Page 26 of Wandering Closer

“Goodnight,” my voice sounds breathy as they head out the front, closing my door behind them.

I feel thoroughly lost, yet renewed all at once.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

thoren

Ishut Lily’s front door behind me, turning to find Michele leaning against her car with her arms crossed and a smile on her face. Shadow runs back and forth between us as I make my way over to her and lean against my truck that’s parked next to her.

“What’s that look for?”

“You’d be good for each other,” she says simply. “I’m just not sure she’s ready to be with someone.”

“Her story tonight made that glaringly obvious,” I mutter. “I’m going to fucking kill that guy.”

I kick at the gravel beneath my boot. I had to leave her house before I started breaking things and scaring her. I’m furious, the anger coursing hot through my veins. Tyler deserves to pay, and I will ensure that he does. The tiny dicked fucker used her and lied to her for two damn years. Cheating is the one thing I will not tolerate, and by the disgust and shame written all over Lily’s face, I would bet she feels the same. Yet, he put her in that position without her knowledge. I’m not mad at her, but I am mad. She probably needs someone to hold her and be by her side after that admission, but I can’t be that person tonight. I need to go for a run. Or hit something. Preferably both.

“Put your hammer down, Thor. She’s going to need you around after we crush this guy, so we need to help her do it legally. Might be the one time to use your brother.”

A part of me hates that she’s even bringing him up, but she’s right. River has connections and sway that I will never have, and even though I try to never take advantage of his place in life, I will for Lily. Not that he will see it that way. He’s always trying to use his money and connections to do more for our family, even though we continually refuse.

“Yeah, I was already thinking that. She’s so pure, Chele. She watches my dog and makes me dinner, and she still hardly knows me. How could someone make her feel like less than she is?”

“The world is full of assholes. You and I both know that. She’s special, that’s for sure. Go home, eat that amazing dinner she made, and call me this weekend,” she says, climbing into her car.

“Michele,” I call, before she shuts her door. “I’ll wait for her, you know? To be ready.” Her smile is bright as she shuts her door before backing out and driving away. I open my passenger door and set the container on the seat before calling Shadow up to sit there, too. I shut the door, taking a moment to stare at the small cabin, marveling at how quickly this woman is worming her way into my heart. Then I hop in the truck and head for home where I can plan Tyler’s demise.

Shadow is waiting dutifully by the door for me on Friday afternoon when I get off of work. Today was a shit day. I couldn’t focus on anything but the anger still flowing through me. I know better than to let anger fester, so I change into shorts and headstraight to the garage gym before I have dinner with my parents tonight.

Shadow sits on her mat in the corner, chewing on her bone, her eyes never straying far from me. She knows me the best, and she’s seen me push myself too hard in here when I am upset. She was by my side when I was almost crushed, pushing my chest press, and when I almost passed out after maxing out my deadlift. I had a lot of anger to work out when Jen left; anger at her, at myself, at the world in general.

I know Shadow can feel that same tense energy radiating off me now. I am furious at the world again. Cheaters piss me off, and when I heard those words tumble out of Lily’s mouth, it churned my stomach. I could feel the deep shame surrounding her, trying to drag her under. That whole situation is not her fault. He was the one in a position of power, the one manipulating and taking what should have never been his. He broke Lily, the woman who exudes light, kindness, and passion. The type of woman he could never deserve.

I finish my last set of squats, sweat dripping down my face and chest. My body still feels wound too tight, but my parents will be waiting on me, so I take a quick shower, load up Shadow, and head for their house. They live on the other side of town, which I am really starting to hate. I worry about them, not that they have given me a reason to. They’re getting up there in age and have a lot of land they still care for. My dad was a police officer who retired five years ago, and my mom was a school counselor at the high school until I graduated. She retired then too, and now they have a large garden that they use to fill the local food bank and farmer’s market.

Shadow knows exactly where we are as we pull into their long driveway. Her nose is pressed to the window, tail whipping me, ready to sprint out the moment I stop. She hops right over my lap and out of the truck the minute my door is open. The littleshit sits right on their front mat and barks, knowing full well my mom will open the door with a treat in hand. The first time I brought her here, my mom showed me the treat container she bought and put on the entry table for her ‘new baby’.

Sure enough, as my boots thud up the steps, my mom opens the door to a patiently waiting Shadow. Her wild black tail swishing back and forth is the only thing giving away her excitement as the rest of her sits still as a stone. My mom places the treat carefully on her nose and gives her ear a scratch before giving her the okay to take it. Shadow flips it off her nose, catching it midair and runs inside with it.

I shake my head, as my mom wraps me in a hug. “I still don’t understand how you do that. I try at home sometimes, but she never waits for permission to eat it.”

“It’s a grandma thing,” she shrugs, leading me into the kitchen. “Wash up and you can chop the veggies while you tell me about the SAR case this week.”

“How do you always know everything?” I huff, washing my hands at the sink.

“That would be a mom thing. Be lucky I’m not asking you about the girl yet,” she winks, moving to remove a dish from the oven to place it on the island. I swear, I never see my mom in town, yet she is always up to date on all the latest gossip. “Go get grandpa,” she tells Shadow, opening the back door that leads to their garden.

I tell her about the rescue while we finish preparing dinner together. In my mom’s true fashion, she gushes about how proud she is of me for leading a successful team. It would feel good, but it was an easy rescue, all things considered. I found where communication between the team was lacking, and what we need to focus on with our next training. The fact that we got Kelsey out of there and she’s going to be fine is really the most important though.

My dad finally stomps his way into the house, dropping a kiss to my moms head on his way to the sink. They have a love most people dream about. It’s not to say they haven’t faced hardships, because they have, they’ve just loved each other harder through each one.

“Hey son,” he claps my shoulder, leaving a dirt handprint behind. “Did I miss the inquisition about the girl?”

I roll my eyes lovingly, dispersing the plates and dishes on the table. “Nope, mom saved that conversation just for you.”

We all take our seats, Shadow directly under my mom like always. “We just want to see you happy. That’s all we’ve ever wanted for you and River, and I happen to think you have good love karma coming your way after everything with Jen.”

I mumble around a bite of potatoes, “Is good love karma even a thing?”

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