Finding Willow (Hers) (19 page)

“Stay at Chrome’s until he comes back. There is more than enough room. Leave whatever you don't need behind in the room, or check out. It’s up to you, but if he comes sniffing back around here, I’ll tell him you checked out and left town.”

River has my back, and I can't thank my lucky stars enough. He is offering his brother’s house to me, and I almost feel bad taking him up on the offer. That is before I think about what Chrome would do if he wasn't a state away.

My House

Tuesday morning, I wake to my phone ringing in a strange place. I look around the room, taking in the light blue walls, and the comfort of the king size bed. I remember where I am. Chrome's bed. Apparently the guest room wasn't good enough to sleep in for two nights before his highness got back from whatever top secret operation he was running. River argued on the phone with him about it, but in the end Chrome won out. It’s beginning to seem like a pattern. I want to laugh, but I know there is nothing fucking funny about what he is doing.

Looking at the caller ID on my phone, I see Katy’s name pop up. We emailed a couple times yesterday about the house. She tried to talk me out of it, but she soon realized I’m set on buying the house. After contacting the small real estate agent located a couple towns away with a cash offer, she told me they immediately accepted. I never thought buying a house could be so easy, but apparently when you don't have to deal with mortgage companies, it is a walk in the park.

“What's up, Katy?”

She gives me all the details about the last bit of paperwork needed to complete the purchase. Once the details are all set, the dreaded conversation of my career rears its ugly head. I knew I would have to face it at some point in time. I just didn't think it would be this soon. I’d hoped for a good month of peace from porn.

“So, you’re done?” she asks, her mood sour. I can tell without even seeing her face. She probably has her glasses off, massaging her temples, trying her best not to lunge through the phone and rip my head off. She’s a friend, but she is a business woman. I make her a lot of money.

“I am done, really done this time. I just can't go back to that life, Katy. It’s toxic for me.”

She knows better than I do. All the times I tried rehab and walked away thinking I was magically cured of my addiction, like that was possible. Only to end up on set of a flick called
Long Dong Silver
snorting lines of blow off an extra's tits. It just wasn't an environment I could control myself in.

“I understand, Star. I really do, and I wish you the best of luck in whatever you take on. But you know I can't work with you anymore if this is the case, right?” I knew, but I was hoping she would stay with me and manage all my shit. It was a nice idea, just not a very business savvy one.

“Yeah, I knew it would come to that. I don't want to lose you, but I know you are a professional, Katy.” I hate goodbyes. I really do. I would never ask her to take such a pay cut to stay with me as nothing more than a personal assistant.

“You have me ‘til the first of the year.”

I’m thankful for the next few months, so I can get my own shit together and start handling my own affairs. Maybe I can hire Journey or Paisley to be my personal assistant. I am sure Paisley would love it. If I could ever coax her back from her newest love nest in Florida. I will work on her come Friday, after I see whatever bomb my parents drop on us.

A soft knock sounds on the door, and River peeks into the room.

“Got a minute?” I nod in his direction while I finish up my call with Katy. She mentions overnighting a couple documents, and then we should be all set with the house by Monday at the latest. A lot quicker than I anticipated, but I know it needs so much work that it will be longer before it’s actually safe to live in.

“What’s up, River?”

He looks tired, and I am pretty sure he should be at work already.

“I'm late to take over my shift at the motel, and Scarlett is sick at school. The school nurse just called, and I have no one else to go pick her up. Can you grab her for me, and just bring her back here?”

Me? Handle a sick kid? My mind spins in a million different directions. I’m nervous, but I am not going to leave them all high and dry when they have gone above and beyond for me.

This is what family does for each other, right? We may not be blood, or marriage, but they are slowly becoming the only family I have besides my distant sisters. If they will accept me, I will do my best to accept them.

“Yeah, just tell me where to go and what I have to do.”

He passes me a note with directions scribbled on the paper. Her school isn't far from the house, easy to find. I should know where schools are in this little podunk town, but my shit-tastic parents thought homeschooling was a fantastic idea. They taught us all a bunch of nothing.

“I’ll call the school ahead of time and let them know you’re picking her up. You will have to show them your ID in the office.” Jesus, do they want a fucking DNA sample, too? I guess you can never be too careful these days, but seriously? It seems like overkill.

“You’re a lifesaver, Star!” He wraps his arms around me, plants a kiss on my cheek, and runs out of the house. The moderately sized house they all share. It is four bedrooms, but they are all pretty small. River has the smallest, then Scarlett. Of course the man of the house needs the giant master bedroom. It fits their little family perfectly.

When I walk into the office at the school, poor Scarlett is sitting in a chair with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her face looks almost white. Aren't kids supposed to look green when they’re sick? Her eyes are soft as they meet mine, and she manages a pathetic smile.

