Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (15 page)

“What was it like moving all the time?” she asked him.

“Lonely.”

“With that stack of ex-girlfriends?”

“Yes, it was, actually.”

“I don’t think I would like it much,” she admitted.

“There is one thing you could do for me,” Adam told her.

“What’s that?”

“Get me another trash bag? They’re under the sink.”

“No problem,” she jumped up.

Katherine had just grabbed a trash bag from beneath the sink when a man entered. His dark brown hair hung in a greasy mullet down his back; his blue eyes were assessing as they swept over her. He was tall and muscular, but a paunch at his belly attested to the fact he no longer maintained whatever regimen had gained him the muscles in the first place.

“Well, hello, darlin’ who are you?” the man asked her as he sidled in her direction.

Taking a step backward, Katherine shuddered.

“Hello, Reggie,” Adam greeted as he slipped an arm around Katherine’s waist.  “We’ll be in my room,” he informed the man. Back in his room, he locked the door.

“He is creepy,” Katherine kept her voice low as she again shuddered.

“I don’t like him or trust him, but don’t worry, you’re safe with me,” he winked.

“Right,” she smiled up at him.

He kissed her before returning to his spot in the floor. Katherine settled beside him.

“Does Reggie stay here a lot?” Katherine asked him.

“Some; I can’t decide how they choose where to stay,” Adam shrugged.

“Your mom can do better than that,” Katherine’s face twisted in revulsion.

“If she weren’t drinking she could.”

Katherine admired the muscles of Adam’s shoulders as she watched him work; he was rather well built she noted not for the first time. A pen lay nearby and she picked up and uncapped it.

“What are you doing, Kaitlyn?” Adam demanded when she started drawing on his shoulder.

“Be still, I’m an artist at work here,” she chastised.

“What are you drawing,” he tried peering over his shoulder.

“Hold on. There,” she nodded and put the cap back on the pen.

Adam stood and looked in the mirror over his chest of drawers. Katherine had drawn a heart and put her own initials inside.

“You’re cute,” he informed her as he grabbed stuff from his floor and started putting it away. It only took him a few minutes to clear the floor and tie up the two trash bags he had filled. Once finished, he offered Katherine a hand and pulled her to her feet and into his arms for a kiss.

“Thanks for the company,” he told her.

“You’re welcome,” she assured him.

Adam reached for a shirt from his luggage and pulled it on before putting on his socks and shoes.

“Want to walk to the dumpsters with me? I prefer not to leave you alone in here with red neck Reggie.”

“Sure,” she quickly agreed; she had no desire to be alone with that man either.

Katherine followed Adam across the kitchen and to the door.

“Your mom will be home soon,” Reggie informed Adam before burping and taking another swig of beer.

“Thanks,” Adam nodded and waited for Katherine to precede him through the door.

“Hey, Adam,” an old lady across the drive waved as they stepped off the porch.

“Hello, Mrs. Hays; how are you this evening?” Adam asked the woman.

“I’m doin’ alright. Who’s your friend?”

“This is Kaitlyn, my girlfriend,” Adam walked the lady’s direction.

“It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Hays,” Katherine smiled.

“Nice to meet you too. She seems real sweet, Adam; that’s the kind you want,” Mrs. Hays nodded.

“I’ve already figured that out,” he smiled at the woman. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” the woman waved.

“She seems nice,” Katherine noted.

“She is; one of the few decent people in this place, honestly.”

Adam tossed the two bags in the dumpster and then took Katherine’s hand to escort her back to his mom’s. Reggie, a beer can crushed in his hand, was still flopped back in the recliner.

“Don’t suppose you would be a sweetheart and grab me another can would you, darlin‘?” Reggie winked at Katherine.

“I’ll get it,” Adam glared at the man and moved to the fridge.

Katherine stood with her arms around herself; she did not like the way the man looked at her or the way he smiled.

“Thanks,” the man nodded.

“Come on, Kaitlyn,” Adam nodded for her to follow him.

“You two behave,” the man snickered.

Adam slammed the door to his room and locked it.

“I swear, Kaitlyn, I am going to hurt that man,” he shoved a hand through his hair.

“You could come stay with us,” she reminded him.

“I am trying, however unsuccessfully, to have a relationship with my mother.”

Adam lay down on his bed and propped his hands behind his head to stare at the ceiling. He smiled at Katherine when she joined him and snuggled against him.

“I love you, Kaitlyn.”

“I love you too,” she returned. “What is your mom planning for Christmas?” Katherine asked him.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “What does your family do?”

“Christmas Eve we gather with the extended family at Grandma’s house; that is quite the gathering. You should come if your mom doesn’t have anything planned,” she invited. “Then on Christmas Day we celebrate at home with Daddy’s aunt; she’s the last of his kinfolk in this area.”

“That sounds nice, Kaitlyn,” he told her.

“You’re welcome to join us for any of it; I’d like for you to if you want to,” she assured him.

“I might,” he nodded.

The sound of the door opening was followed by voices and then raucous laughter.

“Mom’s home,” Adam noted. A moment later a knock sounded on his door. Katherine sat up and crossed her legs as Adam stood and opened his door.

“Hi, Mom,” he greeted.

“Reggie said you have company,” Donna peered into the room curiously.

“Kaitlyn and I were just talking.”

“She’s welcome to stay for dinner; I was going to make a nice meat loaf,” Donna smiled.

Adam, his eyes wary, glanced at Kaitlyn.

