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“Just start smashing anything?” I question, confused by the scene in front of me. All random objects sitting in places to be smashed.
“That’s what I said, princess.”
CHAPTER SIX
HAYDEN
“Go on,” I urge Claire as she looks perplexed.
With my own bat in hand, I help smash the TV first. After a couple of minutes, I look back at Claire. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.”
I knew something like this would help Claire let out her frustration and rage, as it is a safe place to do it with our protective gear.
Watching Claire, I stand against the wall and love watching her do her thing. Fighting is my outlet, Claire needed to find hers. Here she can let everything she is feeling out.
Everything is fine until I notice she is shouting aggressively, and I know she is crying as she slams the bat down onto a janky toilet.
Making my way to her, I spin her body around, and wrap my arms around her. She balls her hands into a fist and pounds on my chest, but it isn’t hard. It is in frustration. Today has not been a good day for her emotionally.
She pushes off my chest and meets my gaze. “I’m sorry I’m so emotional today.”
I shake my head. “Don’t ever apologize for that. You went through something terrible, but I know you will come through on the other side of this.” I had to believe that.
“You believe so?”
“I promise you, you will. And I’ll be here every step of the way.”
Her eyes begin to water again. But I reach to pull her safety glasses off and her hard hat and tilt her chin up, and I kiss her lips. It might not have been the best timing, but when is it?
The kiss isn’t aggressive, but she allows me access for my tongue to tangle with hers. Her lips are soft, and she smells like vanilla. I have to hold myself back from taking her here and now.
When we pull away, I change my focus. “Hungry?”
“Starving.”
Holding my hand out, she takes it as I lead us back to the SUV and hold the door for her to slide in. Once she secures her seatbelt, I make my way to the driver’s side.
We ride to the restaurant in silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. Remembering an old diner my family used to go to all the time, I pull into the parking lot.
“Have you ever been here?”
“I haven’t,” she replies.
Taking her hand again, we make our way inside, and a hostess greets us. “How many?”
“Two,” I reply.
She leads us to a booth by a large window. “Bailey will be right with you.” She places our menus down.
“So do you bring all your lady friends here?” Claire smirks.
“No. I can’t remember the last time I had a ‘lady friend,’ as you call it. But my family used to come here all the time when I was younger. Especially my uncle Frankie and cousin Everleigh.”
“He seems very important to you.”
“He is.” I smile. “I didn’t really have that father figure around since my mom raised me as a single mother, so my uncle kind of took on that role for me. Which in turn made me and Everleigh close.”
