Hush - Fighting Fate #2 (36 page)

Coming over to pull me into a firm hug,
she laughed. Damn, I missed this.

“Hi, Ma
,” I said, giving her a squeeze before letting her go.

She pinched my cheeks like I was five and walked back into the kitchen, already flittering about to fix me something to eat.

“How was the ceremony?” Dad asked, checking out Mom’s ass as she stuck her head in the refrigerator.

I
shook my head at him. “Good. It was weird to be back in a high school, but it was good. She was happy.”

Isaac smirked at me. I knew he thought I was stupid for being so into a girl, but
I didn’t care. He’d find out one day.

Adam lent back against the cabinets and crossed his arms over his chest and his feet at the ankles. "What brings you here? I thought we’d need a crow bar to get you away from her.”

I laughed because it was practically true. “I thought she should spend the time with her mom. They’ve both had a hard time lately.”

Mom smiled at me as she deposited a bunch of ingredients onto the counter.

“And I kind of had something I wanted to run by you,” I said, shifting to sit down on one of the stools.

Dad raised an eyebrow for me to carry on.

“I went and saw Walt this morning,” I started. “As you know, I’m supposed to lie low until after the trial, and...well…Walt didn’t think it was a good idea for me to be at the station too much - or in uniform, so I got to thinking about my future and where I wanted to go with my career.”

Dad’s eyes narrowed as he watched me. I could tell he didn’t like where he thought I was going with it.

“I made a suggestion to Walt and he agreed it would benefit both the department and me, so…” I took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m going to college to study criminal justice.”

Adam pushed himself off the bench with a smile a mile wide and grabbed me into a fierce hug. “That’s awesome, bro. I’m proud of you.”

I laughed at his excitement and thumped him back. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”

Dad
, smiling with relief, came at me next, pulling me to my feet. “I’m proud too, son. That was a very mature decision to make. I’m glad you’ll finally get to experience some normal young adult things…minus the drugs…”

I groaned. “No, there definitely won’t be any drugs.”

Both Eli and Isaac gave me a quick hug and a thump on the back too. It was amazing to see the pride in all their eyes. I didn’t realize how much I missed having their approval in my life. Especially as the youngest. It was a kind of need.

Mom grabbed me last. “You always amaze me, you know that?”

“Thanks, Ma.”

When she pulled back to look at me she took my hand. “I don’t suppose that girl of yours had anything to do with your decision?”

I grinned. “I’m not doing it just so I can go to college with her, if that’s what you mean, but yeah, she was the one who got me thinking about the future. I want to be someone worthy of her.”

Mom, Adam and Dad grinned, Isaac looked at me like I was crazy, and Eli looked like he didn’t quite understand what I was saying.

“Well, after I don’t know how many sleepless nights over the last year and a half, I’m ecstatic. I think it’s the best decision you’ve ever made. Tell that girl I said thank you.”

I smiled. I planned on telling her thank you for myself. All in my own way.

Chapter 6
1

Kaeli

When
Mom had said it was probably for the best that Noah had declined our invitation to come to lunch, I’d thought she just wanted to have some one on one time with her daughter. What I hadn’t expected, was walking into the restaurant and finding Dr. Miller sitting at our table.

I stood there and blinked a couple of times, just to make sure my head wasn’t playing tricks on me. “Doctor Miller?”

I heard Mom say something under her breath, but I was still a little confused as to why the doctor was here. At our table.

He smiled, but it looked a
wkward. “Ah…you can call me Sam if you like…”

Sam? Why would I call him Sam
? What the heck was going on?

I looked to Mom for a hint, but she was just standing there, kindly smiling at the good doctor.

“Uh…okay…?” I said, not knowing what the hell else to say.

“Well,” Mom said, twisting her hair around her finger. “We should probably sit.”

I frowned, but slipped dutifully into a chair.

Mom cleared her throat. “Uh…well, with everything that’s happened lately, and with Ken…being Ken, I didn’t
really get to tell you, but Sam and I have known each other for a while now.”

I glanced quickly at
Sam
then back to Mom, waiting for her to elaborate. It wasn’t that I cared that she and
Sam
had known each other for a while, I just didn’t see how that was possible.

I watch
ed her take a deep breath. “Sam was actually a friend of your Dad’s.”

Time stopped. I swear it. Besides telling me he would’ve been proud of me, it’d been
forever since she’d even spoken his name out loud. I stared at Sam with genuine interest. “You were?”

He smiled and nodded. “Yep. We went to high school together. Were still friends right up until he passed
away.”

My blood pumped with excitement. I didn’t know why it excited me, but it did. We barely owned a thing that carried Dad’s memory anymore. Ken had made sure of that. Knowing I had a link to his life right here was incredible.

“I’m…I don’t know what I am. Happy, I think…”

He chuckled. “Good. I…uh…have a bunch of photos and stuff of your dad from when we were about your age at home. I think there are even some videos in there as well. I even have some of you and him together when you were a baby.”

My heart tripped. “With me?”

“I think so. I can bring them around home if you’d like.”

My eyes stung with tears but I didn’t care. I hadn’t set eyes on a picture of my dad in over a decade. I glanced over at Mom. She was smiling, but she had tears in her eyes too.

“Yes, please,” I said, my voice breaking on the end.

Sam nodded and grinned again. “Good. That’s settled then. I’ll bring them over in the next couple of days so you can look through them whenever you get a chance.”

