North Island

Chapter 6

Brady

I hear Allie’s footsteps fade and the front door shut. I let out a big breath.

There’s something about her, I don’t deny it.

Even though her saying “yes boss” made my d**k twitch. It’s not that.

It’s when I’m around her I feel the pain in my cheeks from smiling and I didn’t realize I was. I don’t smile often anymore.

Standing there watching her sort through papers, humming along to Mr. Brightside, swaying to the music in her own little world. All I could see was her and forget why I even came into the office to begin with.

It’s our banters, her wittiness can match mine. She’s easy to laugh with. To talk too.

It was easy to picture her in one of my T-shirt’s, that on her would be oversized and end mid-thigh dancing around the kitchen. The kind of girl I dreamed seeing in my home.

She technically is on my payroll, but so was my mom with my pops. I make the rules around here.

There’s still so much I don’t know about Allie, so much I long to know.

How’d she end up here on our tiny island.

What’s her favorite food. Does she prefer movies or books. Her favorite genre of music. Her past, present, and future.

I stand and quickly dig through the filing cabinet on the side of the desk. Plucking out the folder that holds our employees information. I snap a picture of her address with my phone.

Parking in front of 378 Island Dr, a small cottage sits in my view. I decided to come check up on Allie, making sure she’ll be fine to work tomorrow. At least that’s what I’m telling myself I’m here for.

I knock on the front door, nothing.

Maybe she isn’t home.

I knock again.

Nothing.

Then I hear a dog bark.

I step off the porch and peak around the side. I quietly walk to the back of the house, even though I should’ve just got in my truck and went home.

I reach the back and look over into the screen porch. Allie’s sitting in an Adirondack chair, a book in her hands, and a husky at her feet.

The dog raises his head and let’s out a bark. Allie shifts her attention to where the dog barked, me…

“Brady?” She questions, her eyebrows pulled together

“Hey, sorry you didn’t answer the door.”

So I came peeping Tom around your house.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

She opens the screen door.

“Want to come in?”

“Yeah.” I walk in to her screened porch.

It’s cozy with the chairs and a footstool. A rug on the floor and lights hanging from the rafters.

The husky comes up sniffing me and I reach down and give him scratches on the head.

“Who’s this guy?” I earn myself some licks on my hand

“That’s Asher.” Allie standing behind me with her arms crossed.

“So is something wrong?” Her voice concerned. Asher begins sniffing the pastry in my hand.

“Oh no. Here, my mom made you banana bread. She felt bad about your hand.”

I sat down in the other Adirondack chair.

“What?! You told your mom?!” She boomed and I winced. “Yes? It slipped more than anything. Why couldn’t she know?”

I question why she’s so upset.

“I’m not mad. I just don’t want her thinking I’m clumsy and that I’m a liability.” She gives herself a pathetic laugh.

This girl radiates confidence, but still can be so insecure deep down.

My mom did find out about the accident with the box cutter, and made her banana bread. I could’ve given it to her tomorrow. I just used freaking banana bread as an excuse to come to her house and get to know her better in her own personal space. f**k me.

“Okay, look she cooks for everyone. I mean everyone. She doesn’t think your clumsy at all. She just thinks food fixes everything. Like you’d eat the damn bread and your hand would be healed the next day.”

“That because food does fix everything.” She mutters under her breath and sits down. I laugh at her statement and she shoot’s me a glare, that’s not scary at all.

“So this isn’t sympathy bread?” She sighs

“No. She made me a loaf too.”

“Well now I don’t feel special.” A smile plays on her beautiful full lips. I just want to kiss her. I almost kissed her the other day in the office when I was holding down pressure on her hand. I was inches away. I just wanted to kiss the sadness and pain out of her.

“I’m going to put this inside. Would you like a beer?” She ask, grabbing her empty bottle.

“Sure” I smile, not a good idea B.

She returns to her seat with two bottles and hands one to me.

“So how is the hand? Been keeping it clean?” I give her serious look and a smile breaks out across her face.

“Yes, Dad, I have.” My d**k twitches

“Don’t worry, I can still type.” She’s quick to add on

“Good.” I take a drag of my beer.

