I flip the latch and the gate makes a squeaking sound as it opens, stopping her chatter.
“Thanks.” Clementine circles me and is about to step into the main street, when I hear rustling of tires. I grab her arm, pulling her inside, hiding us behind the tall evergreen bushes.
“Keith,” she whispers.
“Shh! Someone’s out there.” I look from the gap in the shrubs and notice a black cruiser driving slowly down the street. It pauses for a second in front of my house before smoothly driving away.
What the fuck?
Seeing the similar car twice in a row sets alarm bells ringing in my head. In the dark I can’t even read the license plate number.
“Keith.” Clementine shifts and my gaze jumps to her.
In my like a bat out of hell move, I’ve plastered her to me. Her feet dangling and toes barely touching the ground. Her small hands, even the one holding my mug, grip my shoulders too tight.
My heart is rapid under my chest like yesterday morning. In an attempt to calm myself, I take a deep breath, but all I can smell are…fresh peaches.
Delightful. Soft.
“Can you release me now?” she whispers.
I shake my head, trying to push all the craziness aside and let her go. Her eyes rivet to my gun and then to my bare chest, lingering there for several minutes.
“Why do you roam around naked?” she blurts and then her eyes widen. “I said it out loud, didn’t I?”
This girl is crazy.
I grab her arm and walk her into the house. “Don’t go out in the dark until I find who this fucker is.”
We stride into the kitchen, and I pour water in the coffee machine for my tenant’s five o’clock fix.
After hours of pondering last night, I have come to a conclusion that Clementine’s stay might be what we need.
It’s been a long time since Mere and I sat like a normal family and I learned new things about my daughter. There is nothing more important than her happiness in my life. If Clementine is what Mere wants, I’ll gladly give up our dinnertime privacy in return. Okay, maybe not gladly but I’ll try to do so.
“Is it dangerous?” She takes off her heavy jacket, placing it on the table as I start the coffee machine.
I don’t want to scare her, but I’m also sure this is no fucking coincidence. “Most likely not. St. Peppers is a quiet and safe town, but in the past weeks, there have been some activities in the neighboring area. So, it’s good to be careful.”
She nods and her grasp tightens around my mug, still in her hands. With worry transpiring on her serious face, for the first time she looks her age. My heart skips a beat and I quickly turn around.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
I enter my room and grab one of my contact cards and just before leaving, put on a T-shirt.
“Save my number.” I place the white card on the dining table before her.
“Thank you.”
The wide smile that stretches on her face does something weird to my chest. It fucking beats faster and I suppress the urge to rub it. I turn away from Clementine and her cute smile. “Call me only if you feel like you’re in a real danger. If you feel the need to just talk or gossip, I’m not the guy.”
“You are funny.” She chuckles, entering my number on her phone.
“It wasn’t a joke.” I place the coffee mug before her. “Here.”
She almost reverently grabs the cup and brings it closer to her lips. My fucking crazy mind scans the perfect outline of her heart-shaped lips and that’s why I register how she grimaces at the first taste.
“You don’t like it?” My voice is louder than intended at her blatant disapproval.