Teeny

 

 

I get back home about seven hours later, after Tammy’s tests and results were given, my mind at ease when the doctors told us that her hearing is just fine and she doesn’t have any lasting damage from the recurring infections.

I had to grind my jaw through the whole recounting of Tam’s medical history and that, despite the lack of treatment, they can see that someone was taking care of it, or trying to.

I know for a damn fact that wasn’t Ally, so I owe Mrs. Cane a huge gift for at least attempting to keep Tammy healthy. I also need to stop grinding my teeth before I get them down to nubs because, despite Tam’s cheeriness, we can’t take her home for at least two more days because she’s staying on the drip just to make sure her ear clears up completely.

I blame Ally so much, so bad I am sorta relieved she’s made a runner and isn’t around right now.

“What the hell?” I breathe when I walk in to see men walking in and out of the kitchen, which is…

Almost done. The floor is a little battered and beat up, but they go perfectly with the white cabinets that have already gone up, and my eyes feel lazy when they don’t meet the orange counters but a white marble-like surface that matches the cupboards.

“Hey, Teeny. You like it?”

I turn in a circle when Lynx spots me and comes over, his smile hopeful and a little anxious as he watches me take it all in.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathe, blinking when I see one lone tile from the old kitchen staring back at me from the wall.

“I kept that one up where we’re doing a blackboard, sorta like a memory,” he says sheepishly, making me smile so hard I feel my teeth ache.

“I…that is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

And it is. Screw the kitchen and the money and the…kindness. Screw it all. It doesn’t mean half as much to me as this one tile. Part of my sadness and reluctance this morning was the reality of having Gran’s kitchen ripped out.

The thing was an eyesore, and I hated it, but it was her, so much a part of my childhood growing up that I was sad to see it go because that would mean the last good memories I have of my life would be gone.

Seeing that one tile is like saying Gran is still here. I just get to have a nice kitchen and have her too.

“You’re welcome, little lady. Now, I kinda like the floor just as is, but if you want it stripped and re-stained, I can—”

“It’s perfect. How the heck did you guys do all this so quickly?”

“Not much to it. We had the cupboards already, so it was just a matter of getting the old stuff out and hanging the new ones. The plumbing is all good still so we just installed it all. Easy. The floor was the problem because we had to rip up the old stuff and scrape the glue away, but once that was done, it was all a breeze.”

A breeze? I spent two months painting the walls in the living room just before Miriam’s boy came in to do the sky for me. The floor? Three months stripping it, sanding it all down, and re-staining.

This is just—

“Thank you, Lynx.”

“No need, Teeny. I really liked using up those cupboards the supplier screwed up. Besides, girl, those counters.” He shudders, making me and the guys around us laugh hard.

“The air guys are on the way too. All we still have to do after that is get Tam’s room ready, make sure the fencing and pool are in order, and childproof the place. Done.”

The guys pack up while he’s showing me the new shelving they installed in the pantry, and it’s only when the silence becomes too loud that I realize we’re alone, in my house.

I cringe because not only do I really like Lynx, I am now his housekeeper and in debt to him up to my eyeballs.

“Why did you do all this for me? We’re strangers, you hardly know me, and yet you’ve been nicer to me than anyone ever has been.”

Lynx stills halfway through the living room arch and turns to look at me, his face going hard.

“We’re friends, or at least we will be, Teeny, and you know what, fuck the whole hardly knowing you thing. I know that you have a sister who used you. I know she threw her kid away and is God knows where at the moment. I know that you love your family, no matter what Ally does to you, and I know that if you could help anyone in this situation, you would, stranger or not. If people helped each other more often, the world would be a much nicer place to live in.”

All I can do is gape, and maybe fall a little in love with him, because I really like that answer. It’s honest, and he’s not whitewashing the fact that my life is shitty, which I appreciate because there is nothing worse than people feeling sorry for you and pretending they don’t.

“I also know that you bought Nat baking supplies so she could fill an order and that you didn’t demand it back on the double even though you needed it. You’re a good person, Teeny, too good sometimes, and I refuse to watch you kill yourself with starvation and heartache because you lose your family over something I can help you with.”

