Chapter 17: Chapter 17

ANDIE

It had been a week since the attack at Andie’s house. Everything seemed calm around them, but Eli still refused to leave the girls and her alone.

He kept her inside the house. She wasn’t even allowed to start the cleanup at the bakery.

He had made arrangements for a cleaning and a construction crew to start most of the repairs and cleaning. But she had to wait to redecorate the shop since she was on lockdown.

She stood in front of the huge windows in the living room, her arms wrapped around herself. How did everything in her life turn upside down?

The cops had to let Daryl go. They found that the bullets from the bakery and her house matched the ones that killed Candice and Caleb.

She let out a sigh. The jackass was sloppy, just not sloppy enough.

“Andie,” Eli’s deep voice called from behind her. She turned away from the window a little.

He sat a cranky Lily and Lucy down near their toys, made his way over to her, and pulled her away from the window. “You know I don’t want you in front of the windows.”

“I know, I know, a bullet can shatter these windows and hit me,” she grumbled, letting him pull her away from the window and draw the curtain shut.

“Wow, all three of you are awfully grumpy today,” Eli teased as he made Andie sit on the couch.

The girls began to crawl over to them, and Andie pulled each one up on the couch between herself and Eli.

“Well, I’m grumpy because everything is out of control. I can’t even be outside or do anything I enjoy doing.

“I can’t bake anything, you have nothing here for me to bake, or I would be doing that. It relieves so much stress for me.” She pressed a finger into Lucy’s mouth and then another into Lily’s.

“These two are cranky because they are cutting at least a tooth each.” She kissed Lucy on the forehead, then Lily, and made her way down to the kitchen.

“You’re coming back, right?” Eli called out quickly.

Andie rolled her eyes and chuckled a little. He did a lot for the girls and loved them so much, but when it came to them being cranky, he seemed to panic a little.

She went to the freezer and found what she was looking for, vanilla ice cream. She got two bowls with three spoons and began to dish it out.

She put the carton away and then headed back to the living room. She smiled when she saw Eli trying to entertain the girls.

“We should get them teething rings. I forgot to grab them. I didn’t even think about it. I forgot a lot of things,” she mumbled the last part.

She had been stuck in his T-shirts and gym shorts ever since the attack. She hated this. She wanted her own clothes, her own house. She sat down beside the girls and handed Eli a baby spoon.

“What? Where’s mine?” he demanded with a little bit of a scowl but almost a pout.

“One bowl for them, and one for us,” she answered as she shifted to press her back against the arm of the couch and crossed her legs Indian style.

“I don’t share too well, you know,” he warned.

Her eyes widened. “Are we still talking about ice cream?”

“Hmm, maybe.” He smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes at him and began to feed Lucy some ice cream, making her shriek a little and clap her hands.

Andie smiled as Eli fed Lily some, then he pulled the metal spoon out of her hand and took some out of their bowl.

The girls finished the bit of ice cream in their bowl, and then she and Eli began to share theirs after they placed the girls on the floor to play.

Andie let out a little squeal when a drip of ice cream fell onto her inner thigh.

Eli smiled at her and leaned forward slowly, licking it off, making her shiver and moan. He leaned away with a wicked grin still pasted to his lips, took another bite, then gave her another spoonful.

He moved the spoon to her mouth slowly until some dripped onto her collarbone.

“Hey, you did that on purpose,” she accused, frowning at him.

He smiled and leaned forward, licking it off her, making her moan again.

“No, never,” he whispered, but instead of pulling away, he drew her against him as he pressed his lips to hers and placed the empty bowls on the side table behind her.

She whimpered, running her fingers through his hair as he continued to kiss her. He slid his hand beneath her shirt, resting it against her side.

Slowly they pulled away from each other, glancing at the girls to make sure they were okay.

He nuzzled his nose against her neck. “Apparently, we should introduce ice cream into our bedroom,” he teased her and pressed his lips against her neck again. “Tastes pretty good off of you, too.”

She smacked his chest playfully and wiggled out from under him. “You’re terrible. I swear you’ve locked me in your fortress for your own personal gain.”

He went after her and pulled her back against him, his arm around her waist. “And what gain would that be?” he whispered against her ear.

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” she whispered back. She turned in his arms.

“Can we go to the store? I need to get the girls some things, diapers, formula, baby food, and something for their gums to help with the teething, not to mention I need a few things.”

He searched her eyes. “Okay,” he said, giving in.

“Really?” she asked, shocked that he’d actually agreed.

“Yeah, I need some things too, so we’ll take Levi with us, and then we’ll go.” He turned to get the girls and headed back to the nursery, where he changed them and returned.

