Slowly, I nodded. “Okay. But I’d rather drive myself. I can close up here and hit the road right after. You don’t have to worry about me. I don’t need protecting.”
Stenton nodded solemnly then stood from the bed. He ambled toward the steps before halting. With his back to me, he brushed the back of his head from his neck, exhaling harshly. He turned back to me, quickly pacing to the bed and took me at the side of my face, kissing me sweetly.
“This wasn’t how I planned to end this trip. There’s so much we need to sort out. I have a lot to share. Promise me you’ll make time to have lunch with me in a few days when I return.”
Stenton’s marbles danced between my eyes, searing me.
“Yes,” I whispered.
There was no way I’d turn down what I sensed would be the context of that conversation. Softly, he nodded again and kissed me before leaving the loft and then the cottage.
They say all good things must come to an end. My nirvana with Stenton was no exception to that truism.
~~~~~~~~~~
~Stenton~
As I closed the door to the hospital room where Erik was, I whispered a silent prayer for his recovery. The kid took a palm full of pills; shit, I could only imagine their potency. I’d always known Erik was fragile. I didn’t quite have it worked out, but his being the only man in the house, outside of Ellis’ new husband, had to take its toll. He had no one to guide him. His sisters’ achievements were paramount. They were launching successful products and had the longest running reality show in history. Just to think it all started from an amateur sex tape Erika filmed with her ex-boyfriend. Having your sister’s ass in front of millions of faces for viewing pleasure had to fuck with you, too.
Erik was a good kid. When we first met, he did things he thought would capture my attention and garner my respect for him. He came with that faux b-boy shit that was humorous, considering I was more of a rocker from Laguna Beach than a d-boy from Newark. I had to indirectly assure him that he didn’t need to put up any fronts for me like his sisters and mother did all the time. I only wanted Erik to be himself. Also, I had a kid myself. A son, who I didn’t want to struggle with identity issues like Erik did. So, I took him under my wing, hanging out with him and allowing him game passes whenever he wanted.
When I spent time with him, his sister, Erika did and subsequently so did Emily and Ellis. I’d learned from speaking to him moments ago that when I broke it off with Erika, no one was checking for him anymore. That was fucked up. I couldn’t promise to do anything about that sad fact. I was in a different place now that I’d been connected to Zoey again. I felt refueled by genuine contact having just been in her company for almost a week. Now, I couldn’t stomach the pretention, didn’t want to entertain the airs. I was tired as hell and wanted to get to my suite and call my son and then his mother before I crashed.
I was on my way to do just that when I heard, “Stent,” over my shoulder.
I turned behind me and found Erika, appearing timorous in her approach. Her eyes were shaky and her posture slackened, not as graceful as I was accustomed to seeing.
“We need to talk. You think we can grab a bite?” she spoke softly.
“It’s going to have to wait. I have a few calls to make before I take it down. Text me tomorrow and we can get up then.”
And just when I pivoted to step off, she asserted, “I don’t think this can wait. I guess Hunter hasn’t been notified yet.”
Now that shit got my attention. Something in my gut told me not to blow her off. I usually listened to my subconscious. Whatever the hell it was that Erika wanted to share, I knew I wouldn’t like. It was just a matter of how much it would anger me.
Thirty minutes later I learned the degree to my anger.
“Rewind that bullshit again,” I asked, brows hiked and forehead wrinkled.