My heart aches at this kindness because I know he doesn’t expect a damn thing back and that he’s just…nice. I promise myself, no matter what, that I will repay him. Maybe not with money because let’s face it, I have none, but I will repay him with the kindness he’s offered me and, if nothing else, build a friendship with a man who isn’t at all like any I have met before.

“You’re a good person too.”

That has him blushing, and I grin and poke him in the ribs when he growls at me.

“You so are!”

We’re laughing as I poke at his sides, and he dodges, the fact that he’s ticklish making me like him all the more because Gran always said never to trust a person who isn’t ticklish and I believe her. Dad wasn’t ticklish, and look how he ended up.

That’s how the air guys find us, laughing with Lynx grabbing me from behind to pin my hands.

“Well, it looks like you landed on your feet, Teeny. How unexpected.”

“Oh Lord,” I mutter, standing straight and stepping away a bit when I look up to match the face with the voice. “Franklin.”

Lynx tenses behind me, his hands still anchored to my hips, and I can practically feel the hostility coming off him when he realizes that the person he called in on this job is the very one who fired me because I wouldn’t have sex with him.

Franklin is still looking between me and Lynx, and I pray like no one’s business that the Wylder women have magically disappeared because the look he gives us is not a nice one, nor is the sneer he levels my way when his eyes come to rest on me.

“If I knew all it would take is some home repair to get in there, I’d have rebuilt this dump a year ago.”

“Motherfu—”

Lynx doesn’t even get the whole word out because Franklin is seized from behind by a man so huge I gulp when his feet dangle off the floor. It’s not that the guy is all that much taller. He’s just built like he eats his enemies as a snack.

“You apologize to her right fucking now or I snap you like a twig.”

Franklin’s flailing in the air, arms pin-wheeling, while the man—he looks like Lynx, like exactly like Lynx, so I’m surmising he’s either Hawk or Lyon, but from the temper, my money’s on Hawk—he just keeps him hoisted as if he weighs nothing.

When all we get is a whimper and struggling, he shakes him a little and snarls, making even me feel sorry for Franklin.

“I’d apologize, asshole,” Lynx laughs, throwing an arm around my shoulders and giving me a squeeze. “Hawk was built to serve twenty to life. Ain’t that right, bro?”

“I’d sit in a cage smiling just for the satisfaction of snapping his neck,” he growls.

Good God, Franklin, I know the brain cell you have isn’t all that up to the task, but apologize already.

“S-s-sorry, Teeny.”

“More.”

“I d-didn’t mean it.”

“Some more,” Hawk snarls, giving him another shake just to emphasize his annoyance.

“You’re not a—”

Hawk lets go of him unexpectedly before he can finish and steps over him to get to me, bowing over my hand and kissing it like a real gentleman.

“You want him dead, you just say the word, Teeny darling. I’m trained to make shit look like accidents, and I know what to use to decompose a body to nothing but mulch.”

I can’t help it. I laugh because the man has the naughtiest eyes I have ever seen in my life.

“Thanks?” I say after I’ve wound down, groaning inside when I look up to see a whole lot of Wylders—I know because these men are unmistakably brothers—grinning at me while Lori sniffs down at Franklin and jabs him with the toe of her shoe.

“I think he fainted.”

A blond looks over her shoulder, his hand going to her belly, and I see him grin when Lori gives Franklin another nudge, this one a little more forceful.

“Don’t blame him. Hawk scares the bogeyman.”

They all laugh while Hawk narrows his eyes at my former boss, his dislike clear when Franklin wakes up and rolls to his feet, blinking rapidly while keeping an eye on the guy.

“I-I came to install the air—”

“Fool, get gone before Lynx loses that sense of humor of his and makes Hawk look like he’s playing games,” Rain says, making me still to look back at Lynx.

His face is so hard I shiver and swallow, begging Franklin silently to just leave before he gets himself killed. It’s hot as hell in this place, and I’m sweating like a pig even as my blood chills when Lynx smiles at the man, a nasty baring of teeth that looks nothing like the sweet man I know.

