C h a p t e r S e v e n

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© Amber Kalkes 2014

Song: "Worried Shoes" By Karen O And The Kids.

C h a p t e r S e v e n >

Robin’s heart speeds up the closer they get to her house. Charlie’s passed out in the back seat since he crashed from his sugar high. Luke bought him all the ice cream the kid could handle and now Robin’s pretty sure her son may be part cow he’s so full of dairy. Still she can’t help but smile as she remembers how he was all over Luke talking about everything and anything he could get past the globs of ice cream.

“Is he always so talkative?” Luke asks, breaking the silence in the car.

Robin grips the wheel tighter and tries to sound unbothered by his deep voice, “Unfortunately yes but I’m sure all the sugar didn’t help.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” He chuckles making her chest expand with the mention of there being a next time.

Despite his past words Robin is still afraid he’ll disappear at any moment. The very idea makes a pain in her heart begin and she fights back a gasp at how intense the grief is at even the mere thought of it. If she were more protective of herself she would draw back from this strange little purgatory of a relationship they’re in and keep her distance. Sadly, she isn’t and that can be bad if this ends in the heartbreak she’s expecting this time around.

“So how long have you lived in this house?”

Robin is taken out of her thoughts by his voice. “Um, just about two years ago. I was at my dad’s the first year with Charlie and then an apartment before moving into this place. It’s not the best place but it’s good enough for now until I can save enough to find us somewhere better.”

“And you work as a bartender?”

Robin straightens her spine at the question, “Yes.”

“Does that pay enough?” He asks making her clench the wheel for a totally different reason.

Gritting her teeth she answers him, “It pays fine.”

Luke falls silent after that and Robin keeps her eyes squarely on the road. She just lied to him but that’s not the point. She’s always held her head high knowing that despite the shitty months she faces every now and again she’s able to provide for Charlie on her own. It was a goal she set for herself when she found out she was pregnant with him and its one she’s mostly succeeded at doing. So, it’s a bit of a soft spot for her to be questioned about it.

Finally they pull into the trailer park and Robin’s palms begin to sweat. Why did she invite him over? Sure, they need to talk but they didn’t need to do it at her house did they? Maybe subconsciously she just wanted an excuse to have him alone and to herself but if she did she refuses to acknowledge it. She won’t get her hopes up and besides she’s not even sure he isn’t just playing her hoping for a quick lay like last time only to bolt at first days light again.

Pulling the car over in front of the trailer she shoves it into park roughly. She’s not really mad anymore but she is still peeved. Grabbing her purse from beside her she goes to exit the car but Luke gets a grasp of her wrist making her stop. Looking over her shoulder Robin meets his nearly glowing green eyes trained on her mouth. When they move up to meet her gaze his jaw clenches.

Yanking her closer to him Robin lets out a gasp before looking towards the back seat to see if Charlie is still asleep. Luckily he is but that doesn’t stop the panic growing in her as Luke lifts his free hand to run his thumb along her lower lip. She shudders at the feel of his callused thumb on her soft lip while trying to keep her tongue from jutting out to taste it.

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