Flirt With Me by Kristen Proby

Chapter 15

~Hunter~

The ferry seemed to take forever to cross the Sound to the island. I was too wound up from the fight to sleep worth a damn last night, and I missed being here with Maeve and Rachel, so I decided to leave Vegas at roughly five this morning.

And now I’m back on the island, driving toward my house.

I love this place. It feels like I’ve always lived here. Like this is where I was supposed to be all along. Most of all, I’m relieved that Rachel is happy here and that she’s thriving in this little town.

I pull into the driveway and park next to an older Ford SUV, then hurry inside. I didn’t hear back from Maeve last night, but I figured she was either still having fun with her friends or had fallen asleep.

She did finally text me about an hour ago and said that she was excited to see me.

The house smells of bacon and eggs and, if I’m not mistaken, sausage gravy.

“Looks like I’m just in time,” I announce as I walk into the kitchen. Fiona is manning the stove, and I can see through the window that Rachel is sitting outside with Tom.

“Good morning,” Maeve says as she hurries over and wraps her arms around my neck and holds on tight. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“I was only gone for twenty-four hours,” I remind her with a laugh.

“Yeah, well, a lot has happened.” She clears her throat and backs away. “We need to talk, Hunter.”

“First of all, are you and Rach okay?”

“Yes, we’re safe and fine,” Maeve assures me.

“You know, I think I have everything done in here for now,” Fiona says with a wink. “I’ll just join Tom and our sweet Rachel outside. It’s a beautiful morning.”

She closes the door behind her, and I narrow my eyes on Maeve.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m just going to tell you everything from the beginning,” Maeve says as she takes a deep breath. “I came home early yesterday afternoon to find Carla here. In the house, Hunter. She was in Rachel’s room, and they were setting up all-new décor. Rachel said her mom bought her all new stuff.”

I cross my arms over my chest and listen as my blood begins to fucking boil.

“I asked her to leave,” Maeve continues, “after some nasty words from her—all out of range of Rachel, of course. Anyway, that’s when I called and asked if Rach could stay with Carla.”

“Okay.”

“After they left, I sent Rach a text and reminded her that I was only a phone call away in case she needed anything. Then I went about my day. The girls came over, and we had a couple of drinks and some food. It was nice.”

“I’m glad.” I feel my stomach tighten because I have a feeling the other shoe is about to drop.

“At about nine, Rachel suddenly came through the door—”

Before she can continue, my daughter hurries in from outside with tears in her eyes. She leaves the door wide-open so Fiona and Tom can hear. “I swear to you, it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know.”

Maeve sighs and closes her eyes, then keeps talking.

“I haven’t told him all of it yet,” Maeve says.

“I seriously didn’t know,” Rachel continues.

“Hold on.” I hold up a finger, and Rachel stops talking. “Maeve, finish it.”

“She came home,” Maeve continues. “She walked home, Hunter. She was acting odd and said she didn’t feel good. Said that Carla and Danny were making her uncomfortable, and she just wanted to come home.”

“Whoa.” I shake my head. “Danny was there?”

“Yes,” Rachel whispers.

“That’s not the worst of it,” Maeve says. “Apparently, they made a blended drink for themselves and added edible marijuana to it. Then, without cleaning the blender, they made a virgin drink for Rachel.”

“Except it wasn’t virgin,” I finish for her.

“No,” Maeve agrees. “It wasn’t.”

“They were high and acting so stupid. I didn’t want to be there anymore,” Rachel says, picking up the story. “I was mad, actually. So, I just left. But when I was about halfway home, I started to feel really weird. I couldn’t call Maeve because I forgot my phone at Carla’s.”

She’s back to calling her Carla. That’s good.

“She was pretty stoned when she got here,” Maeve says. “Meg Montgomery is a nurse and evaluated her. She just had to sleep it off. So, she did.”

“Did Carla ever call here last night, wondering where Rachel was?”

Both girls just blink at me, and that’s all the answer I need.

I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so much fucking rage in all of my damn life.

I have to leave the room. I want to yell and throw a fucking fit, and that won’t solve anything. It will likely only upset everyone more.

I stomp out the open back door and make it all the way to the cliffs before I realize that Tom has followed. He moves a bit slower, but he joins me on the cliffs.

