“Surely, you don’t mean that. I told you it was a mistake. We all make them, Daley. Give me a second chance.”
“And I agreed it was one. One I’ve fixed. Go.”
Her hand curved into his arm. He scowled and clasped his fingers around her wrist to remove her touch.
The door behind her cracked wide and out popped a small head. “Hi!” the boy said.
“Hey, kid.”
“Go away,” Julie snapped. “We’re busy.”
His grip tightened. “Talk to him like that again and see what happens. Just a minute, kid.” He stepped close to Julie. “Get your shit and get going. If it’s here when I’m done with his bike, I’ll toss it out.” He looked at the boy, releasing Julie. “You have your bike?”
“Auntie said you can come over.” He stared at Julie. “Not you, though. She didn’t invite you.”
Dale laughed at his candor while swiping his toolbox. “Let’s go then.” He double-checked the lock on his door—newly replaced in case she’d made a duplicate—and, moving past a shocked Julie, went to the other side of the hall.
He knocked on the door. “Hello?” Despite the issued invite, he wasn’t about to just stroll into a woman’s place unannounced.
“Tyler, bring him in and shut the door.” The voice was low and hit him square in the gut, vibrating with a hint of familiarity.
“This way.” They entered and Dale watched him lock the door. “My bike is in the kitchen.”
Down a hall lined with hand drawn pictures and into a small kitchen, he trailed the boy. The bike was upside down near the entrance, and Dale bent by it. The table in the back was placed against the wall beneath a clean window with a sill box on it growing flowers. The remnants of breakfast still lingered on the surface.
He looked up from the bike at the slight footsteps entering the kitchen. His breath left him in a low whoosh. She was tall and leanly muscled. Graceful. Her glossy long black framed her face. His heart skipped a beat. Then, two more.
As quickly as it hit, the feeling was shoved away. He stood and smiled. I can’t fucking believe it.
Her smile was a bit more reserved. He didn’t blame her; they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms.
“Alimaia,” he breathed, unsure he wasn’t imagining things.
“Mr. Curtayn. And, not that I see you using it, I go by Allie now.” She moved to the table and lifted off the two plates, not even bothering to offer her hand nor accept his.
“How have you been? This is your nephew?”
“Fine and yes.”
Three words, which were most decidedly unwelcoming. He stepped toward her but she stiffened, every inch of her. He knew why but still didn’t like it. Dale preferred her soft and willing beneath his touch.
So many touches.
“Tyler, go brush your teeth please.”
The lad dashed off, and Dale shoved his hands in his pockets while rocking back on his heels. He remembered their first meeting all those years ago. He’d totally and completely embarrassed himself before her.
“So, you know all about me, do I at least get to know your name?” He’d grinned. “Or has knowing all that made you want to keep your distance?”
“We all make bad choices; I can hardly judge you for yours.”
“I think we’ve determined my life sucks, and yet, I still don’t know your name.”
She’d ducked her head, looking entirely adorable. “Alimaia Sumani.”
“Sumani. Sumani. What nationality is that?”
“Algerian.” There’d been no hesitation on her part. “My parents are from there.”
“I’ve heard it’s a beautiful country.”
“Yes, it is.”
Tyler came back in, and Dale centered his attention on the boy as opposed to those memories previously contained, which now threatened to consume him.
“Let’s see what we have here.” He knelt and set down the tools he brought with. “Yep, we can fix this in no time.”
Dale had Tyler help, all the while remaining consciously aware of Alimaia…Allie’s scrutiny. She kept herself busy clearing off
“And I agreed it was one. One I’ve fixed. Go.”
Her hand curved into his arm. He scowled and clasped his fingers around her wrist to remove her touch.
The door behind her cracked wide and out popped a small head. “Hi!” the boy said.
“Hey, kid.”
“Go away,” Julie snapped. “We’re busy.”
His grip tightened. “Talk to him like that again and see what happens. Just a minute, kid.” He stepped close to Julie. “Get your shit and get going. If it’s here when I’m done with his bike, I’ll toss it out.” He looked at the boy, releasing Julie. “You have your bike?”
“Auntie said you can come over.” He stared at Julie. “Not you, though. She didn’t invite you.”
Dale laughed at his candor while swiping his toolbox. “Let’s go then.” He double-checked the lock on his door—newly replaced in case she’d made a duplicate—and, moving past a shocked Julie, went to the other side of the hall.
He knocked on the door. “Hello?” Despite the issued invite, he wasn’t about to just stroll into a woman’s place unannounced.
“Tyler, bring him in and shut the door.” The voice was low and hit him square in the gut, vibrating with a hint of familiarity.
“This way.” They entered and Dale watched him lock the door. “My bike is in the kitchen.”
Down a hall lined with hand drawn pictures and into a small kitchen, he trailed the boy. The bike was upside down near the entrance, and Dale bent by it. The table in the back was placed against the wall beneath a clean window with a sill box on it growing flowers. The remnants of breakfast still lingered on the surface.
He looked up from the bike at the slight footsteps entering the kitchen. His breath left him in a low whoosh. She was tall and leanly muscled. Graceful. Her glossy long black framed her face. His heart skipped a beat. Then, two more.
As quickly as it hit, the feeling was shoved away. He stood and smiled. I can’t fucking believe it.
Her smile was a bit more reserved. He didn’t blame her; they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms.
“Alimaia,” he breathed, unsure he wasn’t imagining things.
“Mr. Curtayn. And, not that I see you using it, I go by Allie now.” She moved to the table and lifted off the two plates, not even bothering to offer her hand nor accept his.
“How have you been? This is your nephew?”
“Fine and yes.”
Three words, which were most decidedly unwelcoming. He stepped toward her but she stiffened, every inch of her. He knew why but still didn’t like it. Dale preferred her soft and willing beneath his touch.
So many touches.
“Tyler, go brush your teeth please.”
The lad dashed off, and Dale shoved his hands in his pockets while rocking back on his heels. He remembered their first meeting all those years ago. He’d totally and completely embarrassed himself before her.
“So, you know all about me, do I at least get to know your name?” He’d grinned. “Or has knowing all that made you want to keep your distance?”
“We all make bad choices; I can hardly judge you for yours.”
“I think we’ve determined my life sucks, and yet, I still don’t know your name.”
She’d ducked her head, looking entirely adorable. “Alimaia Sumani.”
“Sumani. Sumani. What nationality is that?”
“Algerian.” There’d been no hesitation on her part. “My parents are from there.”
“I’ve heard it’s a beautiful country.”
“Yes, it is.”
Tyler came back in, and Dale centered his attention on the boy as opposed to those memories previously contained, which now threatened to consume him.
“Let’s see what we have here.” He knelt and set down the tools he brought with. “Yep, we can fix this in no time.”
Dale had Tyler help, all the while remaining consciously aware of Alimaia…Allie’s scrutiny. She kept herself busy clearing off
Similar Books
