Page 55 of Shot to the Hart

We lay there in the dark for a while, just taking each other's soft touches in before Kodi’s breathing evens out and I let her small snores lull me to sleep.

31

MAVERICK

DEFINITELY FREAKING OUT

Iwake to the sound of light footsteps and quiet music coming from my kitchen, the spot where Kodi was laying beside me is now empty and cold. Looking at my phone, I see that it’s not even nine a.m. and we aren’t due to pick up Bella until this afternoon, so I’m confused as to why she left me alone. We have some time and I had plans for her before I have to go and pick up Bella from my Dad’s.

Dragging myself out of bed, I brush my teeth and throw on some sweats then head towards Kodi. Standing in the doorway, I notice she’s making us breakfast wearing my button up from last night, hair thrown in a bun. And not just a bowl of cereal. Like coffee is brewing, pancakes are being flipped and bacon is popping on the stove top, type of breakfast. I could get used to this vision of her dancing around my kitchen. Except in my perfect world, all three of us would be in the kitchen on Saturday mornings, and I would be stealing kisses when Bella wasn’t paying attention.

“Mornin’ Darlin’. You left me all alone in bed this morning, I had plans for you.” She jumps a little but turns to me and gives me that smile that makes me feel the need to clutch my chest.

“Hey, Big Guy. Nice of you to join me.” Walking towards me, she gets up on her tiptoes and plants a kiss on my lips. She blushes a little before adding, “Sorry about that. Had to make breakfast, I woke up with a growling stomach this morning.”

“Hell yeah. You’re forgiven as long as you tell me there are chocolate chips in those pancakes,” I practically beg.

“Um, duh. Do I look like someone who would eat pancakes without chocolate chips in them?” she teases, planting one more quick kiss on my lips and heading back towards the stove. “Get comfortable wherever you want to eat, I’ll bring a plate once it’s finished,” she tosses over her shoulder.

“The couch sounds really good, just don’t tell Arabella. I’m too old to be out all night and then to eat breakfast at the table like an adult.”

She chuckles at that and retorts with,”Twenty-eight is not that old Mav.”

I make my way through the kitchen, placing a chaste kiss on her neck as she continues to prepare our breakfast. “This looks delicious, thank you.” I swiftly make two cups of coffee with cream and sugar then head to the couch to wait.

We need to talk about what our dynamic will look like now, what will happen if we don’t work out, and how we can protect Bella before we progress our relationship further. I’d also like to take her on a proper date. I just hope that she’s willing to meet me where I’m at.

“Here ya go, handsome.” Kodi hands me my plate as she plops down beside me.

“Thank you, Kodi. For last night, the past couple weeks, for breakfast.” Setting my plate in my lap, I pull her in for a quick kiss, feeling her smile against my lips. “As much as I want tokeep kissing you, we need to eat and I want to talk to you. Don’t worry though, I’ll have you back in my bed before I have to go grab Bella.” Looking Kodi in the eyes, I can see she’s preparing herself for me to reject her again. Her shoulders are bunched to her ears, trying to keep her expression schooled, pulling on that damn hair tie again, so before I continue speaking, I place my free hand on her knee that's resting against my thigh. “Before I say anything else, I am not ending this, whatever this is. I just want to talk about where we go from here, what we both want going forward.”

Kodi’s shoulders drop and she lets out a long breath, nodding as she lifts her coffee mug to her lips, and if I could keep her relaxed for the rest of my life I would.

“I’m going to be entirely too honest here and I want you to do the same, Ko. Actually, I need you to be because it’s not just my heart and yours at stake here. It’s Bella’s too.” Just as I’m about to continue, my phone starts ringing, and seeing that it’s my Dad has my heart dropping knowing that he would only call if it was an emergency. He wanted this time with Bella just as much as he knew Kodi and I needed a break.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Son, don’t freak out.” Well that’s the exact opposite way to keep me calm.

“What’s going on?” I try to keep my voice from wavering. Kodi can hear my unsteady tone and takes our plates, setting them on the coffee table. She rushes out of the room, presumably to put on clothes that are appropriate to wear in public.

“Well, Bella woke up this morning running a bit of a fever. She’s a little out of it, she’s whining and she’s refusing to eat. I gave her some of the Tylenol you put in her bag but I think we need to take her to see a doctor.”

“How high, Dad?” I ask, and Kodi reappears wearing gray sweats and a t- shirt, holding one for me to put on myself.

“103 before the meds, 101 now. I’m getting her into her seat now.” I can hear my daughter's sad cries in the background causing my heart to pound faster in my chest, my palms beginning to sweat. This isn’t my dad’s fault, but I’m so worried about Bella. I’m now halfway to the garage door, ready to break every law to get to my girl.

“Drive safe, we’ll see y’all at the children's emergency. Thanks Dad, love you.” Hanging up the phone and turning to Kodi I say, “I’m sorry, we are going to have to finish this conversation later. Bella needs me, will you come with me? I. . .I need you.”

“What’s going on Mav?” Kodi falters but follows me out the door. “Do you need me to drive?”

“Uh, yeah, if you don’t mind.” I slide into the passenger's seat of the Bronco after handing my keys over to Kodi, feeling unsteady. I know I shouldn’t drive with my thoughts racing like this. I’m hoping she just caught a bug and that it doesn’t progress to anything worse or that something isn’t causing it.

“Mav, babe. I need to know where I’m going,” Kodi’s soft and tender voice breaks through my thoughts.

“It’s Bella. She woke up with a fever, the Tylenol we put in her bag wasn’t working. My dad doesn’t know what’s wrong, he’s taking her to the emergency room.” Reaching over, she places a hand over mine in my lap and pulls the car out of the garage. Throwing my head back into the headrest, I groan. “Fuck.”

“She’ll be okay, Mav. She’s probably just got the flu or some other kid germ that her little body needs some extra help fighting off.” She squeezes my hand in an attempt to solidify her point. “You know, Sin works at this hospital. The children's unit is really good, no matter what, she’s going to be taken care of.”

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