Filed To Story: Secret Shifters Next Door Series PDF Free
Outside on the porch, I stood by the door. I didn’t leave until I heard Harley punch in the code. Once I heard the beep that indicated the alarm was activated, I headed home. What the hell was I actually doing?
SIXTEEN
HARLEY
Even after all that happened the day before, I didn’t let it bring me down as I helped the girls get ready for school. It was Jordyn’s first day of high school. Nothing could stop me from being there for her on a day that stressful and exciting.
To their credit, the girls were up before me. When I came down the stairs in my robe, Mariah was already pouring a bowl of cereal for both her and her sister. I stopped on the stairs and watched themMariah working on breakfast, Jordyn running a brush through her hair. They looked so grown up. Soon, they would be adults. Women. Tears started to burn in my eyes, but I took a breath and kept it under control.
“Good morning,” I said as I descended the rest of the stairs.
The girls turned and looked at me. Mariah smiled. “Morning, Mom. Did you sleep well?”
I nodded and took a seat next to Jordyn. “I did. Are you guys excited?”
Jordyn said, “Yes. I can’t wait.”
Mariah set their bowls down, and they ate while we discussed the day. The strangeness of the day before hadn’t made things weird between us. It was as if nothing had happened. Still, it was
difficult for me not to cast an eye toward the security panel by the door or the cameras.
After breakfast, I helped the girls pick outfits and shoes. While I braided Jordyn’s hair the way she liked it, I started having reservations about sending them to school. I didn’t let that show or tell them, but the fear was there. Almost as though he read my thoughts, my phone buzzed with a text from Tate.
Good morning. Wanted you to know not to worry about the girls at school. I’ve got guys on it.
On it? That was comforting but also a little heart breaking. Why did I have to have
guys
? Why did they have to be
on it
? Though I couldn’t ignore the fact that having Tate watching out for us made me feel much better about everything.
I texted back:
Thanks. That means a lot. You read my mind.
Tate responded seconds later:
It’s what I’m here for.
We walked out the door to stand on the curb and wait for the bus. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement across the street. Tate stood on his porch, leaning against the rail, sipping on a cup of coffee. He was shirtless, enjoying the warm late-summer weather. I couldn’t help but remember him kissing me the night before. My cheeks flushed as I took in the ripple of his muscles as he raised a hand to wave at us.
Jordyn waved ecstatically. “Tate. I’m going to high school. Can you believe it?”
He chuckled and nodded. “I
can believe it. Have fun.”
It was crazy how quickly the girls had taken to him. Even with the way the two of us had acted around each other at the beginning, the girls seemed to really enjoy his company. As the bus pulled up, I smiled. It was good that they had someone they could trust right across the street. Mariah and Jordyn waved to me through the window of the bus as it rolled away. Once it pulled away, I saw that Tate had gone back inside. Had he come outside just to see the girls off? Then, before I could go back
inside, and before the bus was out of sight, a black sedan drove out from a side street farther down the neighborhood. A moment of fear took hold, but as it passed, Tate’s friend Blayne nodded and waved at me from the driver’s seat as he followed the bus toward the school.
On it
? I guess so.
Ten minutes later, while I drank my coffee at the kitchen table, my phone chimed, notifying me that someone was at the front door. After a few seconds of fumbling with the new app, I was able to find the feed for the porch camera. Tate stood there, waiting. It took a few more seconds for me to get the security system deactivated, and the door opened.
Tate smiled at me. “Hey.”
“Hey. Why didn’t you knock or ring the bell?”
He shrugged. “Wanted to test the system and make sure the notifications were working right. Looks like we’re good. Can I come in?”
Realizing I was blocking the door, I blushed. “Sorry, yeah, come in.”