“I’d wager that you’re good and angry right now.”

“You’d win that bet.”

He nods. “Maeve said she didn’t want to call you when it all happened because you were in the middle of doing your job. The fight was still going, and it was live television.”

I blow out a breath and shove my hands through my hair with frustration.

“She still should have called.”

“I don’t disagree. It’s a scary thing that I’d say no one expected to happen. It scared your daughter, and that’s the truth of it.”

“Are we sure this isn’t another stunt of hers?” I ask and turn to Tom. “Rachel was famous for pulling shit like this when we lived in Seattle.”

“T’wasn’t, no.” Tom shakes his head. “She asked Fiona and me to come to breakfast this morning and told us about it. She said Maeve slept with her all night to make sure she was okay.”

“I’m grateful that she did that. And I’m damn disgusted that she had to.”

“You have two good girls in there, son. I know you’re angry, and you’ve got good reason to be. I’d be livid meself. But it’s not their fault. You need to take this up with the person responsible.”

“You’re right.”

I pull my phone out of my pocket as Tom walks back toward the house and dial Carla’s number.

“Hello?”

“What the fuck were you thinking?”

“Huh?” I hear her fumbling around. “What time is it?”

“Rachel’s safe, in case you were wondering.”

“Of course, she is. She’s with me.”

“No. She’s fucking not. She’s home, where she belongs. Because you and that asshole, Danny, were too high last night to know what the fuck was going on. There was enough of the drugs still in the blender that it made my daughter high, as well.”

“What are you even talking about?” she demands. “You’re making all of this up.”

“No. I’m not. And I have witnesses. You’re done, do you hear me? Fucking done. You won’t have any contact with Rachel. You won’t come to see her. You signed over your rights to her years ago, and you have no place in her life. If you try to keep up this stupid charade, I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. I’m telling you how it is. Stay away from my kid, Carla. Or you’ll regret it.”

I hang up and turn to find Maeve walking toward me.

“I’m sorry,” she says before I can say anything. “I should have called, but I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what was right. And all I wanted was to keep my eyes on her in case something went really wrong.”

I reach for her, tug her into my arms, and hold her tightly against me.

“I just love her so much,” she keeps going and sniffles against my chest. “And I was so worried. I want to punch that bitch in her smug little face. She called me a gold digger for fuck’s sake, Hunter.”

“What?” That makes me laugh. “Of all of the things you are, babe, a gold digger isn’t one of them.”

“I know. And who is Danny?”

I have a bitter taste in my mouth at just the mention of the asshole’s name.

“Carla’s been with Danny for years. I don’t think they’re married. Not sure.” I shrug. “Don’t really care, honestly. He’s a fighter, and not a particularly good one. I’ve fought him several times. Always kick his ass.”

“Good.”

I smile. “He’s a dick. He talks a lot of smack—more than normal for someone who rarely wins. He’s not a champion. He doesn’t have what it takes to be a champion. Clearly, the asshole does drugs for fuck’s sake.”

“What are you going to do?” she asks.

“I already called Carla and told her she can have no more contact with Rachel.”

“I figured you’d do that.”

“I need to have a talk with my kid, too. Is there any food left?”

“Ma’s inside warming up everything now.” Maeve takes a deep breath of sea air. “It was awful last night. How is this possible?”

“How is what possible?” I reach over and tuck her red hair behind her ear.

“I’ve only known you for…what? Less than two months?”

“About that.”

“And I’m completely in love with you. With both of you. I’m possessive and protective. So protective. It’s like I’ve been with you for years. Forever.”

“It’s not always about time,” I remind her. “I’ve been in love with you since the first time I saw you at the pub. And then the next day, when you were all prim and proper, and trying to sell me any house but this one.”

She laughs and glances back at the house. “Well, it’s my dream house.”

“And it’s yours.”

Her smile fades. “It’s your house, Hunter.”

“And you live in it. Do you really think I’m going to let you leave when the repairs on the other house are finished? Not a chance in hell.”

She props her hands on her hips in that sassy way she does that makes me fucking crazy. Her lips tip up in a smile.

“What am I supposed to do with the other house?”

“Sell it, rent it out, keep it for family to use. Hell, I don’t care. I just want you with us. In your dream house.”

“I mean, it’s a really nice house, so I guess I could put up with you in exchange for living in it.”

