Page 54 of Road Trip
Chapter Fourteen
Abra
I was so glad that Kelly talked to me. I knew the weight of his situation was getting to him. I hated that he was in this situation and I vowed to myself that if we continued past this runaway, I would stand by his side through the ugly parts to come. He deserved to have someone stand by him. I couldn’t believe I was actually thinking that way, but that was it. I was toast when it came to him.
We walked around and hit some more rides, then debated going back to the hotel before nighttime.
“It’s our last day. I’m okay if you are. Can we stay?”
He smiled at me sweetly. “Whatever you want, doll. I’m just grateful you came with me.”
“Yeah, you weren’t going to get rid of me. In fact, I’m not sure I ever want you to get rid of me.” It was quite the confession. I worried for the few seconds it took for him to respond.
“You mean that, doll? You want to make a go of this?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “I do. I’m not sure how it will work, but—”
He pulled me into his arms, my new favorite place, and kissed me. We were kind of blocking traffic on the walkway. That didn’t stop me from hopping up into his arms and wrapping my legs around him. After the third person bumped into us, he carried me over to the fence and just held me, staring into my eyes.
“I only care that we can be together. I know being with a cop can be a challenge…”
“Kelly, being with me won’t be a picnic either. I feel almost guilty even telling you what I want.” I knew he wouldn’t take that excuse. I just hoped he was prepared for what it meant to take on the Velasquez/Mora women.
By now it was late afternoon and I was getting hungry. We went on the haunted house ride one more time. I loved it when he held my hand on the rides. I also loved watching his face and how happy he was. I wanted to keep him that happy. Back home, though, we had a lot to work out. Where I lived, my family situation, his job and all the joy that came with that. Would I be strong enough? I wanted to try. I wanted to believe I deserved a happy ever after with a good man like him.
After the ride, we talked strategy for getting all but the water ride in tonight. I guess he’d had enough soggy bottoms and since I was no longer wearing my white top, he didn’t have any motivation to get wet again. My phone buzzed in the pocket of the capris I was wearing, and when I pulled it out, I saw Hayward P.D.
“It’s for you,” I said, worried.
He hesitated, frowning severely before he answered.
“This is Graham.” He gave me an apologetic look.
I just shook my head and pointed to the shop with all the darkly goodness in it. He waved and crossed his arms, the fierce look back. I kept watch on him from inside the store, and he looked alternately totally bummed, pissed off, and then serious, like he probably looked on the job. I wanted to make him smile. I wanted him to smile for me and that was some scary shit right there. Could I really see myself being a cop’s girlfriend? Or wife even? What about the danger and the schedule and…
He hung up and was walking toward me, so I pulled myself together with a quick mental slap.
“What’s up?” I asked him cautiously.
He smiled sadly and then looked at what I was holding. “You have to get those.” His eyes bugged out in that way that he had.
“Oh, these? These simple cotton panties with skeletons on them? Tell me, Mr. Graham, are you a fan of my panties?”
His face burned red and his eyes went all lusty. “I don’t think you need me to answer that question.” He leaned down and kissed me with a little growl.
I barely heard the throat clearing behind me.
Kelly opened his eyes and looked over my head, so I turned. A plastic, Barbie-looking chick was giving me an ugly look.
“This is a family place,” she said, sneering at the amount of skin I was showing covered in tattoos. She wasn’t wearing much more to cover her fake tits, but the difference was that she was offended by me. Her kid was whining and pulling on her hand to get away from the confrontation.
Kelly wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “It is, ma’am, and we’re trying to make a family, so if you wouldn’t mind...”
I couldn’t help the snort that escaped. I turned my face into his chest and tried to catch my breath. I was laughing at the bitch’s expression, but also crying over how amazingly perfect this guy was. I couldn’t believe how he stood up for me with such a quick wit.
“That’s disgusting. You’re both disgusting. I don’t want my kid seeing that,” the bitch woman said loudly.
I turned from Kelly, my eyes wide, to address this latest bitchery from her and was just about to speak my mind when the shopkeeper approached us. She was an older, grandmotherly woman, dressed in an old-fashioned maid’s uniform and glasses, the whole bit. She smiled at Kelly with a little sparkle in her eye.