“Thank you, Mrs. Ellington,” she smiled at his mother.

“Call me, Donna,” she invited. “I’ll call you when it’s ready,” Donna promised.

“Thanks, Mom,” Adam closed the door behind her. “Apparently, she’s going to play mom tonight,” Adam noted as he returned to the bed and pulled Katherine down with him.

“Have you two ever talked about it?” Katherine asked gently.

“Not since I was fourteen and thought I could actually talk her into getting help. It was pointless,” he told her.

“I’m sorry, Adam,” Katherine propped her head on her hand, her elbow on the bed, and looked down at Adam.

“You have no reason to be,” he assured her.

Katherine leaned down and kissed him; Adam pulled her closer.

“What did you do today?” Adam asked her a moment later as he rolled so that they were facing each other.

“I slept late after sitting up talking to Tessa until early morning and then met Stephanie for lunch, bought a few presents I hadn’t gotten around to yet, wrapped those, and then came here.”

“Sounds like you were busy,” he noted.

“I was.”

They continued talking until Donna called them to eat.

“Grab us an extra chair, Reggie,” Donna tugged the table out from the wall. “We can fix our plates and then bring them to the table to eat,” she smiled at everyone.

“Here we go,” Reggie set an office chair at the table.

Katherine smiled at Donna as she was handed a plate. She fell in line and put a little of everything on her plate before moving to the table and pouring tea over her ice.

“So what are you majoring in, Kaitlyn?” Donna asked after they had started eating.

“Marketing: advertising specifically.”

“I imagine that is fun,” Donna smiled across the table at her.

“I hope so; I won’t know for a while yet,” Katherine smiled back.

“Adam has yet to decide what he’s spending all his money on,” Donna shared.

“Getting his basics first is a smart move,” Katherine defended him.

“I told him I could get him on at the plant,” Reggie shared.

“What are we doing for Christmas, Mom?”

“Reggie wants to deep fry a turkey at his house. His kids are coming.”

“What time?”

“Around lunch.”

“Can I meet you here later?” Adam requested.

“I guess,” Donna frowned.

“Thanks, we aren’t doing anything on Christmas Eve are we?”

“No.”

“Thanks, that’s what I needed to know.”

“I guess you were invited to some stuff, huh?” his mother asked.

“I was,” he admitted.

“That’s the trouble with kids growing up,” Reggie said around a mouth full of food.

Katherine answered Donna’s questions but was relieved when the meal was over, especially when Reggie’s leg kept brushing against hers.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked her once they were back in his room.

“I’m fine,” she assured him.

“You were uncomfortable in there weren’t you?” he asked her.

“Not in the way you think,” she quickly corrected him. “Reggie’s leg kept brushing against mine; probably because the table wasn’t meant for four people and he was in the odd chair, but it creeped me out.”

“So help if that man messes with you I will kick his…”

Katherine cut him off with a kiss and watched him smile.

“Distracting me are you?” he teased.

“Yes, I am,” she grinned.

She stayed for a little while longer and then asked Adam to walk her out to return home. She arrived home to find her parents watching the news.

“Hi,” she greeted as she sank into an arm chair.

“Where have you been?” her mother asked.

“I had dinner with Adam, his mom, and her boyfriend. It was an interesting experience,” she admitted.

“Oh?”

“His mom was playing mom, as Adam calls it and her boyfriend was just plain creepy,” Katherine shared.

“You ever wonder how Adam turned out so nice and polite.” Walter mused with a smile.

“All the time,” Katherine smiled in return. “According to Adam when he was little she was a pretty good mother but the older he got the worse her alcoholism became.”

“You be careful over there, Kattie. I’m sure his mom is nice enough but you never can tell with alcoholics.”

“I think his mom is harmless enough, as I said it was Reggie who creeped me out. But don’t worry, Adam was sticking very close; he doesn’t trust the man either.”

“Does he seem to be doing okay over there?”

“I think so. He cleaned his room out today. I’ve never known a guy who cleaned when he was bored,” she laughed.

“I suspect that if he didn’t it wouldn’t happen,” Walter theorized.

Katherine sighed, “Unfortunately you’re right.”

“Aunt Phoebe’s mom was an alcoholic,” Walter shared. “I’ve heard her tell some sad stories.”

“Adam has a few,” she admitted. “I am off to bed. I love you guys,” she kissed both her parents on the cheek before moving off to bed
.

Eight

Adam and Katherine managed to spend part of everyday together and Christmas Eve as well. He hung back and watched for the most part, intrigued by the family dynamics in play. They were clearly a close knit bunch of people with good natured teasing and joking flowing easily between them. The food was some of the best he had ever eaten but he had long since given up on the names of those around him. Gracie managed to pull him aside and sat and talked with him for several minutes before she was whisked off to open gifts. Katherine claimed Gracie’s vacated seat and smiled at him; he smiled in return. She was clearly happy here among her family, her eyes shining and face glowing. He could understand enjoying a family like hers.

That evening after they returned to Jackson, he lingered and helped Katherine and Julia in the kitchen. He was coming back the next day. He finally made himself go home and sleep. His mom was gone but he wasn’t surprised by that.

The next morning he showered and was back at Kaitlyn’s well before the twelve o’clock meal time.

“Hi,” Kaitlyn smiled when he arrived.

“Hope I’m not too early.”

“Not at all,” she assured him before kissing his cheek.

“Hi, Adam,” Julia greeted.

“Hello, Julia. Can I help in anyway?” he offered.