Remember Me (10 page)

“Don’t you get it? I wake up every day thinkin’ about how I can make our life better. I don’t want to be like my dad. I want the kids to come to me if they need somethin’. I want them to hurt for nothin’ and I’m workin’ on makin’ that happen.”

It still shocked me that someone who wasn’t their biological father could love them that much.
“I’ll get a job and help out. You don’t have to do it all alone.”

“I make plenty of money for the mortgage. I think while the kids are young you should focus on bein’ home. They need you and I’m not really sure what my new job will require. There may be some traveling required.”

He’d never mentioned a new job, and I had no idea where he would have went looking. “What will you be doin’ exactly?”

“Whatever Ford tells me, I guess.”

Shocked.

That’s the only word I could use to describe the way I was feeling. “I’m sorry, did you say Ford?”

Shayne looked right at me. “I know what you’re thinkin’.”

“Shayne, how could you not tell me that you went to Ford? I didn’t even know you were on speakin’ terms with him.”

“Before you get upset, just let me explain.” He licked his lips before continuing. “I knew I couldn’t be around my dad anymore and I needed a job that paid what I was makin’ or more. I’ve got a ton of knowledge about cars and foreign parts. So when I went to ask my uncle for a job, he sent me to Ford.” He paused and almost laughed, but kept his smile to a minimum. “You can only imagine how hard it was for me to pick up that phone to call him. I figured I didn’t have a chance. Ford’s not very forgivin’ and you and me bein’ together ain’t exactly makin’ it easy for him. But, I explained how we were family and how we needed to get past it all and move forward.”

I couldn’t imagine Ford going along with that. He was too hardheaded and held in his feelings longer than others would. “He shot you down, right?”

“Sort of. He wouldn’t give me answer. He said it was important that he talk to Sky and her dad before he made any decisions. I lost hope after a couple weeks went by and I never heard from him, but yesterday he called back. He told me that they were lookin’ for people with my experience and he thought that I’d be of good use to them. I wanted to tell you last night, but I had to get over one hurdle first.”

My eyes got huge when I realized what he was talking about. “Your dad?”

He nodded. “Yeah. He wasn’t thrilled that I was leavin’ and I refused to tell him where I was goin’. As much as he likes to think that I’m just goin’ to sit around takin’ his shit, he’s wrong. I need to do my thing and if, in the future, he decides to give me the company, I’ll be grateful. We just can’t work together. We’re supposed to be separated. He works the office and I work in the shop. I tell ya, he’s on my ass more than he’s sitting in that old leather chair of his. I’ve had enough.”

“What if you don’t like your new job? You’re goin’ to have a mortgage
now.”

Shayne reached across the counter and grabbed my hands. “Calm down.
My dad might be a dick, but he’d never put me out if I needed a job. Honestly, he’s goin’ to be hurtin’ without me there. Even if he hired someone else, it would take them years to learn what I know. So if I don’t like this new job I know I’ve got somethin’ to fall back on. As far as the mortgage goes, I’m payin’ less for the house than I pay in rent. We’re good, baby. I promise.”

He still had me worried.

Shayne was the type of guy that made compulsive decisions. Yes, he was responsible and I never felt like he was putting us in a bad position, but I still worried.

“We’re goin’ to the new house tomorrow. I can’t wait for you to see it. I think we should paint Beka’s room pink or purple and maybe Eli can have a room that’s green with tractors or maybe even dinosaurs.”

I laughed out loud at how excited he was. “Okay, you have my attention.”

Shayne let go of my hands and pushed the food that was on the counter between us to the side.
“Come here.”

I put my hands on my hips and backe
d up against the other surface. “If you want me, you’re goin’ to have to come get me.”

“Woman, I just bought us a house. I think I, at the least, deserve a kiss.”

I shook my head and kept a straight face as I refused him.

Shayne climbed over the island, landing right in front of me. It was so fast that I didn’t have time to move away. He was standing there with both hands on my hips. I turned my head when he tried to kiss me
.
“You think you’re funny don’t ya?” His hands found the collar to my shirt and pulled me closer. “Do you have any idea how turned on I get when there’s a chase?”

My hands connected after my arms were around Shayne’s neck. I pecked him before smiling fully. “You don’t have to chase me. I’m already yours.”

With little movement his hands were on my ass. I felt myself being lifted on the counter. My legs wrapped around his waist and I pulled him into me. Shayne wasted no time tugging down my shorts leaving my bare skin to sit on the cold stone surface. He pulled away from my legs, only to be able to slide off the rest of the fabric that was keeping him from getting what he wanted. “Tell me, Ash. I want to hear you say it.”

“What do you want to hear?” I played dumb. I knew he wanted to hear that I loved him and that no matter what he’d decided for us, I’d support him.

“Don’t play around. Tell me.” He pulled me off the edge of the counter and started pulling down his shorts. The smell of his freshly showered skin filled my nostrils when he leaned in for a kiss. I tasted the toothpaste he’d used when he brushed his teeth.

“I love you. Happy now?”

Then he entered me, not slow like he did our first time. He was determined and with that came a sudden urgency. I kept my legs around him, pulling him into a steady groove. The next time our lips met it was faster, our teeth clanking together while our tongues teased and played with one another.

“Are you happy?” He slowed his pace and bit my bottom lip, pulling it as he waited for my answer.

“Of course. Please don’t slow down.”

Just as he started back to the same rhythm we heard a tiny cry coming from the baby monitor.
Shayne leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ll go.”

He started to separate us, but I grabbed him and pulled him back. “We’ll pick this up tonight?”

“If not tonight, then tomorrow when I take you to see the new house.” He winked as he finally walked toward the twin’s room.