“I’m here for Scarlett Grant. Star Bloom.” I hand my license to the woman behind the desk and sign some early dismissal form. I carry Scarlett’s backpack to the car once we’re free to go; I would carry her if I thought I was strong enough.

“Want me to stop at Maggie's and get you some soup?” Soup makes everything better, right?

“Yes, please.” She’s quiet. Not her normally talkative self. I feel bad, but if I was in her position, I probably wouldn't want to be chatting it up, either.

“What's wrong, Scarlett?”

“I barfed all over my teacher. Must be a stomach thing.”

I slowly lean toward the driver's side window, trying to get as far away from her vomit germs as I can get. I can almost feel them hopping across the car and resting all over my body. It is probably hysterical to watch from the outside, though. I know way too many people who would be taking pleasure in this scene right now.

The phone rings and rings. I don't answer it, because this isn't my fucking house. I don't live here, and it isn't my business. I don't want it to wake up Scarlett, though, since she is finally fast asleep, so I take it off the hook. Before I know it, my cell phone rings.

I pick it up on the second ring, cautious that it may be someone I really don't want to talk to. I always assume unknown numbers are going to be reporters, or Blue. He’s always pretty good at finding out where I was; phone calls just tip me off that he’s on my trail. This time around, I already know he’s on the prowl.

“Hello?” I almost whisper. My tone is no match for the pissed off voice on the other end of the line.

“You could have answered the damn phone. I've been fucking worried sick.” Chrome isn't yelling, but he certainly isn't happy, either. I feel bad. I should have called him, but the simple realization that I don't know his damn phone number stopped me. Something so simple we forgot in our short time together.

“Calm down. She’s okay. I got her some soup, and she seems to be sleeping it off. I've checked on her a couple times. She just wants to lie on the couch and watch
Good Luck Charlie
.”

“Thank you.”

“Nothing to thank me for.”

He growls at me through the phone line. I want to laugh at his frustration, but I don't. He would only take it out on me. I can tell that already. The sound of him does something else to me, though. The deep rumble. The sexy suave melody has me wanting him between my legs. I don't want to act like a lovesick girlfriend, but I can't help it.

“I miss you,” I admit to him in a sultry voice. Sex oozes off my words, and I pray I make his nether-regions feel the same way mine do. Desperate for relief.

“You don't even know, baby girl.”

A chill runs through my body and lands square in my stomach. His words spark things inside me I have never felt. If I don't hang up now, shit is going to get out of hand. I will probably say something I’ll regret.

“I'll see you tomorrow, Chrome.”

I see Scarlett moving. She smiles.

“He likes you.”

I collapse against the black leather recliner and kick my feet up. I don't want to acknowledge her words, but it would be rude if I didn't.

“I like him, too.” I don't want to have this heart-to-heart with a ten-year-old, but I don't think there’s any avoiding it. She climbs back under the giant motorcycle blanket on the couch and pulls it up to her chin.

“Are you still going to leave when you’re done here?” I don't know how to answer her question. Because I don't know what I’m going to do tomorrow, let alone months from now. I can't make promises and I won't lead her on.

“I don't know, Scarlett. What I can tell you, that no one else knows, is I bought a house here. I don't want to leave. I don't want to lie to you, either, or break promises.” She nods, and tries to hide the hint of a smile pulling at her lips.

“Get some rest.” I stand up and venture to Chrome's bedroom with my laptop to try and find a contractor to fix up my house.

River sits across the table from me in Maggie's. Scarlett is still dead to the world on the living room couch back at Chrome's house. The little old lady who lives next door was kind enough to hobble over and sit with her so we could both grab something to eat.

The sun’s gone down and the tiny town of Woodstock is coming to a halt for the night. As soon as the street lights come on, most places close.

I pick at the cheeseburger and fries, and he downs the spaghetti and meatballs like he hasn't eaten a damn thing all day. Boys his age have never ending hunger; it never ceases to amaze me.

The bell on the front door alerts the staff to a newcomer. Nobody bothers to look but me. I am instantly fucking glad I did, because there’s Blue, twenty feet away from me, walking toward the counter. He hasn't noticed me yet. But there is no way I am making it out of here without him seeing me.

“You okay?” River asks. I’m sure I look scared shitless. I am not okay but I try to lie about it. I don't want to clue him in on everything, even though Blue is already on his radar from the motel.

“Someone I don't care to see walked in. That's all.”

River turns to look and he recognizes him.

“That is the dick-face from the motel.” I just nod and finish up whatever I’m going to actually eat so we can get out of here. I look up and notice Blue is gone from the counter. While River and I were discussing him, he started making his way to our table. Soon, he is standing right next to me.

“Star, I've been trying to get in touch with you.” If my eyes could shoot actual daggers, he would be dead in a bloody mess on the floor of Maggie's. I start thinking about ways to kill him. Running him over with my car, stabbing him in the eye with a fork, the list goes on and on.