Promise Me (Book One of the Kirkland Family)

Promise Me: Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 Hannah and Josie eventually decided to have a Girl’s Day, inviting Kim to go out for pizza with them, though now Josie was distracted with her new toy more than necessary.  But Hannah just grinned.  Josie’s phone was a lot nicer than hers, one of the newest on the market, and Hannah wondered if Justin told his mother to get that particular one, or if they were retaliating on his overly stifling character by purchasing a four-hundred dollar phone for his young, teenage daughter.  Probably the latter.  And that made Hannah giggle to herself.  Served him right.  

Honestly, she completely understood his need to protect her.  Josie’s been betrayed by her own mother, and Justin was only looking out for her delicate pride and happiness, but Lord above!  He’s driving her towards more deception and lies!  And Hannah wasn’t helping the matter.  She knew that, but she also knew that Josie needed attention, love and kindness, rather than rules and restraint.

“Josie,” Hannah began as they sat in a booth at the pizza restaurant.  Kim squeezed next to Josie and was picking the mushrooms off her slice of supreme while the girl’s attention was riveted to the screen on her cell phone.

“Hmm?” Josie asked, her mouth frowning around a bite of pizza as she tried to figure out one of the screen settings.

“What did you tell your dad you’ve been doing lately?”

Josie froze and stared up at her.  Hannah gave her the chance to swallow before she answered.  “I told him I was babysitting some pets for some people...which is mostly true.”

“But you didn’t say anything about me, did you?”

Josie turned beet red, but she jerked her chin up.  “You said it was best that he didn’t know, because...because he hates you.”

Kim’s eyes blinked at them.  “Someone hates you, Hannah?  I didn’t know that was possible.”

“I know, right?!” Josie exclaimed to Kim.  “Who could ever hate Hannah?”

“Your dad,” Hannah pointed out, still not thrilled about that.  He really had no reason to despise her so much...well, besides spending time with his daughter all summer, but since he didn’t know about that, then he still didn’t have a reason.

Kim frowned and smiled at the same time.  “Who’s your dad?”

“Justin Kirkland,” Hannah and Josie both answered, grinning at each other.

Kim muttered as she mused over that, “Justin Kirkland...Justin Kirkland...Kirkland...”  Then her eyes got wide, and she yelled, “Justin Kirkland?!  Oh, my god!  I didn’t even realize that!  You’re Justin Kirkland’s daughter?”

Hannah eyed Kim curiously.  “You know him?”  Kim had to be ten years plus older than Justin, considering how she was fifteen years Hannah’s senior.

Kim snorted and started laughing.  “Oh, my heavens!  Justin Kirkland...I didn’t know!  Is this the guy you were talking about a few weeks ago?  The one who got your panties in a knot?”

“Yeah,” Hannah grumbled.  “How do you know Justin?”

“I don’t really,” Kim said, still laughing.  “My dad and his dad were neighbors, until Momma passed away and Dad sold his farmland to Mr. Kirkland.  I remember Justin as a skinny kid with these big ears and his baby brother always following him around.  I just never imagined...you’ve got the hots for Justin Kirkland!”

“I do not!” Hannah said indignantly, and Josie whipped her eyes to Hannah, asking, “You’ve got the hots for my dad?”  A small smile crept along Josie’s features and she added, “Really?”

“No, I do not.  I barely know your father,” Hannah insisted to Josie and pointed a warning finger at Kim, who now held onto her stomach and was laughing so hard, tears were coming out of her eyes.  “And you, stop it!  People are staring at us.  What’s so funny, anyway?”

Kim fell backward against the booth’s cushion, her mouth pulled open in a wide grin.  “He used to steal plums out of Momma’s trees!  Oh, and he ran a four-wheeler through Daddy’s chicken coop!  Oh, my god!  And when he was thirteen, I caught him looking through my bedroom window one summer when I came home from college...he was watching me undress!”

Josie’s eyes bulbed out.  “He did that?!”

Kim wiped at her cheeks with a napkin.  “Your daddy was a hell-raiser, Josie girl!  How the tides have turned!  When is he coming back?  I’ve gotta say hi when he does!”

Hannah groaned and Josie giggled, begging Kim to tell her more things her dad used to do when he was a kid.  Kim supplied some stories, that was for sure.  Hannah’s jaw dropped open at a few of them.  Just as Kim was winding down, Josie’s cell phone rang, and she looked at it for a moment...then she answered, “Hi, Daddy!  Did you really set fire to a donkey’s tail?”

Both Hannah and Kim held hands over their mouths to keep the laughter in, and Josie grinned, putting her finger up to her lips, shhhh, and she punched the speaker button on her phone, setting it in the middle of all of them.

“Who told you that?” Justin’s voice called out.  A shiver ran up Hannah’s spine.  She’d not heard his voice since when she spied on him at Walmart.  It was just as seductive over the phone as in person.  

“Just some friends,” Josie answered.  Kim let a giggle loose.

“Who’s there with you?” he asked.

“That’s my friend, Kim,” Josie said, looking at Hannah for permission to say her name, but Hannah shrugged.  It was Josie’s decision.  Josie opted to keep Hannah out of it for now.

“Can she hear me?”

“Yes!”

“Well, nice to meet you, Kim,” Justin’s voice said in a friendly tone.  Hannah almost wished he’d speak to her that way, but she wasn’t supposed to be there, so she kept her wishes to herself.  “Where are you, sweetie?”

Again, Josie darted a questioning look to Hannah, but all she answered was, “I’m eating pizza,” which Hannah supposed was part of the truth.  Still, she shook her head and motioned for Josie that she was going to the bathroom for a minute to give her some privacy with her dad.  Kim scooted out of the booth with Hannah, but she called out to Justin in a girly voice, “Bye, Mr. Kirkland!”

Josie pulled the phone up to her ear, and Hannah saw her smiling as she spoke to her dad.  I hope he realizes how happy Josie is right now, she thought.  It’ll be something for him to think about when he finds out about me.