“You owe Teeny a paycheck and a healthy severance package. Don’t make us come looking for you.”

“But I—”

“You need to go back to whatever hole it is you crawled out of and start calculating that package, boy. And make it generous or the next time you hear from her she’ll be lawyered up and suing for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. At least you’ll only need a lawyer if we let you live,” Hawk drawls, cracking his knuckles with a dark smile.

Franklin literally flies out of the house, and I have to stifle a giggle when I hear his tires screech and the sound of a car honking when he peels away.

“Well, great. This place needs a unit like right fucking now or we’ll all die.”

That comes from the guy standing beside Danny, Bear, I think, and I blush with embarrassment when everyone stomps out onto the porch to get out of the heat.

“Yeah, I’ll call Martina over at Gallows. They’re a better option anyway, son. They’re a little steeper on price, but their systems are eco-friendly, and they don’t charge a double for installation,” an older man says, coming over to take my hand. “Alric Wylder, pleased to meet you tiny, Teeny.”

I’m engulfed in a hug, and I really milk that sucker for all it’s worth because Alric Wylder is warm and strong, and hugging him makes me think of all my girlish dreams back before I knew what an idiot my father really was.

“Nice to meet you too,” I say shyly, giving the other men a shy wave before I stand and shift from foot to foot awkwardly when they all stand and silently scrutinize me.

“Oh, stop it. We’re friends. Right, Teeny?” Lynx says defensively, making even me laugh.

My laugh is awkward though, and I blush brightly when they look at me in question.

“Yep, us, just neighbors,” I chirp, hating the ball of regret at the assurance because, as terrible as it seems, I would so bang Lynx Wylder, in a heartbeat if he’d let me.

I’ve been with two guys before. One was my high school boyfriend who only stuck around long enough to get me to sleep with him, and the other was a guy who worked for the coffee shop down the street from Franklin’s.

Both relationships were average but ultimately unsatisfying, if you know what I mean, so I would so be up for something with the wild man standing beside me. Too bad he sees me as the charity case who lives next door.

“That’s too bad. I kinda think it’s cute how big and dark he is compared to you. You’d make cute babies,” Danny trills, blissfully unaware of the awkwardness she’s causing.

“Ooookay. So, your family has no filter,” I joke, looking at Lynx with big eyes I hope convey amusement instead of utter mortification. “Goooood to know.”

He’s silent for a second before he bursts out laughing and ruffles my hair. Good God, can a hair ruffle murder a woman’s ego?

“None whatsoever. Now, let’s say goodbye to the filter-less idiots and go do something about dinner.”

“I’m making—”

“Ma, me’n Teeny are pooped, and we still gotta go see the nugget before we get done with the rest of the house and grab dinner. Thanks for coming over and helping, but we’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Oh thank you sweet Jesus, I think, greeting everyone with a hug before slumping onto the rocker and blinking at Lynx.

“They’re great.”

“Yep. But annoying when they decide to wrangle their way into your business,” he laughs, giving me a knowing look. “I know you’re shell-shocked, so don’t even pretend you’re not. They take getting used to, and for God’s sake, Teeny, just tell them to get lost if they overstep.”

“Never,” I say solemnly because it’s true.

I have never ever had people give a crap about me, and this man thinks I’ll let something like lack of tact or filter drive them away. I’d walk over a tub of snapping gators, barefoot, before I ever offend one of those darlings.

He just laughs darkly as if saying it will happen and locks my door.

“Let’s go over to my house and order that system. I’ll also call the fencing guys while you throw together a few sandwiches or something, and then we can go visit your baby.”

I don’t make sandwiches for lunch because blech! Who wants a sandwich when Lynx has a fridge and pantry a chef would kill for? I make a good chicken fried steak with a side of pasta salad and breaded potatoes to go with it, enjoying his moans when he finally gets off the phone and comes to eat.

“God, woman, this is fantastic,” he mumbles around his fork, chewing it with closed eyes and a moan of appreciation. “Where’d you learn to cook?”

“My gran. She used to let us stay over when…when we needed to, and she liked cooking, so I learned because I liked to spend time with her. Ally hated it though. She’d spent her time lying around reading magazines.”

