Page 66 of Love's Hot

Now this phone call. There is no way I’m sleeping now. It’s going to be another long day. I press the television on and start scanning Netflix for something to watch to try to stop my heart from thumping in my chest. I can’t help but be worried. He must be desperate if he called me and tried to hide who he was. I keep trying to tell myself he’s fine. He’s strong. We would’ve heard something by now if there were anything wrong.

For fuck’s sake, why is everything I scan past either a sappy romance or a damn cop show? That’s it, now I’m resorting to some show about gold mining in the Australian outback. Who comes up with this shit anyway? Reality television has a lot to answer for in dumbing down the population. Who am I kidding? I love to watch The Bachelor just for the laughs and the fashion. Those chicks are batshit crazy. But it’s worth the comic relief.

I must have drifted off a little because opening my eyes now, the television is still going but the sun is shining in through the crack in the curtains. I don’t know how long I was asleep but hopefully it’s enough to get me through another day. Work has been busy, but I’m glad because it keeps my mind occupied. Today is Monday, which means family meeting plus getting the week’s schedules out to the crew supervisors on site. I know I should be up doing my morning gym sessions, but my heart just isn’t in it at the moment. I told Xavier and Nat I’m taking time off and will let them know when I’m coming back. They both tried to tell me it’s important to keep active to help my mood. They might be right, but I just can’t do it. It’s taking all my strength just to function through the day.

I even tried to bargain with Xavier, to make him tell me what’s going on with Kane, and if he did, I’ll come to the gym. He just laughed at me and told me nice try. He swears he doesn’t know anything, but I can tell he’s lying. My only relief is that if he does know something, then he’ll know Kane’s okay. Xavier was Kane’s lifeline before I was around, so it makes sense he would lean back on him.

Looking at the time, I see it’s only six am so the morning is only just beginning. I contemplate if I should lie here a bit longer or not, but I’m feeling restless so swing my legs out from under the covers and start the day. Every time I have a shower I think of Kane. We had some pretty intense shower sessions, and the memories leave me longing for his touch, with no way of relieving it except with my vibrator, which doesn’t even interest me at the moment. I need to snap out of this. Time to get on with the day.

26

Lilly

“ZACH, CAN YOU PLEASE smack Luke around the back of the head for me?” I’m getting frustrated with the stupid shit coming out his mouth this morning.

“Seriously, sis, you need to get some sleep or get laid, one of the two.” Luke laughs at me across the table.

“Luke,” Alesha gasps. “You did not just say that to your sister. Dad would have a heart attack if he heard you say that.

“Can we keep our concentration on work?” Grant speaks above us all talking at the same time.

“Yes, Dad,” we all chant at the same time. It really pisses him off, that’s why we do it.

“Don’t even start. I swear I work with a bunch of kids,” he grumbles, scanning his tablet for the next point on the agenda we need to talk about. “Zach, what came of the chat the police had down at the river job? Did you find out what’s going on?”

“Not really. Just that there’s talk of some shady stuff happening down that end of town to do with a few women going missing. They didn’t give too much away, just wanted to talk to everyone to see if they had seen anything that may be of help.” Zach looks towards Alesha and me. “Did Kane say anything about it to either of you?”

“Well, he would actually have to show his gutless face for me to know anything.” No matter how much I try to push it aside, there’s still anger lying under the surface. I miss him desperately, but I’m still pissed at him too.

“Okay then, maybe we’ll leave that one alone, shall we?” Zach looks to the boys who are both trying to avoid eye contact with me. “So, next agenda point, Grant.” That’s Zach for you. Always the peacemaker in the family.

“Moving along then. Contract renewals with the contractors need to be signed off this afternoon when they’re finishing up for the day. One of us needs to be down there to sign off for the company. Dad has volunteered to accompany whoever’s going down.” Grant rolls his eyes as he does whenever Dad still tries to stick his nose in. “I’ll be in a meeting with council so I can’t. Luke and Zach are both in separate meetings, so can either of you girls go?”

I look to Alesha who looks like it’s the last thing she wants to be doing.

“Okay, I’ll do it. Get me out of the office for a while. Away from you annoying boys,” I volunteer reluctantly.

“You love us, Lilly. We’re the best brothers ever.” Luke puts his hands over his heart and flutters his eyelashes at me.

“You are such a dickhead. You know that?” I laugh at him because what else can you do.

***

After the meeting is finished, I finally manage to get my work done. That’s one thing in my job, as fast as I clear my emails, they just keep scrolling up the screen. Running the administration and finances with Alesha for the whole company and all the jobs is complicated and painstaking. If we get it wrong, we lose money, or jobs are held up. There are so many things that can go wrong if we drop the ball. I know the last few weeks Alesha has been carrying me and double-checking everything for me. My mind just hasn’t been in the game.

I pack up my bag and grab the folder with all the contracts I need for the sign off this afternoon, then I say my goodbyes and head for the garage. Thinking about what I need to concentrate on when I get to the site, I open up my car, placing my bag and files on the passenger seat. Moving to the driver’s side, I’m almost about to slide into my seat when I spot a small parcel on my windscreen. I look around to see if I can spot anyone, but the garage is empty. I take the parcel and sit in my car, closing the door so I’m completely alone.

I can’t help myself, I pull the paper off the small square. The tears start to lightly fall down my cheeks. It’s a child’s storybook version of Little Red Riding hood. The front cover, a picture of Red Riding Hood and the wolf. I open the front cover to see a simple note.

It just reads ‘I’m ok, Red. Wolf’. Four words that mean more to me than the whole alphabet today. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I know for sure that was Kane on the phone last night, and whatever it is that he needed help with, just hearing me must have gotten him through it. This is his way of letting me know that he’s okay. My heart relaxes for the first time today.

But why can’t he talk to me? He must know what he’s doing to me. I’m relieved that he’s okay, yet I’m cranky at him for not giving me more. I need to know what he’s doing and why he ended us, but is still hovering in the background. It’s weird and creepy. I didn’t take him for the stalker type. Does he not have the guts to face me after what he did to me? I’m all of a sudden feeling very confused. He doesn’t want me, yet he leaves me this.

What are you doing to me, Kane?

This is so unlike him. I took him for the straight-up direct kind of guy.

I’m not sure how long I’m sitting there before my phone rings to startle me and snap me out of my state of confusion.

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