Page 45 of Two Steps Ahead

When he said “house,” she assumed he meant some sort of safe house. And although she wasn’t entirely sure what she envisioned by “safe house,” it definitely wasn’t a cute little two-story Spanish Colonial on the outskirts of San Antonio.

“Is this your house?” she asked, noting the beautiful garden in the front. The landscaping definitely seemed his style.

“It was at one point.” They parked, and he led her around to the rear of the house with a hand on her back. “Let’s get inside as quietly as possible.”

Kayleigh didn’t understand why they were sneaking in, but it didn’t matter. She could practically feel the shower calling. They stepped through the sliding-glass door on the back deck and crept up the staircase.

They went inside a room that had a small desk, twin bed and posters of basketball players on the wall.

“This will be you. Bathroom’s through that door.” He pointed to the first door in the hallway. “There should be some clean clothes on the counter that will be close enough to fitting you. Take your shower and we’ll go downstairs.”

The more she looked around, the more she realized she was standing in a teenage boy’s room.

Not just any teenage boy.Westonteenage boy.

“Where are we, Weston?”

“My parents’ place. Clinton and Sheila Patterson’s house.”

He’d talked about his parents and his siblings, but Kayleigh had never expected to be in their home.

“And the clothes?”

“I texted Brax. You and his wife, Tessa, are about the same size, so I had him drop off something for you to wear.”

“Thank you.” She hesitated. “Are you sure it’s a good idea that I’m here?”

Weston pulled her in for a hug. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think you were safe.”

That wasn’t exactly what she was worried about, but now that he mentioned it... “I’m a dangerous houseguest to have right now.”

He shrugged. “Does this look like a place people will assume Kayleigh Delacruz is hiding?”

Kayleigh looked around the room with its lace curtains and comfortably worn bedspread. It looked homey and comfortable and, even though she liked it, she saw Weston’s point. “No.”

He winked at her. “Enjoy your shower.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, Kayleigh rushed into the bathroom and stayed in the spray until her fingers wrinkled. The water washed away the grime and dirt from their wilderness trek, but couldn’t do much about her worry.

Clean and dressed again, she stepped into the hallway and found Weston waiting for her. “Ready to head down?”

She could hear multiple people talking downstairs so it was obviously more than merely Sheila and Clinton in the house.

Kayleigh smiled thinly. “Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Absolutely.” His grin was so big she couldn’t help but smile back.

Weston led the way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Kayleigh took it all in before they were noticed. The two men—an older Black man and a younger man of mixed race—cooed at the baby who toddled around the kitchen table, holding on to their fingers.

The two women, an older Latina woman who must be Sheila, and a younger white woman who looked just like the baby, were huddled over the counter, preparing food and chatting.

The kitchen was small, not even a third of the size of the kitchen at Leo’s house. But there was so much life in this room. So much love.

Kayleigh couldn’t recall there ever being this much affectionate chaos going on around her. She just wanted to bask in it.

“That’s my brother Brax and my dad, Clinton, playing with little Walker.” The toddler let out the most adorable laugh right at that second. “Walker is Brax’s son/nephew.”

Her brow creased. “Uh...”

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