this? Is he needing an ego boost or something?
“You going to tell me how to get to work or not?”
He smirks. “You decided to stay, so do you want to now or later?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Sucking my cock. I told you that’s what bitches here do. Figured you understood, so is now a good time?” He cups himself with his hand, and I slam the door in his face.
Cocky bastard. I turn off the lights before crawling under the covers. My mind continues to race as I toss and turn. It seems like just as I shut my eyes, the alarm clock goes off, telling me that’s it’s five. I throw on a pair of black jeans that hug my hips, a light gray tank, and my black boots. I adjust my shirt, trying to hide the cleavage that’s spilling out. It doesn’t work. I’ve been cursed with huge boobs. With all the weight I’ve been losing, I don’t look proportionate anymore. My hips and butt used to be a lot fuller. Now, I look like a stick with enormous tits. I wouldn’t care, but I don’t like the attention it draws.
I grab my bag and then head to the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth. My hair is tangled and takes a while to tame. I need a haircut. I haven’t had one since I was a kid. I pull the long strands to my left, twisting them into a braid.
Once finished in the bathroom, I make my way into the living room, expecting it to be empty, but it’s not. Bob’s there, standing in front of the TV, swinging his keys while watching the morning news. He must hear me because he turns around.
“Morning, Alena. Heard you had a shift this morning and might need a ride?”
I shrug. “Okay. Thanks.”
I follow him to the side of the house where his car’s parked. He opens the passenger door, gesturing for me to get in. I do, and he closes it behind me before getting into the driver’s seat. He adjusts the mirrors and then we’re off. Bob’s car is an older model but well maintained. Oldies play on the radio as we slowly roll down the gravel road.
“The gas station, right?” Bob asks.
“Yep.”
“How long have you been working there?”
I guess it’s time for small talk, something I’m not good at. “Two years.”
“How do you like it?”
“Uh…it’s a job. The owner’s nice.” Wanting to turn the spotlight, I ask, “What about you? How long have you been at your job?”
That seems to work because Bob begins talking about his construction business. I drown out the sound with my thoughts. I look up just as the car stops outside the door of Tate’s.
“Have a good day, Alena,” Bob says with a warm and fatherly smile.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“It was no problem at all. I leave for work around this time, so if you ever need a lift…”
I wave as he pulls away. That man is nothing like his son. I walk into work ready to get started. It feels nice to be back. This part of my life is still normal. The workday is steady. I mostly stock shelves and do inventory.
Before I leave, Mr. Tate slaps two large bills in my hand for this and last week's work. I’m grateful he’s willing to pay me under the table until I can find my documents.
I walk out the door at four o’clock to Chris waiting for me on a sleek black motorcycle.
He takes his sunglasses off as I stop next to him. “That’s what you wear to work?”
I look down at my clothes. “Yeah. Why?”
He shakes his head. “Your jeans have a rip in the back and your shirt…” He trails off, and I roll my eyes.
I point to the building. “It’s Tate’s, not some fancy-schmancy place.” I eye him curiously. “Why are you here?”
“Drew want
ed to make sure you were going to come back,” he says, and I chuckle at his honesty.
“I guess I’m riding on the back with you?” I ask. I’ve never been on a motorcycle, and my curiosity is peaked. The metal is shiny except for a dent near the back wheel. The black leather seat has a rip showing yellow foam.
“Your first time?” he asks, and I nod. “Hop on. You’re going to love it.”
Making sure my bag is secured to my back, I swing my leg over the seat. I settle in, wrapping my arms around his large frame. Within what feels like seconds, we’re out of the parking lot. The rumble of the bike, the wind, and the way the scenery blurs by is overwhelming but also freeing. We pass a group of kids who cheer loudly with excitement as we fly by. The ride back to Neverland is short but exhilarating. He was right; I did love it.
My legs shake as I scoot off the seat. Pepper runs over to greet me while Chris bends down to pet Karma. Pepper jumps up on me and licks my neck, leaving a trail of slobber. It’s kinda gross but sweet. I push him down and give his back a good scratch. I’ve never had a pet, but I can see the appeal in a furry companion. I stretch and yawn feeling tired from my sleepless night.
“Didn’t sleep well?” Chris asks.
“Not really. I think I’ll head in to lay down.”
“Drew ordered pizza.” He nods to the blue house. “It’s in the fridge. Catch ya later.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, giving him a small wave. Taking a deep breath, I head inside, hoping I don’t run into the asshole of the house.
Chapter 7
As soon as I walk inside, Kelsoe’s voice hits my ears. I contemplate heading to bed, but my stomach is completely empty. Walking into the kitchen, I see that he’s alone. His hand is tightly clenching the phone that’s next to his ear.
“I’ll call you back,” Kelsoe mumbles into the phone. His face and eyes are narrowed at me. He slips his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. “Did Drew hit it yet?”
Found by the Rivers Page 5
