Addison (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6)(40)

My father’s shoulders relaxed. “You trust this guy?”

“Yes. Completely.”

“He can stay in one of the empty trailers under two conditions.”

“Anything.”

“It’s temporary. I don’t want him getting comfortable. As soon as he can find another place he needs to move out.”

“Okay. What’s the second?”

“You are not to spend the night there.”

“Dad, I’m an adult.”

“Addison, don’t give me a hard time. I’m about to leave town and a stranger is going to be hanging around. There’s no telling who this guy is, at least in my opinion. I’ll have your brother looking in on him every night, so don’t try to pull a fast one. If I find out you disobey me your friend can find somewhere else to stay. Do you understand me, darlin’?”

I lowered my head. “Yes, dad.” I didn’t have a choice.

“When I get back we’ll sit down with your friend and possibly reconsider the situation. Until then, behave.”

I put on a smile for his benefit. “Thanks, daddy.”

“I’ll have your mother call tonight when we get to the North Carolina farm. Keep out of trouble.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Oh yeah,” he turned to face me. “It’s five hundred for the first month. I want cash until I can do a background check on him. I need to make sure he hasn’t committed any felonies.”

“Dad, seriously?”

“Yes. I love you. We’ll call tonight.”

My dad walked back into the house, saying something quickly to Cole before I could hear. I watched him leave, and then turned to my very freaked out boyfriend. “He said you can move into the trailer.”

“Yeah. I know. He also said if I hurt you in any way he’ll hide my body where no one will ever find it.”

I popped bacon into my mouth. “Oh, well that’s probably true.”

“Good to know,” he stammered. “It’s always nice to have a heads up when your life is about to end.”

“I’m sure it will be quick, probably a bullet to the nuts first and then head. He won’t let you suffer. My dad has compassion for living creatures.”

“You’re scaring the shit out of me right now. I’m not hungry anymore.”

I reached over and leaned my body on his. Cole pulled away. “It’s best if I clean up and head over to the trailer. I don’t want him thinking I took advantage of his generosity.”

“You’re going overboard. My parents are gone for a week. By the time they get back the rest of my family will be with them. It will be so chaotic they’ll forget about you. It’s all good.”

“I’m good. Go on and get something other than a T-shirt on.”

I looked down realizing I had nothing on underneath. It made me blush. My dad knew we’d slept together. He must have been chomping at the bit to give Cole a piece of his mind, and probably a foot up his ass. “So you’re going to clean up and leave?”

“I can’t stay forever. I have work, and you have a ton of shit I’m sure.”

I looked right at him. “Are we okay?”

Cole sighed and pulled me closer. “Yeah. We’re okay. I’m a little freaked out, that’s all.”

I kissed him tenderly. “It’s going to be fine. I promise.”

Cole did as he said. He cleaned up breakfast and gathered his little bit of things, before telling me goodbye. I offered to drive him over to the trailer, but he insisted on walking. It made no sense. Sure, my dad put the fear of God in him, but Cole didn’t seem like the type of person to listen to an overbearing parent. I couldn’t believe he was acting so ridiculous.

By afternoon I was feeling worried. My sister had gone with me to a meeting. We stopped to get our nails done, and even grabbed a bite to eat. As we sat there enjoying the afternoon together, she started on me. “So, I wasn’t going to mention this, but Mom called and drilled me about Cole. She wanted to know where you met and why she’d never heard of him. It seems someone spent the night with you last night at Gram’s house, and I had to hear it from them first. You hussy.”

“What did you tell her?” I was worried my sister knew a little too much. It didn’t matter what she was calling me. I knew she was teasing.

“I told her you met him at the hospital when he got beat up for stalking kids on a playground. Oh, and I may have mentioned he was into trafficking.” She laughed at her own joke. I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah right. Seriously. What did you say?”

“I said you met him at work, and he seems like a nice guy.”

“Did she tell you he’s moving into the trailer?”

“Yep. I have specific orders to tell Dad if I catch you spending the night.”

“For Christ sakes. I’m an adult. Does no one else see that?”

Chris laughed at me. “Do you really think I’d squeal on you? You’re my sister.”

“What about Noah?”

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” She held up her glass of tea to clank it against mine. “Cheers to that.”

When we got back I dropped her off and went straight to the trailer. Cole was sitting on the couch watching an old television with bunny ears as an antenna. “Are you bored?”