Barreling me back into the garage door.
“No! Clint!”
I grunted as my back slammed into the doorknob. “Fuck.”
Dad chuckled. “You want to play tough guy, not a problem. Because by the time I’m done with you, you’ll know why I’m the father and you’re the son.”
I snarled. “In your fucking dreams, you psychotic abusive fuck.”
He tossed me to the ground and I used the momentum to slide myself underneath the kitchen table. I heard Dad pulling at chairs and filling the kitchen with his growls. With his curses. With his anger. I scrambled up to my feet on the other side, then leapt onto the table itself. He looked up at me, his eyes wild and unfocused, filled with the alcohol he’d been drinking as I leapt above him, landing on the kitchen island.
Cecilia gasped. “Clint! Be careful!”
And as I hopped back down onto the floor, I scooped the wooden spoon back up, grinning at my father before he charged me once more.
“Look out!”
39
Raelynn
I wiped down my register as I planned it all out in my head. Tonight, I’d tell Clint exactly how I felt. Tonight, I’d wrap him up in my arms, plant a kiss straight against his lips, and shout from the rooftops how much I loved him. I smiled as I thought about it. I couldn't wait to get my arms around his body again. My movements grew furious as I cleaned everything down as quickly as I could, closing up the grocery store for the second time since the incident.
My manager had been hesitant to schedule me to close after everything that took place.
“Ready to go?”
I jumped at the sound of Michael’s voice. I whipped my head up, watching him as he stood at the edge of my register. Not a soul came in or left the grocery store, and I wondered how long he’d been standing there.
I furrowed my brow. “You’re back?”
He snickered. “I never really left.”
“You left after your break. I saw you get in your car.”
“Yeah, well. I went to visit with Allison for a bit. Then I came back. Been standing here for about twenty minutes watching you clean and murmur to yourself.”
I paused. “I was murmuring?”
He grinned. “Yep. And it’s a good plan, what you’ve got going.”
“Shit, you heard?”
He shrugged. “I mean, you were murmuring. And you did kind of explain to me that you were going to do it anyway. Good thing I’m here to drive you, right?”
“Then, why do I get the feeling you’re not just here to drive me to Clint’s?”
“What? Can’t I come visit my best friend while she’s working?”
I grinned. “You overprotective little thing, you. You’re worried about me.”
He rolled his eyes. “Look, it freaked me out, what happened to you and Clint that night. Okay? So sue me if you don’t like it. But if you’re closing down this grocery store again, I’d like to be here to make sure you get to wherever you need to be safely enough. You know, until Clint’s back to doing that for you.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Michael.”
“I love you, Rae. Let me know when you’re ready to go, and I’ll get you over to Clint’s.”
I reached over the cash register and hugged his neck. Then I finished up what I needed to do. I cashed out my till and took it over to my manager’s office. And I found him staring at the parking lot cameras. I cleared my throat, pulling him from his trance as he jumped in his seat. He whipped his head around with widened eyes, and my gut dropped for him.