Andie took Lucy but froze. “Oh no, we don’t have any car seats for the girls. They’re at my house in my car.”

“Your car is out by my truck. I had Dale bring it here. You stay in here with the girls while I get the seats moved.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, handed her Lily, then headed outside.

That man never ceased to amaze her. She returned to the living room, sat on the couch, and began to list everything she needed. It was going to be quite a long list.

She stared at the dark wood and glass entertainment center and the forty-inch TV.

She wondered if she could talk Eli into letting her cook a decent meal. Spaghetti pie sounded so delicious with garlic knots and extra cheese.

Good thing she knew the recipe by heart since she had eaten it almost daily during her pregnancy with Lucy.

A frown puckered her brow at the thought, but it was impossible. She shoved it away as Eli reentered the living room. He noticed right away. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head a little. “Nothing, just thinking about everything I want to get. I want to make a good meal tonight.”

“Okay, babe.” He stepped closer to get Lily while she got Lucy. He placed his hand on her back possessively and protectively.

She didn’t mind it either. She moved closer to him. He smiled down at her, and she smiled back. His lips touched her temple.

They headed out to the truck. He seemed to tense a little, and so did Levi as he followed behind them.

“We don’t have to do this if no one wants to,” she offered.

Eli’s gaze flicked to hers. “It’s okay, just a little nervous and on edge, but we’ll be okay.” He opened the passenger side and helped Andie up so she could put Lucy in her seat.

He headed around to the other side to put Lily in the car. They got in the front seat, and Levi jumped into the back with the girls. Then they drove to the store.

After they arrived and Eli had parked, Andie looked at him and said, “So, I was thinking we could split up. I’ll take Lucy, and you can take Lily.

“That way, we can both get what we need, and it won’t take as long.”

Eli spun to look at her. She had a feeling he wasn’t going to go for it. She bit her bottom lip as she waited for his answer.

He reached out and tugged her lip from between her teeth. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. “Okay, but Levi goes with you.”

“Okay. Thank you, Eli.”

He kissed her again and whispered in her ear, “If you don’t stay with Levi and in his sight, there will be consequences. Do you understand?”

She nodded eagerly.

He turned to Levi. “You don’t let her out of your sight.”

“Yes, boss.”

They got out and put the girls into shopping carts. Eli stuck close on the way inside, then separated, and Levi stuck to her like glue until she went down the feminine aisle.

She got pads because she was due soon and began to walk past the pregnancy tests. She shook her head. It wasn’t possible. She couldn’t be, and even if she could, it was impossible to even think about right now.

But something in the back of her brain was prickling at her. Finally, however, she just walked away. She found Levi standing at the end of the hair dye aisle.

She’d gotten all the ingredients for the spaghetti pie, garlic knots, and everything the girls needed.

She bit her lip a little. She loved being in Eli’s shirt all the time, but she was ready for her own things.

She looked up at Levi when she stopped beside him. “I want to get some clothes too. Is that okay?”

Levi looked around for a minute. She’d never seen such a big bulk of a man with such a bushy beard look so nervous. “All right, I’ll hang around but won’t hover.”

“Okay. I’m sorry, Levi, but thank you.”

He grunted, and they made their way to the clothes, and just like Levi promised, he didn’t hover. She picked out a few tank tops, shorts, some T-shirts, a pack of panties, and a couple of bras.

While she was still looking, she slowed down a little when she adventured into the lingerie aisle.

Her heart sped up slightly. She’d never worn these kinds of things nor shopped for anything like it before. Her heart was really jumping.

She wondered if Eli would want her to wear anything like this. She nibbled on her lip for a minute. Her eyes kept scanning the lacy, barely there outfits.

Her eyes landed on a purple baby doll. It seemed the least inappropriate, but then again, when you wore something like this, wasn’t inappropriate what you looked for?

The bodice was made of lacy material but wasn’t see-through. However, the rest was clearly flimsy and very see-through. It would come down just to her thighs.

And where it would cup her breasts, there was a lighter, silk purple ribbon and bow. The band was thick, not skimpy like the straps.

She pulled it off the rack and hid it below the rest of the clothes, along with a little longer black silk robe. This was a horrible idea. She had just started to leave the aisle when she heard a loud voice shouting.

“I told you to keep an eye on her, Levi. This isn’t keeping an eye on her! Now, where is she?”

“Eli, stop. I’m right here.” She rushed out of the aisle and about ran right into Levi and Eli.

Eli turned and rushed up to her, cupping her cheeks and kissing her passionately right there in the store with so many people to see. “What’re you doing?”

“I just was picking out some things. Levi was giving me some privacy, but I’m all done now, so we can go if you’re ready.”

