Page 17 of Justified Fear
“Yes, you do,” Autumn said as she walked by them on her way to the break room.
“Take Kap with you.I want to know what her mood is.From what I understand, Lulu said her parents are coming over, but there’s no way they’re here yet.Flights from Texas take at least nine hours, and that’s if they can find a seat.”
He nodded, even though he didn’t like it.Just popping in on a woman who was a victim of a crime didn’t feel right.Still, he was happy that at least it would be him.With that in mind, he told Maya to go take a nap, and he headed off to the showers.
Less than twelvehours after getting out of the hospital, Keely felt as if she were being invaded.It was bad enough that Aunty Lulu was watching Keely as if she were about to die, but it got worse when her parents arrived.They had been there all of thirty minutes, and her father was already making insane statements.
“This would have never happened in Texas.”
Like that.
She had actually almost been kidnapped when she was a kid.Well, they thought it might have been a kidnapping attempt; they still didn’t know.But that had happened in Texas, in the city where they still lived.She didn’t roll her eyes, but she wanted to.Riki Templeton was towering over her bed, acting like an avenging angel.Long, wavy hair was up in a man bun.She’d heard her mother say that it was sexy, and that was something she preferred not to think about.He wasn’t as big as he had been when he had played in the NFL, but he was still a giant to her.He probably always would be.Her father hadn’t been happy that she wanted to live in his birthplace.He had absolutely nothing against Hawai’i.He loved it.But his life was on the mainland with her mother and her brothers.That was not for her.Not anymore.
“I like it here.”
She wasn’t lying about that.There was something that hummed in her soul every time they came to visit the islands.Since she’d moved into her grandmother’s house, it had only grown.She loved discovering new little places to shop, to eat, to breathe in.She also loved learning more about Hawaiian traditions and food.Her father taught her many things over the years.He was damned proud of his heritage, and the more she learned, the more she understood so much about what drove him to be such a good husband and father.
If she had been a normal woman with a normal family, her parents would still be on their way to Hawai’i.But thanks to money on both sides of the family, they had used a private jet.
“Then you can come back to visit.”
Her mother and she shared a look.Being the two girls in a household of stinky boys, they had always been close.Monica Rogers-Templeton had been a business major when she’d accidentally run into the star linebacker’s motorcycle.Her father had always said it was love at first sight.
“Why don’t you go talk to Lulu?She’ll know all about this team that saved our baby,” her mother said.
Ugh.Yes, she was the baby of the family, something no one ever let her forget.It was why she chose the Culinary Institute of America over schools closer to San Antonio, Texas.She adored her family, but they always saw her as a baby, the one who needed help.Granted, this house was saving her a ton of money, but when Chad had bought her out of their business, she had invested wisely.She could afford to live in Hawai’i.
Her father’s gaze moved from her mother back to Keely.“Fine.”
Then, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.“I just want you safe.”
The whispered confession had her eyes burning.She had nothing but love for her father.He loved loud and big.Most of the time, she adored him.“I know, Daddy.”
He pulled back to his full height, then strode out of the room, but not before slipping the back of his hand against her mother’s.Soon, it was just her mother and her in the bedroom.
“You should have kept him in Texas.”
Her mother shook her head.That’s when Keely noticed the unshed tears in her mother’s eyes.Her mother was small-boned, with dark red hair.The one thing they shared was their golden-brown eyes.
“Your father almost fell apart.There was no way I was going to be able to keep him in Texas.And besides, you are and will always be my baby.I had to come check up on you.”
Guilt and love intertwined in her chest.“I’m sorry I scared y’all.”
“Don’t apologize for the evil others do.I just want you to understand that your father is working on fear and too little sleep.”
“I understand.But I’m not moving back to the mainland.”
“I know that, and your father knows that on some level.He just needs to rage a little.”She shrugged.“Men always seem to think that if they get really loud, their fears will dissolve.”
“Do you think he would be happier with some macadamia nut French toast?”
“With coconut syrup?”her mother asked, referencing the Hawaiian Sun syrup her father bought by the caseload.
“Would I be Riki Templeton’s daughter if I didn’t have it?”
“Let’s go.He’ll be happier once we make him eat.”
“I need to clean up, then I’ll get started.”