I eat with relish, trying to ignore the fact that everything I’ve consumed in the last twenty-four hours is the result of Lynx feeding me or making sure I’m fed. The Wylder women all laughed about it, how their men would turn them into heifers if they didn’t stop them from overfeeding them.

I see that now because I’m not even done with my food when he makes a move to put more salad on my plate.

“Gosh, no! I couldn’t. It’s hard enough finishing all this,” I laugh, waving him away and giggling when he grins and dumps another helping onto his plate.

“You had to come over here? A lot?” he asks softly.

I smile, sadly, and shrug, twisting my mouth when he just stares and waits for an answer.

“My mom really liked slot machines, and my dad was a regular at Sully’s Bar. Gran used to look after us when he went on a binge for days and Mom would disappear in the middle of the night and not come home. We lived more here than there until my dad split when I was ten and Mom had to go on welfare. She eventually just took us in when I was twelve because it was just easier than constantly coming over to see if we were okay. Mom left then too, and we haven’t heard from her since.”

“That sucks, Teeny. I am so sorry.”

“Eh, it’s all good. She made the worst food,” I laugh, shaking my head on a chuckle because Gran used to say she took the wrong baby from the hospital and some other woman is enjoying good cooking since she believes it in the genes.

I remember Mom’s pork chops. They were so tough even Dad used to laugh whenever we had to eat them. I lost my first tooth on one and the second when Mom took a hankering to experimenting with pie crust.

“It’s not all good, Teeny. It must have sucked to lose both parents.”

“Not really. My dad was a handsy drunk, Lynx, and my mom didn’t care as long as he gave her money to put into a machine. It was great when Gran came for us because she would cook and make sure we had clean clothes. I had a good childhood from there on out.”

Until Mom came back threatening to take us back unless Gran gave her money. We spent a month straight in court with Ally crying for Mom while I prayed that Gran won custody.

She did, not that I should have worried since she had documented proof of all the times Mom left us and then the last time when she disappeared for four days.

Ally reminds me of her more and more every day. Same selfish nature. Same excuses when people point out their shortcomings. Do I love them both? Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to them.

“Anyway, let me clean up and then…”

“Sit. I wanted to talk to you about—”

“Talk while I load the dishwasher and get a start on that laundry pile you’re storing in that room over yonder. You can thrill me with air systems while I iron. And don’t argue! I’m here to do this job, not sit around and yap with you because you’re trying to be nice,” I warn, loading the dishes and turning the machine on before stalking into the laundry.

Lynx stays in his seat, just turning it to face me as I find the ironing board and iron.

“The guys will be out to install it at twelve tomorrow. I can’t be here to keep an eye on them, so—”

“I’ll keep an eye out from here and pop in to check when they’re done.”

God, his laundry smells good, I think, breathing in the cologne that seems to cling to everything he puts on his body.

“I don’t want you alone over there with a houseful of strange men. I’ll ask Lyon to drop in.”

“Lynx, it really isn’t a big deal. I’ll be just fine, and besides, I’d like to see exactly what this is costing since you haven’t told me a thing about the expenses. I expect receipts at least.”

He does not look happy at the reminder that I’m paying him back but at least drops the whole Lyon babysitting thing when I narrow one eye.

“Fine, but Lyon will be here when they come to do the fencing and Wolf too since he’s installing the retractable cover on the pool.”

He keeps yapping while I get through one basket of just shirts and hang them on the standing rack to my left. The rest of it is mostly jeans, and I have to argue with him because the man doesn’t believe in ironing them. At all. Like I care. I hate creased clothes, so he’d better get used to it fast.

The afternoon passes with me clearing the washing, putting the rewashed load in the drier, and going up to his bedroom to hang it all. I have the unholy urge to strip the sheet off his bed, but it’s already six by the time I go back down, and he’s ready and waiting to make the trip to the hospital.

“Your mother would have killed you if I’d let her get us all here this morning,” I point out in the truck, breathing him in again because, man, the guy smells like sex on legs, and that scent of his is everywhere in the truck.

He grins and winks at me.

“You’d have saved me.”