“Okay, did you get everything for the girls and yourself?”

“Yeah, everything I can think of for now anyways. I’m sorry for leaving Levi.”

“We’ll talk about it later. Come on, let’s get checked out so we can go home.” He kissed her forehead, and they went to the registers.

Andie began to go to a different line when Eli grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

“To check out, obviously.”

“I thought we were doing that together.” Eli frowned at her.

“I’ve got it, Eli, really.”

“But…”

“No, it’s okay. The girls are my responsibility.”

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. They are both our responsibilities.”

She let out a sigh. “Yeah, and the bakery was mine, and you’ve already taken care of those bills, so let me handle this stuff.”

He closed his eyes, and she was waiting on the argument. “Okay,” he mumbled. “But keep Levi close to you.”

She nodded and headed to the other open self-checkout. She began to ring everything up.

ELI

Eli still kept an eye on all three of his girls. They definitely had a few things to work out between them. They were a team when it came to a few things. Other things, not so much.

He finished his checkout and waited for Andie. She walked over to them as soon as she was done, and they headed out to the truck and loaded everything up.

He couldn’t help but feel Andie was acting a little nervous or strange. But he decided to keep his mouth shut in front of Levi. They put the girls in the car and drove home.

Andie went to get the girls settled in the playpen. She grabbed the bag that she had put her clothes in and placed it in the bedroom she’d been staying in.

Then she came out to the kitchen, laid her hand against his chest, and said, “Why don’t you go relax while I put supper together?”

He searched her eyes and pulled her closer to him. He brushed the back of his fingertips against her cheek. “Are you sure?”

“Very sure. You go play with the girls, and I’ll handle supper.” She smiled up at him, and she looked happy.

He ran his fingers through her hair. “Okay, baby. If you need anything, let me know.” He leaned down and kissed her passionately again.

He seemed unable to keep his lips, hands, and everything else off her. He headed out to the living room and climbed into the huge playpen, which took up one whole corner of the living room.

ANDIE

Andie’s heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. What had she been thinking when she’d picked up that silly little thing at the store? And little was being generous.

She threw everything together and tossed it into the stove to bake. She went out to the living room to wait for the stove to go off. As she walked in, her eyes landed on Eli and the girls playing.

And she was stunned when she heard her baby’s first word, “Da-da.” And Lucy was looking right at Eli.

Andie could admit to herself that it was a shock, but it made her heart speed up even more. She smiled at the interaction Eli was giving both of the girls, but he was especially thrilled when Lucy said Da-da.

He looked up and saw Andie. He jumped from the floor and stumbled out of the playpen.

“Andie, I’m so sorry.”

“Eli, it’s fine.” She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

He tilted her head up with a finger under her chin. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. There’s no one else I’d rather have her call Dad, I mean, unless you don’t want it. I’m sorry. I should have thought about that. If you don’t want it, I understand.”

She backed away from him. She was such an idiot. So what that he was thrilled that Lucy had called him Dad? It didn’t mean he really wanted it. She spun around to head back to the kitchen.

She felt his hand grab her arm and spin her back around. She looked up into those wonderful golden eyes of his. “It’s okay, Andie. I want her to call me Dad. It’s fine.”

“But that’s probably not a good idea, is it?”

“Why isn’t it a good idea?”

“I don’t know, Eli. I really don’t. What happens if something happens between us?” She tried to fight the tears at the thought. She hated thinking something could happen to them.

“Well, I mean, something is happening between us, and I feel like it’s working so far. I know it’s happened faster than it normally would have due to everything that’s going on, but it was bound to happen.”

“Wait, that’s why we’re happening?”

“What’s why?”

“Because of everything, because I got Lily, Candice and Caleb are gone, and then the jerk who’s trying to find me and get you to pay him off?”

“No, that’s not why. I eventually would have opened my eyes. It may have been when I really got this place up and running, but Caleb was always very persistent about you, but you know how stubborn I am.”

She looked away from him and stared at the light wooden paneled wall behind him. She was so confused all of a sudden. What was happening right now?

She frowned as she went to leave again. But he caught her and pulled her to him. She flattened her hands against his broad, muscular chest and looked up at him.

“Andie, I’m sorry it took me so long to get my head out of my ass.

“But if I had listened to Caleb and taken the opportunity two years ago, I would be right here with you, right now, just like this, loving you and Lucy,” he rambled out.

He just said loving. Did he really mean he loved her? She looked up at him, searched his eyes, and said, “Eli?”

“Yes, I said loving. I love you, Andie, and I love Lucy.” He looked into her eyes.

