Page 16 of I'll Catch You
10
Peter
“Don’tyou have any alcohol around here?” I open the cabinet under Claire’s sink. There’s a bottle of bubble bath that looks like it’s from 1990 and is faded with a picture of indiscriminate Saturday morning cartoon characters. There are also a few shower loofahs with the tags still on them. I pass a glance over to the shower. She keeps her house nice and clean and I know it’s for Brynn, but I don’t like how she doesn’t take time out for self-care. This woman has spent so much of her life taking care of other people that she doesn’t have enough energy left for herself. I’m just going to have to stick around to pick up theslack.
“Check the cabinet above the refrigerator!” she yells from Brynn’s room. “Why are you looking for alcohol in thebathroom?”
“Not to drink,” I holler back to her. “For yoursplinter.”
“Oh. There’s a first-aide kit in my room. Under thebed.”
I shut the cabinet and make my way to Claire’s room. She has a big, four-poster bed with neat off-white linens. This is the place that she keeps nice for herself. I breathe a sigh of relief, though I’d have a cleaning company in here first thing in the morning if she needed it. I’m just happy she has a nice place to get away to, even if it is only for seven or eight hours anight.
Kneeling on the floor, I check under the bed. There’s a shoe box and the first aid kit she told me I’d find in here. I am tempted to check out the shoe box because I know that’s where she keeps special things and I want to know everything about her. But I don’t. It wouldn’t be right. I grab the first aid kit and bring it back to the bathroom with me where Claire iswaiting.
“This is a doozy,” she says, hoisted up on thesink.
“Get down from there,” I say, grabbing her hips to plant her on the floor. I spin her around and gently pull up the leg of her shorts. “This is one of the perks of having a partner. Professional splinterremover.”
“I thought professionals get paid,” sheretorts.
“I’ll send you a bill. Now holdstill.”
I swipe an alcohol pad over the splinter, position the ends of the tweezers at either side of the black speck and press down gently, snap the ends together to grab the splinter and pull. I don’t let myself look at the smooth, soft curve of her sexy little ass cheek. I have a job to do. The splinter slides out easily and when it’s out I rinse the tweezers in hot water and put them back in the medicinecabinet.
She turns and beams up at me. I don’t understand how I’ve fallen for her so quickly, but I want the whole world to know. I’ll selling my portion of the company to my brother and if he doesn’t want it I’ll bribe all the executives on our board and make them vote to go public so I can sell my portion of the company on the free market. I’m never touching a real estate deal again after I’ve devoted myself to Crabby’s. It deserves my undivided attention and that’s what it’s getting. I’m also selling my condo in the city. This is my house now. It’s perfect. And if Claire wants me to tear it down to put up a new one so she can have a fresh start with me, I’ll do it. Whatever shewants.
“I think cleanly getting rid of a splinter is up there with when the scissors start slicing right through the roll of wrapping paper on the list of most amazing feelings in the world.” She blushes. I should ask if what happened downstairs is up there on her listtoo.
“Let’s go make dinner.” I grab her hand and we go downstairs together after she grabs Brynn from her room. I’m told the little girl doesn’t like lobster and I asked Cassie if she and Mike would be willing to babysit Brynn tonight so I can spend more time getting to know Claire. I’ll have all the time in the world to spend with her once I really make her mine, but I’m impatient and I don’t want to wait. All the time in the world isn’t enough and I don’t intend on wasting a second. And then tomorrow I will spend the day with Claire and Brynn both. I just want a little more alone time with Claire. Cassie and Mike, I can tell, love having Brynnaround.
The three of us go out onto the porch. The breeze from the ocean is salty and fresh and when Mike rolls up in his car he gets out and gives me a look. I understand. I’ll have to win him over, too, but I expect it to be more difficult. I hope proving myself to Claire will be enough to convince the people in her life that I’m serious but if I have to figure out another way to do it I will. Even if that means just sticking around and doing right by her. If that’s what it takes, I’m already onit.
There’s another matter, too. I know part of Claire’s hesitation to let me in, hell, the way she fought me tooth and nail until just a few hours ago, is to protect Brynn. So I need to make sure her niece doesn’t get confused. She needs to know I’m here for her, but I don’t want to replace Mike as her father figure. I just want her to have all the love she deserves and needs, and that means having as many people in her life as possible to love her like Clairedoes.
Mike puts Brynn in the back seat and buckles her in carefully. It’s a short drive over to his and Cassie’s house but I can tell from the look in the man’s eye that he will never be too careful. I look over at Claire and the tenderness in her eyes is apparent. It’s not just affection for Brynn. It’s affection for Mike. He’s family. And I’ll work and do everything I can to make sure she looks like that at me someday.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders as Mike pulls out of the driveway and drives away. Breathing in the salty ocean air, I feel so content and excited for this. I know she’s my home now. This is my home. I kiss her on her forehead where the line of her hair meets her skin. She tastes sweet and fresh. Distinctive. When the sound of Mike’s car fades in the distance I lean down to kiss Claire’s lips. She opens for me and complies, and I lift her to wrap her legs around me. I deepen the kiss and take her in my arms and carry her inside. This is where Ibelong.
