Page 51 of Gunner
He helped me from the couch, and we walked out the back door of the shop. The chilly air whipped around us, and my hair flew into the wind as an icy blast shot down the back driveway. I gave him another quick side hug, and he watched me as I walked through the small accumulation of snow to my car. I cranked the engine and waited for the heat to blow warm while I sent Kade a text.
Me:I’m on the way home. Pizza okay for dinner?
A moment later, as the window was clearing and the last rays of daylight filtered away, my phone chimed.
Kade:I’ll get it and meet you at the house. No need for you to stop.
I mentally shrugged and responded with a thumbs up emoji before putting the car into drive. I waved goodbye to Needles and left him standing next to the door leading to his second-story apartment above his shop as I pulled away from him and the secrets he kept. The drive home took longer than normal due to the slippery roads, and I pulled my car into the driveway and parked next to Dalton’s and Kade’s bikes. The weather was too rough to ride their bikes all the time, and as I walked past them, I placed a rock over the edges of their covers to ensure they stayed dry and as snow-free as possible.
The security light Dalton installed turned on as I approached the front door, and I unlocked it before punching in the code to stop the alarm from beeping. Slipping my shoes off, I let Bear outside again before I walked to the fireplace and stoked the embers, tossing two logs onto the fire. When I was happy they were ignited, I tugged my hoodie off and felt the soreness from my tattoo.
Smiling, I walked toward the kitchen, and as I moved around the couch, I tripped over a small duffle bag resting on the floor. Not recognizing it, I picked it up and carried it into the dining room. Opening it, I saw Dalton’s laptop cables and realized he forgot his bag when they left earlier. I’d hoped Kade got him calmed down after his strange behavior toward Smokey this afternoon at Mick’s funeral.
Bear scratched on the back door, so I let him back in. Leaving the bag on the dining room table, I fed and watered Bear before going on my own search for something to snack on. There were a few leftovers from the food the old ladies brought over the last few days in the fridge, but having two grown men and one growing boy in the house, food disappeared fast around here. I grabbed a handful of green grapes and was leaning against the cabinet, popping them into my mouth, when I heard the front door open. Kade walked in, and when he appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, my heart skipped a beat. His blond hair was damp from the falling snow and his eyes were filled with love as he walked up and kissed me.
The smell of tomato sauce and melted cheese wafted up and my stomach grumbled, reminding me it had been hours since I last ate real food. He placed the pizza onto the counter and pulled me into his chest. The motion of his arms wrapping around my waist, encompassing a large portion of my fresh ink, had me hissing through my teeth.
He released me quickly and worry filled his eyes as he asked, “Sadie, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
He started to inspect me, and I giggled before taking his hands into mine. “I’m fine. I have something to show you.”
Tugging his hand, I urged him to follow me into the bedroom, and he kept his attentive gaze on me as I sat him down on the bed. I stepped in front of him and turned, so my back was facing him before I slowly lifted the bottom of my shirt, exposing the ink to him. He gasped, and I felt him move closer, his fingers barely skimming the cling film.
I looked over my shoulder, and his watery eyes met mine as I asked, “Do you like it?”
He stood and turned me to face him, lifting my chin with his finger as he explained, “It’s the most beautiful tattoo I’ve ever seen. Why didn’t you tell me you were getting it done? I could have gone with you.”
“He texted me an hour or so after you and Dalton left, and I figured . . .” I shrugged my shoulders, leaving the rest of the sentence to die without words.
He kissed me softly and whispered against my lips, “Turn around. I want to see it again.”
He took another minute to inspect my new ink, then we walked back into the kitchen. We took the pizza to the living room and spread a blanket on the floor in front of the fireplace. Bear curled up on the couch and we enjoyed our dinner, not speaking about the events of the day.
Maybe it was stupid to ignore what happened with Dalton today, but for one day, I didn’t want to be a mother or mediator to anyone. Today, I wanted to be Sadie. Carefree, happy, and in love.
Tomorrow, I could worry about my brother.