For a couple seconds I just sat there with no pants on listening to him talk to one of the twins. He was so patient and even through the monitor I knew he was giving whichever baby it was a big kiss. I heard him whisper how much he loved them and my heart felt so full.

When I saw him carrying Beka over, he held up her little hand and made her wave at me. “Say hi to Mommy.”

It would be a few months before something like that would happen, but for some reason I knew he’d still be around. I don’t know how I knew it, but I trusted in Shayne’s promises to me. I believed that no matter what we went through, he’d always be there.

Chapter 13

Shayne

Maybe buying a house was a little compulsive. I guess some would say that quitting my job was about the same. For me, it was a no-brainer. I always went with my gut and considering all that I had to be thankful for, I was doing pretty good.

Luckily I had great credit and the Baker house had been on the market for three years. In that time the value had depreciated and I picked it for less than the property it sat on was worth.

After four separate visits to my bank, I secured a loan with enough equity to renovate and still pay less than I was paying monthly to rent. I knew that I should have hinted to Ash about what I was doing, but honestly, I wanted to see the look on her face when she found out what I’d done.

Sure, the house was dilapidated and for the most part probably could have been torn down. I could see the potential in it and knew that with enough work, we could make it something special.

Ashley had always grown up in a nice house. Her father was a councilmen
, with some high-paying government job, and I guess some would say she lived a very spoiled childhood. All that changed last year when he’d pretty much written her off. I supposed there were people that thought she’d made the biggest mistake of her life, being unwed and having twins. We heard the whispers when we went places and neither of us were wearing rings. Hell, we even caught a few people talking in the doctor’s office.

None of that mattered anymore. We had each other, and no matter what anyone thought, our life worked for us.

The shock on Ash’s face when I pulled up to that house was something I would never forget. She appeared to be searching to find words. I could tell she was grasping at straws to say one nice thing about my purchase. Her opinion didn’t change when I took her inside. Well, first we had to get through the broken screen door. Then, as if we entered into a horror movie, We walked through a giant cobweb as we entered into the foyer.

Ash screamed and jumped all around, as if the cobweb would come out of her hair faster if she did that. I’d managed to drag her into the living room before she even calmed down. “Baby, look. We can knock out that wall over there and open it up into the kitchen. I’m thinking about doing a service opening in between that kitchen wall and the dining room. Wouldn’t that be cool, to hand the food right through the window?”

She kept looking around and curling up her lips as if she were disgusted. “Shayne, are you sure about this?”

I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her up the
creaky steps. Some of them were loose and we had to be careful not to step on the edge. The musty smell was stronger on the second level and Ash covered her nose while walking down the hallway. The first bedroom was the master. Originally everyone shared one bathroom, but somewhere along the line someone had made a tiny bedroom a big master bath and a walk in closet. Though the condition was wretched, it was still there and plumbed out, which would save me a ton.

Ash seemed to perk up when she saw the size of our closet and she got even more excited to learn that the
hall bathroom was also Jack and Jill style. Each twin would have their own sink and toilet, but share a shower and tub. The toilets had been torn out and the vanities would definitely need to be replaced, but the tub was still in great condition.

The matching rooms on either side of the bathroom were perfect for the kids. They each had bump-outs where the dormers were in the front of the house and so
meone had built benches. Ash spotted them and immediately saw something she liked.

“We could put pillows up here and they can sit and read or look out
side. Of course, we’ll have to nail the windows so they can’t open them and climb out. Also we need to make sure we get those new smoke detectors that work on batteries and electric.”

She was standing with her back to me, so I grabbed her by the back of her pants and pulled her toward
s me. “So, are you a little excited?”

She shrugged. “It’s a lot of work.”

“I’ve got three weeks before I have to go back to work. As long as Peyton comes over during the day, I can get as much as possible done then. I was thinkin’ that maybe while Parker is on break he could come and help me.” I don’t know why I’d said it, because I certainly hadn’t called him, but there it was. I’d mentioned my brother, someone that both of us tried to avoid.

He’d never come to see the twins and I was alright with it. The last thing I needed was him saying anything about them. They were mine and there was nothing he could do about it.

I grabbed her arm when she looked away. “Hey, nothin’s goin’ to happen. He’s my brother, Ash.”

“I know. I just don’t want him around them. I know I must sound horrible, but he signed off on them. He made it clear that they meant nothin’ to him. Sleepin’ with your brother that night was a huge mistake. I get why he made his decision. I don’t hate him for it, but I certainly don’t feel comfortable bein’ around him either.”

“If you want to be a part of my life, you’re goin’ to have to run into him every once in a while. You knew that. Please don’t make this a big deal. If I can be around him then so can you. I’m not sayin’ you need to hug him, because that would just be weird, but at least accept that he’s my brother and there’s nothin’ anyone can do to change that.”

Ash put her hands up to her face and started crying. It was rare for her to get emotional about something like that, so I wrapped my arms around her and tried
to calm her down. “Please don’t cry.”

“I feel so bad sometimes, Shayne. How can he look at you and live with himself? The two of you will never be the same and it’s all my fault.”

“No it’s not. Parker made his own decisions. At first I was tryin’ to protect him, but after he signed off rights, I lost a little respect for him. Don’t get me wrong, I’d already decided that I was goin’ to be their father, but he still took the pussy move out of it. That’s fine though, because it ain’t just us judgin’ his ass. Ford, Sky, Lacey and even Joey know what he did. They also know how we’ve overcome it all. So lets try to be positive and live our future for us and nobody else. Let’s fix up this house and build a life together, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s what we want. What do you say? Will you be my house bitch and sex slave?”