That sounded so perfect, I thought I might’ve been dreaming. Praying I wasn’t, I swallowed and shook my head. “I don’t know what to say. You’ve shocked the hell out of me. Thank you?”

Sam laughed. “You don’t need to say anything. It’s completely my pleasure.”

My heart suddenly felt a hundred times lighter. I couldn’t believe the doctor actually knew my dad. No wonder he
’d been so worried about Mom.

“So, if you knew him right up until he died, then you must’ve known Mom too then, right?”

He smiled and nodded. “I sure did.” I didn’t miss the look he gave Mom either. I was sure there was a tiny bit of attraction mixed in there. Interesting.

“How come I haven’t seen you around since the-” I frowned, then scowled. “Oh, wait. Don’t tell me. Ken.”

Sam’s jaw clenched and his hands tightened.

“Okay then,” Mom said with fake cheer. “Let’s get the topic away from that one before it sours your day.”

I sighed and tried for a smile. Mom was right. I’d waited too long for us to be free of Ken. I wasn’t going to let him continue to hurt us from the grave.

“So, you two’ve caught up since everything happened?” I said, delving. It was hard to keep the smile off my face. I liked Dr. Miller. He’d be good for her. She deserved good.

A slight shutter went down in her eyes. She didn’t want me reading too much into it. I almost smiled. Too late. It was clear they were attracted to each other. I just hoped she wasn’t past the point of being open to something new after Ken. If he’d ruined her for anyone else, I’d bring him back from the dead just to kill him again.

“So, your mother tells me you’re thinking about going into nursing?” he said, making Mom relax again.

I smiled, and not for the reason he was thinking. “Yes, I am. I’m going for my BSN.”

“Thanks great,” he beamed. “I’ll definitely help you get your foot in the door when you’re ready.”

And I’d definitely take him up on that offer. I’d heard it could be hard to get a job when you were fresh out of college. “Really? Thanks. That’d be awesome.”

The rest of our day went great after that.
After Mom had mentioned Noah in passing, Sam had started asking about him. I’d been hesitant to tell him much, purely because it was important not many people knew the link between Noah and Mitch, but it seemed he already knew. He’d been on call at the hospital the night of the bust and had seen Noah. Apparently those who knew Mitch hadn’t really died had had to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to keep Noah’s identity safe.

It made me feel better knowing he was being protected too.

Even though Mom was exceedingly coy throughout the entire lunch experience, by the time we were done and had said our goodbyes to Sam, I knew without a doubt I’d be seeing him quite a bit in the near future.

When we got home, I rushed up the stairs to start getting ready for the party. I knew I still had a couple of hours, but I wanted to look the best I possibly could for Noah. It was the first time I’d actually had the chance to dress up for him after all.

Noah arrived right on seven, and when I opened the door and saw him standing there in a pair of dark denim jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, I suddenly realized I hadn’t had the chance to see him dressed up either. And damn if it wasn’t a sight to be seen.

I shook my head in wonder. I suddenly
couldn’t understand why someone like him would be interested in someone like me. He could seriously go anywhere and pick up any girl he wanted to. And that was just with his looks. It was worse once he opened his mouth, because he was just…
sweet
.

But
I sure as hell wasn’t going to argue. If he was willing to give it, I was sure willing to take it.

Looking me up and down, he slowly shook his head. “Damn. You look amazing.”

The sound of his voice woke me from the little dream I’d fallen into. Damn right I looked amazing. I’d put a lot of effort into making sure I did.

I had
on a cute, black party dress that was gathered at the waist and flared out with layers of tulle that fell a little shorter than mid-thigh. Even though the top was sleeveless and sheer black with a round neckline, the bodice was covered with sequins from the waist up that curved to make it look like it had a sweetheart neckline. I also had on a pair of four inch black pumps that made the top of my head come to somewhere around his eye level.

Stepping closer, I gauged it by testing what my mouth would come in
to contact with, finding myself very happy when I discovered it somewhere in the vicinity of his neck.

Placing my hands on his hips, I brought our bodies as close as I could without touching, and breathed him in.
A shiver went through me when I heard him draw in a sharp breath, and I swore I felt his body tremble a little under my fingertips.

Making sure I didn’t touch any other part of him, I softly pressed my lips to the side of his neck, slowly dragging my lower lip over his skin before exhaling, nice and long.

Noah groaned, his hands finding my waist and tightening. Goosebumps spread over his skin, making me sigh with satisfaction.

“If you don’t stop that now, we won’t be making it to your party,” he said gruffly.

I actually didn’t think I would mind that option at all.

Noah growled. “The fact that you’re thinking about
it isn’t helping. I mean it, Kaeli. I’ll take you right here on your doorstep if you keep that up.”

I pulled back from him and grinned, making him narrow his eyes and shake his head.

“I don’t think you realize what you do to me,” he said, still clinging to my waist. “You’re dangerous.”

Now that made me laugh. “
I’m
dangerous? I think we both know who’s more dangerous between the two of us, and it isn’t me.”

He pulled me hard against him so I could feel the hardness at his crotch. “It most certainly is you. You’ve got the surprise element. People expect me to be dangerous just from how I look. You on the other hand, you’re all sweet and sexy looking with this air of innocence that brings bad men like me to their knees.
Believe me,
that
is way more dangerous.”

Cocking my head to the side, I gave him a contemplative look, wondering if he truly meant it. I
t looked like he did, but I didn’t see how.

Noah rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand. “Come on, danger-woman. Let me get you to your damned party. The sooner we
get there, the sooner we can leave, and the sooner I can fuck you.”