Page 44 of Tinley's Daddy
Josh dropped my hand but placed his on my lower back. Where Dr. Maria’s touch was warm, Josh’s touch brought heat to certain parts of my body. The session with Dr. Maria left me open, and all the emotions ran through me all at once. Josh’s touch grounded me. Gave me something solid to hold on to, much like on the plane, and I grabbed onto it.
Being near Josh gave me a glimpse into the possibility that it will be okay. I would be okay.
CHAPTER 14
JOSH
Tinley was quiet on the drive to Connecticut. She answered my questions but didn’t elaborate. I didn’t ask about her session with Maria. Her eyes were red and puffy when she emerged from the room, and she couldn’t look me in the eye.
When I touched her, she visibly relaxed and it made me feel ten feet tall. Her brain worked overtime, but she wasn’t ready to let me in on it. It was okay because she had the option to go anywhere, and she chose to stay with me, and I wasn’t going to disappoint her.
We pulled off the highway and down a two-lane road for a mile. It was midday before we left the doctor’s office.
The overcast day left a chill in the air. It hadn’t snowed yet, but it seemed like it was imminent. The house was down a private road and through a secured gate. I approached the gate and punched in the code. The gate crawled open. I drove through. The forest was so dense, you couldn’t see the house until we practically pulled up to it.
“Oh wow.” Tinley leaned forward to take in the structure. I pulled around the circular driveway and stopped in front of the garage.
“This place is huge.” Past the garage were a couple more structures. The property consisted of the main house and two guesthouses with two bedrooms each and a sporting lodge. The original house nestled in the forest about a half mile away between two tree Kyler’s great grandfather planted. The whole property was connected by paved walkways. Much of the landscape was kept natural past the pool and outdoor lounge. Farther down the path behind the lodge was a set of tennis courts and a man-made lake where Kyler’s father would bring in fish for us to catch every summer.
“It’s cozy inside.” I stepped out of the car and went around the front. Tinley stepped out and followed me into the mudroom off the side of the garage. It led into the open kitchen and living room. The place reminded me of an English cottage, but with all modern appliances. Somehow, it all fit.
“Did you spend a lot of time here?” Tinley walked around the kitchen, touching everything.
“Yeah, summers and then we’d have Christmas up here, but not much since Kyler’s parents died.” I felt his mother in the house. For me, it was a happy memory. For Kyler, not so much. “You hungry?”
Tinley’s stomach answered for her. She giggled and the sound made my heart race.
“They stocked the refrigerator for us. How about my famous grilled ham and cheese?” I pulled open the pantry and grabbed the bread.
“That sounds good,” she answered. “Can I?” She circled her fingers.
“Yeah, go ahead. Explore.” I stopped myself from telling her to stay where I could see her. She smiled and turned away.
She made her way through the living room. She walked the perimeter of the room and studied each photo.
“Is this you?” She pulled a photo off the shelf.
I met her halfway and handed her a bottle of water.
“Yeah.” I took the photo. “That’s me and Mrs. Grant, Kyler’s mom.”
“How old were you?”
“About fourteen.” Mrs. Grant had arranged a family photo shoot and planned it to a tee, including what all her kids were to wear in the shoot. They were in the hall to the kids’ wing of the main house, all in garment bags. When I spotted a bag with my name on it, I kind of lost my cool and stepped out to gather myself. She called us for the shoot and no one in the house batted an eye when I took my place with the rest of the guys.
“She’s so pretty.” Tinley touched her hair.
“Yeah, she was a sweet woman, but she was fierce about her kids.”
“About you, too.” Tinley took the photo and set it back on the shelf.
I finished making lunch and set it on the table. When it was done, I walked down the hall.
“Tinley,” I called out. I heard her from the other side of the house.
“Here I am,” she called and ran back. “Where’s the bathroom?”
She skidded to a stop on the marble floors. She’d kicked her shoes off somewhere.