I grab her wrist, haul her over my shoulder, and take off toward the house.

“What the hell?” She giggles and pats my butt. “Put me down, you caveman.”

“Eventually,” I reply, but carry her until we get to the house, then set her on her feet in the kitchen.

Three pairs of eyes turn to us.

“Is there any bacon left?” I ask.

“I have a delivery for Rachel Meyers,”the kid says when I answer the door.

“I’m her dad.”

He passes me a padded envelope and then leaves. I rip it open, and Rachel’s phone falls out, along with a note from Carla.

“Rach!” I call up the stairs and open the note.

Rachel,

I don’t know what happened last night. I’m very disappointed in you for leaving without telling me. You got me into big trouble with your dad! He says I have to stay away, but don’t worry, you and I will come up with a little plan.

I’ve saved a new number in your phone under the name Trina. So you can still talk to me. Just tell Hunter it’s a friend from school. We will outsmart him!

Keep me posted on all the things we talked about. And text me later!

Mom

I open her phone and delete Trina and Carla’s number, then climb the steps to see what Rachel’s up to. I’ll be shredding the note.

I should have figured that Carla would try to find a way to go behind my back.

“Rach?” I knock on her door and then open it, blinking in surprise.

Maeve and my daughter are hanging curtains and dancing to an old Britney Spears song.

“Hey, Dad,” Rachel says with a grin. “We’re just putting my stuff back up. I’m gonna throw the crap Carla bought in the trash.”

“I think that about does it,” Maeve says as she fusses with a pillow on the bed. “Back to normal. We have to go to the pub in just a little bit.”

“Do I have time to chat with my daughter?” I ask.

“Of course. I’m going to go change my clothes.” Maeve walks to me and kisses my cheek, then leaves us alone.

“Is that my phone?” Rachel asks, gesturing to the cell in my hand.

“It is. Your—Carla had it sent over for you.”

“Sweet.” Rachel takes the offered phone and checks it for messages, then tucks it into her pocket.

“Honey, did Carla try to get you to go along with some scheme she dreamed up?”

The smile on my daughter’s face fades, and she sits on her bed. “Sort of, yeah. She kept talking about me coming to live with her. Said I could just sneak away.”

“Run away.”

“Yeah. But I knew it wouldn’t really happen. Carla has always talked like that, even when I was little.”

My head snaps up. “What?”

“She’s just full of it, Dad. She always has been. Oh, I found out yesterday that she didn’t buy that Cooper. She rented it. She just wanted to piss you off.”

“Jesus.” I drag my hand down my face in frustration. “It worked.”

“And she hates Maeve. Like, whenever I talked about Maeve and her family, Carla would tell me to shut my mouth. She’s so jealous. And I swear I didn’t know that Danny was going to show up. He’s such a creep. I don’t like the way he looks at me.”

I narrow my eyes. “And how is that?”

“In a creepy, old-dude way. And he’s not very nice.”

“No. He isn’t.”

“Anyway, I’m sorry about last night, Dad. I know I’ve been in trouble for things like this before, although I’ve never done any kind of drugs. But I swear to you, this time, it was not my fault.”

“I know.” I sigh and reach over to ruffle her hair. “I know it wasn’t. Rach, I told Carla she can’t see you again. It’s just not safe. For as long as you’re a minor and live with me, I won’t allow it.”

“Good.” She sighs in relief. “Because last night sucked, and I have no interest in seeing her. I thought I had to because she’s my mom.”

“Nope, you don’t have to. She has no legal right to you.”

“Okay. I think it’s best if she just goes away and doesn’t come back.”

“I agree. I’m glad we’re on the same page here. Now, I need to talk to you about something else.”

“Oh, geez, what did I do now?”

I laugh and tug her in for a quick hug. “Nothing, you little stink bug. I want to talk about Maeve. I know it might seem like it’s moving fast, but I want her here with us. Permanently.”

“Like, are you going to marry her?”

“God, I hope so.”

Rachel grins. “I love her, Dad. Like, I really love her. And her family is just the best. Grams and Gramps like them, too. I want her family to be part of ours.”

“I take it that means you’re okay with it, then?”

Rachel rolls her eyes and makes me chuckle. “Yeah. I’m great with it.”