CHAPTER SEVEN
Chris
Ingram was kinda different, but awesome. It was obvious she was a little sheltered—okay, a lot sheltered. It was almost as if she’d grown up in a different time than this one. If I believed in time machines, I would have sworn she’d taken a ride in one. But that wasn’t it, so I had no choice but to guess that she had very strict parents and quite possibly grew up in the middle of nowhere. Like on a farm, living solely off the land and all that.
I didn’t want to push her to talk about it, so I kept my observations to myself. The differences between her and her brother were kind of funny. Most of it had me scratching my head and insanely curious about how Ky had come to seem so normal. From what I could tell, she hadn’t seen her brother in a very long time.
“I am still getting used to this whole car thing,” Ingram said with a nervous laugh as we made our way off the beach and into the city.
The last thing I wanted to do was make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already was. I knew what it was like to feel weird and like an outsider, and I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone.
I tried to imagine what it would be like if I hadn’t grown up riding around in a car. I could see where it would be scary and a bit nerve-wracking. By the death grip she had on the sides of the seat, I sensed it was not only a shock but a terrifying one.
“I’ve been driving since I was fifteen. It’s almost like second nature at this point.” I said and my words were meant to ease her. It was at that moment some asshole decided to switch lanes and cut me off. Even though I only tapped the break, it jerked the car more than necessary. At least I knew they were working. “Sorry,” I said sincerely.
It wasn’t me, it was the damn drivers in the town. I’d never had road rage until I moved here. Now, it was at level one thousand. I hated driving in this city, but it wasn’t like there was any way around it.
“I’m hungry. You want to grab some lunch before we get to shopping?” I asked as a way of trying to take her mind off of things.
“Um, okay?” It was a question. I had a feeling that she wasn’t sure if there was a right answer or what it should be.
“What kind of food do you like—or don’t like?”
“I am not sure…”
How could you not know what you like and don’t? That was strange to me but I chalked it up to the fact that she might not have a whole lot of experience with new things and that it had been limited for her growing up.
“I know just the place,” I said as I checked my blind spot so I could change lanes, and direction. I figured pizza was a good choice, because who didn’t like pizza? Right?
“Oh,” Ingram mumbled around her hot slice, cheese still bubbling and hanging on for dear life. She giggled as it finally broke and splattered onto her chin. “This is so good.”
“Yeah? You like it?” I asked as I folded my slice in half and took a huge bite.
It was the best pizza I’d found in the city. And believe me, I’d tried more than I would have liked to admit. That was one thing about Wilmington, it never lacked for places to eat. I would have sworn there were more restaurants than gas stations and grocery stores combined, and that was saying something because there was at least one of those at every stoplight.
She ate three slices and I wasn’t surprised. Not only was it delicious food, she was eating for two.
“How far along are you?” I asked trying to find a relatively safe subject. By the way her eyes looked down, I figured I might have chosen wrong.
“Seven months. I think.”
“You think? Have you been to a doctor.”
She shook her head and though I couldn’t see her face, I could tell she was trying not to cry.
“Hey, Ingram. It’s alright.” My words came out soft as I reached across the table and placed my hand on her arm. “Talk to Ky, okay?”
“I do not…know if that is the best thing. I think me being here is hard for him,” she said, her gaze still down. Then they flicked up to look at me and went wide like she’d gotten an idea. “Could you maybe…talk to him?”
“Me?” I asked and cleared my throat. The idea had me choked up and I wouldn’t say I was thrilled about it. “Uh, sure.”
I sighed, knowing that I wasn’t about to tell her that I couldn’t. Ingram needed a safety net, to feel secure in the world around her, and if this would help her with that, then I would suck it up and do it.
But how did I even start up a conversation like that?
Hey, Ky, I know you’d rather be talking to anyone else but me, but can we have a little chat about your pregnant sister?
Yep, I definitely didn’t see that going well at all.
“Ready to go shopping?” I asked in hopes of changing the subject and lifting her spirits.
“That sounds lovely,” she said with a nod.
We spent a few hours getting things that she needed. That was really the only reason I had left the house. I hadn’t really needed to go out and run errands, but I figured if I said it any other way, she would have protested. I might have slipped a few things into the cart that I figured she would like. Things that she didn’t necessarily need but I didn’t care, the girl deserved something good in her life.
“So, how long have you known Kyna—Ky?” she asked as we cruised down the aisle at the grocery store. I wanted to grab some stuff that she was familiar with.
“Um,” I said thinking back. I’d met him once before back at Moon Hill before Brand moved down here, but I didn’t really talk to him that much. “Maybe close to a year and a half.”
“And that place that I found him at, is it some sort of gang?”
I let out a short laugh as my eyes cut around to see who might have been in earshot. Sure, I knew what the Steel Paragons did. The “stuff” that wasn’t even close to being legal and no one talked about outside of the club. I wasn’t an idiot and I had been around long enough to pick up on things. However, I’d never say it out loud or even tell Ingram what her brother was into. If he wanted her to know then that was all on him to fill her in.
“No. It’s a motorcycle club.” I resisted the urge to ask her if she knew what that was.
“A club? Oh. So they all ride motorcycles? I had a…friend that showed me a video once of some guys on motorized bikes doing tricks. Is that what they do?”
“No. Mostly they just ride around town on them and think they all look super sexy wearing the same vest,” I joked. But seriously, some of them really did look sexy in their leather cuts.
