Page 31 of Her Kensington
“Oh, Summer. That is so far from the truth. Of course, we care.”
“But—”
“I know things haven’t been…right. But we’ve been under a lot of stress, and you suddenly moving across the country hurt us. I can’t lie about that. But we still care, of course we do. I’m so sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell us.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’ve no—” My words are cut off with a hammering on the door so hard I’m worried it’s going to come off the hinges. My heart jumps into my stomach. “Shit,” I whisper. “He’s found me.”
“SUMMER! OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR.”
“I think you might be right,” Mom says in my ear. “Go and talk to him.”
I nod, although she’s no idea I’m agreeing with her.
“Okay?”
“Yeah,” I whisper as I listen to his booming voice calling out to me.
“You go and talk to him. I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
“Anytime, baby. No matter what happens, I’m here and always willing to listen.”
Her words cause more tears to drop. “I love you, Mom.”
“Go and sort your man out,” she says before we both hang up and I’m left staring at the door that’s rattling on its hinges.
“Summer, I will take this door down if you don’t open the fucking thing,” he warns, and the apprehension that was just filling my stomach flows through my entire body.
I stand, my knees weak, and I’m almost at the door when there’s an almighty crash. It flies open and I’m flown back onto my ass.
“Fuck, are you okay?” Harrison asks, falling to his knees beside me.
Shaking my head to allow me a few seconds to register what the fuck just happened, I watch his face drop.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry. Shit. Fuck.” His hands gently cup my cheeks as his eyes run over me, looking for any injuries.
“I’m fine,” I whisper.
When his eyes eventually make it back to mine, they’re dark and full of concern. “I’m so fucking sorry, Summer.” Helping me from the floor, he walks us over to the edge of the bed. I’m too desperate to hear what he’s got to say for himself to respond.
He drops his gaze to his lap for a few seconds as he thinks. Sucking in a slow breath, he turns to me, his expression a mixture of dread and regret.
“I never meant to keep them from you, Summer. I just…” Raising my eyebrows for him to continue, he lets out another breath. “You mentioned me having kids waiting for you, and you were in such a panic about moving here that I couldn’t possibly tell you about them. I thought it would be what sent you home. I couldn’t risk losing you. I stupidly thought I could tell you later, but as each day went by, it got harder and harder to bring them up. I was trying to protect you all. Those two mean everything to me. Plus, I needed to think of them. I needed to know you were happy here before introducing you all. Rebecca has put them though so much already.”
“You think that I wouldn’t have understood that they need stability in their lives? You think I wouldn’t have agreed to be introduced to them slowly? Jesus, Harrison, what do you think of me?”
Dropping his head into his hands, he lets out a frustrated groan. “I fucked up. I know. I already hate that I have a past that’s affecting our future. I hate the shadows that fill your eyes whenever you think about Rebecca and my previous life.”
“You lied to me, Harrison. You’ve kept the most important part of your life quiet for weeks. You kept everything that showed they existed locked away, telling me they were storage rooms. What else haven’t you told me?”
“Nothing.”
“If there is anything, then now’s the time to tell me.”
