~**~
It is nearly noon by the time I awaken and take a shower. I feel awkward just walking out there and making myself at home. I know I spend evenings here watching Khloe, but that is different. I am still sitting on my bed after making it, trying to get my nerve up to leave my room. I still haven’t met Mr. Cooper. What if he hates me? What if he tells me to get the hell out, and then what will I do?
Khloe bursts through my door. “Katie,” she cries in excitement. “Khloe and mommy make Katie lunch, come.” She takes my hand, dragging me to the kitchen.
I hesitantly follow Khloe, still feeling uneasy. When we get in the kitchen, Kelli, Kai, Kirk, and their father, Kent, sits at the bar, eating grilled chicken salad and drinking sweet tea.
“Did you sleep okay?” Their father asks and heat rushes to my cheeks, remembering how I spent a majority of my night tangled up with Kai.
I smile. “I did, thank you.”
“I have you a salad in the refrigerator if you are hungry,” their mom offers.
“Maybe later but thank you.” My stomach is a bundle of nerves and there is no way I can eat right now.
Kirk winks at me and Kai smacks him across the chest. I have to turn my head to hide my smile. Khloe wants me to hold her so I do. She wraps her arms around me, squeezing my neck tight. I tickle her ribs and she shrieks loudly.
Kirk comes over and takes Khloe from me, taking her to her room to play. I suspect that he is giving his parents privacy to go over the rules with Kai and me.
Kent Cooper comes over, formally introduces himself, and surprises me with a hug. “Katie, our home is your home. Kelli and I want you to feel at ease here. Nothing will change in your schedule with Khloe. You will still watch her three nights a week and be paid for doing so. I understand that you and Kai are dating, but we have some rules for the two of you. You are to sleep in your own beds and respect that we don’t want you two having sex, but I know you are teenagers and you are almost eighteen. I just ask that you two be careful and respect our home.”
“Of course, thank you so much for letting me stay here, Mr. Cooper.”
“Please, call me Kent. I know things are difficult with your mother, but you don’t need to worry about any of that. Since your eighteenth birthday is coming up there isn’t anything to worry about legally. By the time your mother can get a court date, you will already be a legal adult. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let us know.”
After his parents go over a few more rules about Kai and I leaving our doors open if we are in each other’s rooms, we go out to the garage and get my other two bags from his mother’s Escalade.
Once we are alone in the garage, Kai pulls me into his arms kissing the top of my head. “I wish I could spend every night like we did this morning.”
“You won’t hear me complaining.” I grin at him.
“I better not,” he tells me.
When I get back to my room and get my clothes put away my phone chimes with a text message from my mother.
Mom: Katie, I don’t know what kind of shit you are trying to pull but it’s time for you to come back home.
Me: Not happening. You just want me there because you are afraid David will leave you and then you will be all alone.
Mom: Don’t get smart with me, Katie. If you don’t come home I am going to report you as kidnapped. Those people just can’t come in my home and take you.
Me: You are being dramatic. I came willingly. Go ahead call the police so I can tell them how you are a prostitute and tried to pimp me out to Jason Miller and how David smokes pot and you hit me and verbally abuse me. If you love me, you’ll let me be happy.
She doesn’t send anything back thankfully. Kai comes to my room and cracks the door so little it might as well be shut.
“What are you doing, Kai?”
He doesn’t answer me, he climbs onto my bed and goes to kissing me.
I pull back from him “Are you trying to get us in trouble?”
“Relax, my parents took Khloe to a birthday party, we have the house to ourselves as soon as my brother leaves for work.”
Kirk picks right now to knock on my door. “Go away,” Kai says angrily.
“Mom told me to make sure your doors are open.” He slings my door open and laughs. “So busted. I am totally ratting the two of you out.” He smirks.
“Go ahead, and I will tell her all about that bottle of pills in your night stand.”