“Yes,” she said as she covered her mouth and giggled. “I could see that. Are there many of them? I stopped at that bar trying to find Ky and it looked like it was full of men in vests that looked alike.”
“There’s a good number. Not sure how many, I haven’t kept count.”
She stopped and looked at all the brightly colored cereal boxes, the ones that were meant to jump out and catch the attention of children. Her eyes danced over several and I wondered if she was curious about the packaging or the actual food.
“You want to get some?” I asked as nonchalantly as I could.
“The colors are so bright. Is that normal?”
“Yeah,” I answered with a nod. “With processed food the brighter the color the better, or so the people that make them think.”
“Is it any good?”
“Here, let’s just grab a few and you can taste for yourself.” I grabbed a bunch of different ones and tossed them into the cart. “This one is my personal favorite when I was a kid. Haven’t had it in years, though. Guess it’s time to see if the memories match up with reality.” I laughed as I snatched up the box of so-called fruity, little, pebbled flakes.
“You and Ky must be good friends then, for you to offer your place like you did,” Ingram said a few aisles later. “Thank you, by the way. I do not think I said that yet.”
“You’re very welcome,” I said and flashed her a smile. There was no way I was going to tell her that Ky and I felt like we were barely friends now, if at all. “Can I let you in on a little something?”
She nodded and took a step closer to me as if she were readying herself to hear some big secret.
“Sometimes it gets a little lonely in that house. I think it will be nice to have the company.”
It was the truth. As much as I liked my quiet time, sometimes being so far away from the noise and everyone really got to me. Maybe I was truly lonely and desperate for some sort of companionship. It could have been that I was getting old and, dare I even contemplate the thought, ready to settle down. But it wasn’t like I had any prospects lately. I’d been too busy with work and getting my house set up. Oh, and I mean, I did spend a lot of time with Brand. I wasn’t sure how to meet people in a new place, especially when the only people I really socialized with were the boys at the club. No offense to any of them, but the women that hung around them weren’t really my type. And as far as the guys went, well, I wasn’t going to go there.
By the time we checked out we had an overflowing cart full of random stuff. I wasn’t sure if there was enough room in the backseat of my car to fit it all, but I was going to try. The trunk was already packed tighter than an ant’s ass with stuff we’d bought before we stopped here.
When we finally returned back home, I was worn out. I made a cup of coffee and downed it as soon as all the groceries were put up. Ingram was feeling the same and I suggested she go take a nap. I let her know that I’d be leaving for work shortly. I didn’t want her to wake up to an empty house and get freaked out because I wasn’t sure what time Ky would be back. I left a pile of bags and stuff that we’d bought in the corner of the living room figuring Ingram could go through and organize her things later. Then I went to go get ready for my long night ahead.
I knew I’d be dragging and struggling to get through my shift tonight. Between the shopping and the intense, strangled tension that was now overtaking my house, I was wiped out. I hoped that things went topside again, and soon. I was happy to give my place up for Ingram and Ky, and I tried my hardest to push the little negativity that was threatening to pull me down.
I practically ran into Ky as I was flying out the door. I was running a bit behind and I hated to be late.
“Shit. Sorry, dude,” I said as I stumbled back.
“No, it’s my fault.”
We stood there awkwardly for a beat.
“Well, I’m off to work. I wasn’t sure what time you’d be back. Ingram is taking a nap and the kitchen is stocked beyond belief. Feel free to eat anything.” I tried to push past him but he didn’t move from his position right in the doorway.
“How is she?” he asked in a soft tone.
“Look, Ky, I don’t know the story here and I’m not asking you to tell me. Ingram needs stability and comfort right now. Talk to her. Connect in some way, if you can.”
He actually winced at that.
“I’m late. Gotta go. See you whenever,” I said and pushed past him and out of the house.
Within two hours, I had everything restocked and under control. The girl that was supposed to work with me had called out before I’d gotten there. I was currently running a packed bar all by myself. The good thing was, that I knew about eighty percent of the people drinking there and they wouldn’t get pissed at me if they had to wait a hot minute before they got their drink.
“Hey, man,” Brand said as he stepped up to the bar top. Cami waved at me from beside him.
“Hey!” I yelled as I smiled at them. With my free hand, I slapped Brand’s hand in our usual greeting all while continuing to pour the four shots I was setting up. Yeah, I had talents alright. I lifted the shots and set them on the bar top, then took the money from the girl that had ordered them. “What can I get ya?”
“I’ll take a beer and Cami wants that thing that you make…the red one,” Brand said.
“You got it,” I said getting to work.
It was too busy to stand and talk but they understood. I took this job seriously even though the club was pretty relaxed about it. I mean, it wasn’t like the bar was one of those exclusive, upscale places, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t take pride in it.
I managed to get everyone cleared out by two. Several of the prospects stayed behind and helped me clean up. I knew it had nothing to do with them being nice and that it was more of an order. But hey, I wasn’t going to complain one bit about the help. I was out of there a half an hour later and I felt like I was forcing my eyes to stay open the entire drive home.
With the crazy night, I’d honestly forgotten about Ingram and Ky. But I was hit with the reminder as I pulled up into my driveway and parked next to the bright yellow car that Ky was still driving. I was too tired to try and figure anything out right then. Everything would still be there in the morning.
I did my best to make my way into the house and up to my room without making a sound. I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to see my bed. I stripped down to my boxers and prayed like hell that neither of them would venture up here. I didn’t have the energy to dig out my comfy clothes. Then I flopped into bed, barely managing to pull the covers over me before my eyes shut and my mind turned off.