“So you came over to bring me bread. You didn’t have to do that, could’ve given it to me tomorrow.” She says picking at the label on her beer bottle.

I let out a defeated sigh. I just need to be honest.

“Yes, but actually I came over to talk to you.”

She just stares at me.

“I know my mother. She’s a talker. So I’m sure you know some things about me.”

Her eyebrows pinch together, I can see the wheels turning in her head.

“Yeah she told me a lot of stories.”

“What do you know about me?” I question

“Well, she talked about your flight school, you growing up being attached at your dads hip, that your an uncle, you don’t see your sister a lot, and your ex.” Her attention is on everything, but me. My mom was probably also trying to play matchmaker, while just talking and telling stories.

“I figured as much… but here’s the thing, I don’t know anything about you.” I don’t take my eyes off her and finally she looks at me.

“There’s not much to know.” She stated plainly

“Bullshit.” I sip my beer

“What do you want to know?” She ask

“How’d you end up here?” That’s the question I’ve been asking myself since I met her at the pub. Especially her to be here when Emma hated it here. No one really moves here if you didn’t grow up here or have a vacation home.

“I needed change.”

I wasn’t going to allow vague answers.

“Go on. Be honest cause I really do want to know.” I sincerely begged

“Okay, fine. Um I lived in Ohio. I had a boyfriend for 5 years. I had a job I hated. I liked the work, but my bosses were awful. It stressed me out. I wasn’t happy and I decided to come here.”

“How’d you know about this place? It’s kind of sacred.”

“Yeah I know. I traveled here with a friend in highschool. We kayaked the whole island and camped. Week long trip. It was amazing and I fell in love with the island then. Dreamed of moving here, but didn’t think it was possible for me.” She smiled to herself. I could see the pride in her eyes. She’s proud of her bold move.

“So the boyfriend, 5 years, huh. What happened there?”

I couldn’t look at her when I asked.

“I was stuck.”

I gave her a questioning look.

“He was….. controlling. Verbally abusive as my therapist would call it.” She continued

I felt my face heat. What a dumbass. I don’t even understand.

“Tell me more.” I pry

“The first couple years were good. We were living together, but I couldn’t leave the apartment without him. I couldn’t hang with friends. He judged my friends, saying they were bad influences on me. Before I knew it, I didn’t even have friends. We fought over everything. He criticized my job, my mental health, my lack of motivation when I was exhausted. He would make me change my clothes and not wear certain things out. He liked my hair and make up done a certain way. He didn’t like Asher. Said he made too much of a mess with his hair. It really screwed with my head, but he didn’t understand why. Our s*x became less, I would wake up in the middle of the night to him doing things to me sexually. I’d pretend I was asleep hoping he’d stop. Then I’d be exhausted the next day. Whenever I would try to leave or break up he wouldn’t let me. I don’t know how he ever had so much control over the relationship. It was like whatever he said, I obeyed. I never could get what I was saying through his head.

It wasn’t until I packed up my s**t and left and got a new phone number that we were actually over. I loved him and wanted to please him.”

All I see is red. This girl’s self doubt comes from a prick who held her down for five years. Who made her feel worthless and trapped.

“Sorry I know my past is kinda f****d up. Or maybe you think I’m dramatic. I haven’t talked about it because I’m hiding anything, I’m just still getting over it.”

I stand up and move to the foot rest in front of her and sit. She has her feet tucked under her, like she wants the chair to swallow her. Her tiny body almost lets it. I grab her hands and look her straight in the eyes.

“Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have pried. I just wanted to get to know you better. I still do and that’s part of your story. I didn’t think about something like that being so heavy and fresh weighed on you. So thank you for telling me.”

Her eyes are full of sadness and relief.

“Thanks for not judging me. Truthfully your the only person who knows the full story.”

She gives me a soft reassuring smile

“You don’t have to carry all that weight alone ya know. Are you afraid he’ll come find you?” I’ll be a personal body guard if needed.

“No. He doesn’t know where I’m at. I never even told him about this place because this would never interest him. I deleted all social media and with the new number, I feel safe here. Thank you.”

She rest her unhurt hand on my cheek and rubbed her thumb across my beard.