Page 12 of Chelsea’s Knight

Canyon arrives with a bottled water clenched in his hand. So, I pull my migraine meds out of my purse and take one with as minimal fanfare as possible.

“Why are you taking medicine, Miss Chelsea?” Noah asks. The curiosity of children must always be answered in ways they easily comprehend.

However, Noah is above average and as smart as a whip, so I don’t have to ‘dumb things down’ in order for him to get what I’m saying.

“I still get headaches, Noah, and all the excitement of coming home has one starting up. Since I don’t want to miss the party y’all put together, I took my medicine so I can stay and have fun with you all. It might make me sleepy, so if you see me nodding off, can you make sure I don’t faceplant into my food or even worse, drool all over myself?” The last part I whisper as if we’re conspiring something I don’t want anyone else to overhear.

Noah’s peals of laughter has everyone stalling and looking in our direction. He’s giggling so hard that his little cheeks are red, and tears are streaming down his face.

“M-m-miss Chelsea, I won’t let that happen to you, I promise,” he stammers out.

“Babe, I won’t let it happen either,” Canyon confirms, sitting in the vacant chair next to me. He then shocks the hell out of me when he pulls me over and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me.

“Who’s that?” I ask, noticing a petite woman with two little girls walking into the clubhouse.

“That’s Roane and her daughters who are Irish twins, according to the gossip running amuck through the old ladies, Roxie, and Rosie. Roane works at the bakery and also the auto shop,” Canyon supplies. “Orion’s sweet on her, but she’s being resistant and not buying into his charming ways.”

I can’t help the giggle that emerges. “Seems y’all are all the same, you see what you want and go for it. No holds barred, you don’t let anything deter you from your paths.”

“Pretty much. I mean, Lilli literally fell at Poseidon’s feet. Trident knew Gia before she was single. We’ve seen the worst of the worst during our stints in the military, so when we get a chance at snatching something beautiful for ourselves, we grab onto it with both hands and don’t let go.”

“Like you’re doing with me,” I whisper, as I scan the room while watching everyone interacting with one another.

They’re like one big happy family.

Something’s teasing at the peripheral of my mind, but it’s just out of reach and ungrabbable. The genuine love and affection aren’t foreign to me, but since the loss of my grandparents, it’s not something I’ve had, yet here it is, being offered to me because of Canyon’s interest.

Family.

Friends.

Love.

Affection.

Inclusion.

It’s like they’re all tied together with an invisible string. One moves and the other counters. I’m not sure they even recognize that they’re doing it.

I’m not on the outside looking in any longer. I’m part of it all; not in the shadows, not in the background.

Despite my insecurities, I’m going to grab this proverbial brass ring and take the ride with my chrome riding knight.

CHAPTERTHREE

Canyon

It’s another sleepless night for me, but I’m used to them at this point.

Another byproduct of my military tenure is insomnia. For a period of time, I end up pacing the clubhouse, checking to make sure everything’s locked up nice and tight, and if my steps have me near Chelsea’s room more often than not, it’s no one’s business but my own.

Being that it’s her first night home without any nurses or rehab staff close by if there were an emergency situation, I’m wired beyond belief. She was shocked at all the modifications that were made to accommodate her in her room that we added during her absence, but now that she understands it’s not only for her protection but also to allow her to be as independent as possible while she continues to recover, she settled down.

As I make another pass through the hallways, I hear her screaming and without thinking, use the keycard I have on hand and enter her room.

“Chelsea? It’s me, what’s going on, baby?” I ask as I make my way into her bedroom. The moonlight coming through the sheers enables me to see her thrashing about on her bed, her sheets tangled around her ankles, confining her.

Fuck me.

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