incommunicado.
Kingston’s message would be the only message not welcoming me home. I didn’t need to open it to know what it would say. It was a summons.
KC: Hudson, my office, noon. Shit to discuss.
I rub my eyes, releasing a frustrated sigh knowing this might not go well, praying it did. I respond. The sooner I lay it on King the better. Once he knows what’s she’s running from and why I stepped in, he might throw in his support too. Meanwhile, I need to figure something for her to do while I’m at the office. I don’t want to leave her alone. Picking up my phone and I send another text.
HR: Missy, do your little brother a favor...our girl needs more
clothes. I hate shopping.
She responds almost instantly. Sometimes I forget how much of a morning person she is.
MR : You hate shopping? I would’ve never guessed.
My sister is a smart ass. I chuckle.
HR: I’ll make sure to send you an email with all my dislikes. The
first being the meeting I have to sit through with King this
afternoon.
Again she responds instantly.
MR: You knew it was coming. He’s worried. We all are.
They’re worried because I haven’t told anyone besides Sneak and Missy about Alice and the situation we dealt with in LA. I wasn’t sure what Sneak told King, likely only pieces of the story, leaving him to guess the rest.
HR: Nothing to worry about. See for yourself…if you can hang with
her.
MR: Anything I should know before agreeing?
HR: Let her take the lead.
MR: She talking yet?
HR: No and I would appreciate if you didn’t pressure her. Things
are...delicate.
MR: Understood. What time do you have to meet Kingston?
HR: Noon but I want to go in early and see Sneak.
MR: I’ll be by around ten. You think she’ll be up by then?
I don’t have an answer for that question. Our sleeping patterns have been sort of sporadic. I wasn’t sure what Alice’s schedule is when there isn’t a job to get to. I know I can make sure she is up by the time Missy comes by, if it comes down to it. I can’t help wondering what she’s like first thing in the morning, after spending the night in a real bed.
A noise behind me startles me and I turn to see Alice walking into the kitchen, pulling the belt on her new robe tightly around her. She has a cautious look in her eyes and god-awful morning hair.
“Good morning,” I swallow, my voice vibrates a deep sleepy baritone. She nods and offers me a half smile. “Give me a moment and I will get the coffee going.”
She crosses the room to the coffee pot and hits the button. She already set it up before going to bed, I smile.
HR: She just woke up. I’ll make sure she’s ready for you by ten. See
you then and thanks.
Shooting the final text off to Missy, I set my phone down onto the counter. I watch Alice as she picks up our mugs from the rack and crosses to the refrigerator in search of the vanilla flavored creamer. She’s cute in the morning with her hair wild and her eyes still droopy from sleep.
“Did you sleep well?” I ask and she nods. I shift more aware of how much I’m alright with her standing in my kitchen like she’s done it for years and she belongs there. “Thank you for prepping the coffee.”
She nods again, turning back to the coffee maker. I want to say more, apologize for falling asleep on her last night but the words fail me. She tucked me in with a blanket, she straightened up the kitchen, she placed my phone on the charger and now she stood in the middle of my kitchen looking all kinds of cute, making me aware of the fear settling in my stomach. Fear that I might be getting too comfortable with her here. Fear that I’m going to miss her more than I’m willing to admit when she finally does go.
“I need to go into the office today,” I clear my throat and cross the room to sit down at the breakfast bar. “I asked Missy to come by and take you shopping while I am
Kingston’s message would be the only message not welcoming me home. I didn’t need to open it to know what it would say. It was a summons.
KC: Hudson, my office, noon. Shit to discuss.
I rub my eyes, releasing a frustrated sigh knowing this might not go well, praying it did. I respond. The sooner I lay it on King the better. Once he knows what’s she’s running from and why I stepped in, he might throw in his support too. Meanwhile, I need to figure something for her to do while I’m at the office. I don’t want to leave her alone. Picking up my phone and I send another text.
HR: Missy, do your little brother a favor...our girl needs more
clothes. I hate shopping.
She responds almost instantly. Sometimes I forget how much of a morning person she is.
MR : You hate shopping? I would’ve never guessed.
My sister is a smart ass. I chuckle.
HR: I’ll make sure to send you an email with all my dislikes. The
first being the meeting I have to sit through with King this
afternoon.
Again she responds instantly.
MR: You knew it was coming. He’s worried. We all are.
They’re worried because I haven’t told anyone besides Sneak and Missy about Alice and the situation we dealt with in LA. I wasn’t sure what Sneak told King, likely only pieces of the story, leaving him to guess the rest.
HR: Nothing to worry about. See for yourself…if you can hang with
her.
MR: Anything I should know before agreeing?
HR: Let her take the lead.
MR: She talking yet?
HR: No and I would appreciate if you didn’t pressure her. Things
are...delicate.
MR: Understood. What time do you have to meet Kingston?
HR: Noon but I want to go in early and see Sneak.
MR: I’ll be by around ten. You think she’ll be up by then?
I don’t have an answer for that question. Our sleeping patterns have been sort of sporadic. I wasn’t sure what Alice’s schedule is when there isn’t a job to get to. I know I can make sure she is up by the time Missy comes by, if it comes down to it. I can’t help wondering what she’s like first thing in the morning, after spending the night in a real bed.
A noise behind me startles me and I turn to see Alice walking into the kitchen, pulling the belt on her new robe tightly around her. She has a cautious look in her eyes and god-awful morning hair.
“Good morning,” I swallow, my voice vibrates a deep sleepy baritone. She nods and offers me a half smile. “Give me a moment and I will get the coffee going.”
She crosses the room to the coffee pot and hits the button. She already set it up before going to bed, I smile.
HR: She just woke up. I’ll make sure she’s ready for you by ten. See
you then and thanks.
Shooting the final text off to Missy, I set my phone down onto the counter. I watch Alice as she picks up our mugs from the rack and crosses to the refrigerator in search of the vanilla flavored creamer. She’s cute in the morning with her hair wild and her eyes still droopy from sleep.
“Did you sleep well?” I ask and she nods. I shift more aware of how much I’m alright with her standing in my kitchen like she’s done it for years and she belongs there. “Thank you for prepping the coffee.”
She nods again, turning back to the coffee maker. I want to say more, apologize for falling asleep on her last night but the words fail me. She tucked me in with a blanket, she straightened up the kitchen, she placed my phone on the charger and now she stood in the middle of my kitchen looking all kinds of cute, making me aware of the fear settling in my stomach. Fear that I might be getting too comfortable with her here. Fear that I’m going to miss her more than I’m willing to admit when she finally does go.
“I need to go into the office today,” I clear my throat and cross the room to sit down at the breakfast bar. “I asked Missy to come by and take you shopping while I am
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