Authors: K.S. Thomas
Unhurt (24 page)
“Slow down, crazy. I’m going to go ahead and leave the killing option as our last resort. And for the record, if it ever comes to that, you will be nowhere near any of it. Got that?”
She was biting her lip, defiantly refusing to nod.
“Baby, I’m serious. Any and all illegal activities will be left to me. Period. Move those green eyeballs up and down if you understand.”
They still looked semi-pissed but at least they went through the motions. “Look, I know if you tell me it’s going to be alright, it’s going to be alright. But, please, you have to give me somethi –“
The sound of an approaching helicopter drowned out the rest of her sentence. Following the chopper, I pulled off onto a dirt road leading off into thousands of acres of heavily-wooded BLM land. A few minutes later we came up on a clearing big enough for the chopper to land safely.
I put the truck into park and took Joss’s hand. “Remember when I asked you what you would do to protect Wyatt?”
She nodded. “Whatever it takes.”
I did the same. “Whatever it takes.”
Still holding hands, she slid across the bench seat of my truck and followed me out. I reached behind the seat and retrieved a large black duffle bag and together we marched toward the waiting helicopter.
“Mommy! I got to flyded on a helicopter!” It was the best greeting either of us could ever have asked for. Aunt Deb was sitting in the seat beside him, eyes red from crying, probably in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Joss was hardly on board when she swept Wyatt up into her arms so tightly he started to giggle.
Placing my bag down at Hattie’s feet, I turned toward Carson, “I certainly hope you’re serving snacks this time.”
A
unt Deb
,
Sorry it’s been so long between letters this time. Things have been crazy here. Good crazy, but crazy nonetheless. Cara started walking last week. It’s amazing the things she’ll do for a fresh croissant. I swear she must have smelled me eating it from all the way out in the living room because next thing I knew she was standing in the kitchen doorway pointing at it in my hand. I love my girl, but damn, I hadn’t been planning on sharing that croissant, lol.
The grapes I planted last fall are coming along nicely. I think they may be my favorite thing to grow so far. I find the way the vines curl up and cling onto things in search of light sort of inspiring, in a way. I wish you were here to see them, but Wyatt’s been keeping a gardening journal just for you and I’ll be sending the first portion of it along with this letter. I’ve been trying to stay on top of his English, but the writing seems to come easier to him in his new native tongue, so have the translator app handy when you sit down to read through it. Of course, the fabulous pictures he’s been drawing for you in there are pretty self-explanatory.
The store is doing well. People can’t seem to get enough of our work. It’s like the second I finish a piece and put it up for display, Derek comes along and hangs a sold tag on it. Not that I’m complaining. Not at all. I’m like, living my dreams. Only they’re even better than I dreamed them.
We caught the news last night. Bet you were wondering if I’d bring that up. Well, I wouldn’t be if Derek hadn’t decided to check in on local events at random on the internet. Can’t believe that after all this time, Travis finally slipped up. I hate that it was at the expense of another person being hurt, but I’m beyond relieved to know he won’t be terrorizing anyone else, anytime soon. May he rot in jail for all eternity. Or at least until Wyatt is eighteen. And before you freak out, not to worry, we caught Diane’s statement as well. Cute, really, the way she worked it in, pointing out that this did not in any way take away from the fact that we were still criminal fugitives who would be arrested on sight should we ever set foot on American soil again.
Rest assured, we won’t. Even if Derek has promised to take the fall for it all, claiming he kidnapped every last one of us. I’m happy Deb. So happy I can barely stand it. Feel free to make a trip out here to see for yourself. Say, maybe....nine months from now?
Love and miss you,
Doodle
P.S. Tell Bobby it wouldn’t kill him to write back every once in a while. No response is not the same as, ‘Cool. I’m good, too.’
I folded the letter and slid it into the envelope. I’d give it to our neighbor Philippe first thing in the morning before he left town for business again. His work required him to travel all over, meaning every letter Aunt Deb had received from me in the last year and a half had been sent to her from some new corner of the world each time. Philippe was one of only three people in our new home who knew the truth about us, and it was only because Derek had known him for over a decade prior due to the time he’d spent here early on in his Naval career.
I stepped outside into our courtyard, the warmth of the sun dancing on my skin. I couldn’t have imagined a life better suited for us if I had tried. After several weeks of traveling below the radar, moving constantly from one place to the next with help from people like Carson and Darius, we’d finally settled in France where we’d met up with Philippe. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities and cut off from the tourists and business travelers, he’d found the perfect house for us sitting out in the country and right next door to his. The place was ancient and falling apart at the seams and Derek and I fell in love with it instantly.
Between the two of us, someone had kept working on it at all times of the day and night, until finally, it was perfect, still filled with charm and character, but no longer seeping rain through the ceiling during the storms. Aside from a fabulous garden and courtyard that made me want to spend more time outdoors than in, the front of the house had once been used as a bakery. After some really minor adjustments, Derek and I had converted the space into a small shop where we sold everything from furniture and home décor to doors and window frames. Needless to say, every last item to wind up there had been refurbished or repurposed by us in some way.
With Hattie following close behind, I walked the stone steps down into the garden. Derek was standing near the fruit trees, Cara bouncing on his hip, desperate to get down and get her little fingers into God knew what. Meanwhile, Wyatt was perched up on his ladder, dropping apples into the basket below.
I rested my hand on my stomach, watching them: my family, my life, my love. Derek had been true to his word in every way. He had kept us safe. Together. I knew without a shadow of a doubt, he would always keep us that way. Unharmed. Unhurt.
D
og Lover who likes her pastries full of cream and sugar....oh...and I write some ;-)
Aside from being an author, I am also a mom to a beautiful little girl. I tell everyone I named her after my great-grandmother (because that’s the mature answer), but really, I named her after my favorite princess – just so happens I got lucky and they had the same name...If I wasn’t a writer, I would work on a horse ranch – I’m an animal lover (in addition to dogs, horses are at the top of my list). I wear flip-flops pretty much everywhere I go. I would rather stay awake until 5 am than get up at 5 am (years of bar tending have left their mark), if I can, I’m going to the beach AND I will always be nice to people who bring me chocolate...or coffee...if you bring me both, I’ll probably love you forever.
A gypsy at heart, I write the way I live, following the story wherever it may lead, always ready to start the next one. This is clearly reflected in my body of work which to date includes everything from Children’s Lit to Thrillers.
I happily reside in sunny Florida (for now) and can be contacted via my
blog
, my
website
or the following social media sites ~
Books by K.S. Thomas include ~
I Call Him Brady
Save The Date
Lost Avalon (A Finding Nolan Novel)
Salty
Country Girls
Blood Bound
Drive
This Christmas
Lucky In Love
Getting Lucky (A Lucky Novella)
Upcoming Releases For 2014
It’s Kinda My Thing
Secret Hudson (A Finding Nolan Novel)
BitterSweet