“I want to be her dad, and I want to be Lily’s dad, and I want to be the one person you can always count on for the rest of our lives.”

She was speechless. She had never had a man tell her he loved her. She searched his eyes a little more but didn’t know what to say.

Did she love him? So much that she could tell him she loved him too? The next thing she knew, the oven timer went off, and the girls began to fuss. She turned away quickly to go get the girls.

“Andie, Andie, stop. It’s okay. I’ll get the munchkins, and you go get the oven.” He kissed her, and she kissed him right back.

But did that mean she was ready to admit she loved him? Her head was spinning. She had to figure this out and quickly. She didn’t want to know what life would be like again without him.

She feared they would end. She bit her lip as she pulled out the pie, sprinkled it with the mozzarella cheese, and then placed it back in the oven, adding the garlic knots.

She turned to start preparing the girls’ food when Eli walked in with them both, and Lucy was chanting Da-da.

She shook her head as he put them in the high chairs, and he helped her get things ready. The timer went off again, and she turned to get it and ran smack dab into Eli.

She stumbled backward, but he caught her and pulled her up into him. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied and locked eyes with him as her arm wrapped around his neck. “I love you too,” she whispered as their eyes gazed deeply into each other’s.

He smiled and leaned down, catching her lips passionately. She returned the kiss with as much passion and hunger. He slowly pulled back a little.

“I have to get the oven,” she whispered.

He let her go to get everything out of the oven when her phone rang loudly in her back pants pocket. “Eli, can you get that for me?”

“Yeah, where’s it at?”

“Right back pocket.”

He slipped his hand into the pocket, pulling out the phone but cupped her ass with his other hand. She jumped a little but turned to smile at him.

“Hello?”

She hated not being able to hear the other side of the conversation.

“Um, yeah, hold on, she’s getting food out of the oven. Just a minute, Rose.”

Andie placed the things on the stove to cool and spun around, raising her eyebrows at him.

“Rose?” she asked.

He nodded and handed her the phone.

“Hello?”

“Andie, thank God I got ahold of you. Have you seen Tame Campbell? His wife was just here and said he’s been missing for a week. She’s actually worried about you.” Rose’s voice sounded frantic.

Andie stumbled to sit in the closest kitchen chair. “I’m sorry, why would his wife be worried about me, and he’s missing like how?” She glanced at Eli, fear gripping her heart.

He sat down beside her, gently laying a hand on her knee, with a frown on his face.

“She thinks he may be coming after you. She’s divorcing him. She was feeling he was becoming a worse alcoholic and couldn’t get over what you had done to them.”

“What I did? I didn’t do anything to them. All I did was defend myself that night and run away.”

“They lost their ability to foster any more kids, and since he was only in it for the money, they lost all their income.

“When she filed for divorce, he took off, and no one’s heard from him around here. I’m so worried about you, Andie, and Lily and Lucy.”

Andie flicked her gaze to Eli, then laid her head in her hand. “We’re fine. Um, he may already be here. I’ve been staying with Eli, and Lucy and Lily are here also. We’re safe here.

“I’m going to call the police and tell them everything you just told me. Thank you, Rose.”

“You’re welcome. We have more news that’s not so serious. We found a small house down there close to Maisy and Todd, and we’re really thinking about taking it.”

“That’s great, Rose. That’d be great for Lily.” She mumbled as her head spun even more. How was she going to get through this?

After she ended the call with Rose Howell, she called the police station. She asked for Carl or Dean since they were at the bakery the day she was attacked.

She explained everything to them, and they assured her they’d look into it. She ended that call and stared at the floor.

“Sweetheart?” Eli probed.

“They think it might be the last foster family I stayed with, the man, not his wife. Apparently, she’s divorcing him. So I guess he blames me for them getting kicked out of the foster system.

“That explains everything. Oh my god, that’s how he knew I was in the system and threatened that the same thing would happen to Lucy. That’s how he knew no one wanted me.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he said, pulled her into his lap, and kissed her.

“He’s wrong. I very much want you, Andie. I love you. He’s not getting to you. Carl and Dean know now, so we’ll figure this out.

“It’ll be okay, and nothing is going to happen to Lucy. She’s going to be safe along with Lily.”

She laid her head on his shoulder. The tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as he held her and rubbed her back. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Eli. Thank you for everything.”

“Shh, it’s okay.” He kissed her cheek.

She calmed down some, and they fed the girls, and then they ate. Eli got the girls ready for bed while she cleaned up the kitchen.

She smiled at the thought when she told Eli she loved him, and he said he loved her. Butterflies erupted through her stomach. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and lips press against her neck.

“What’re you doing?” he whispered in her ear.

“Nothing, just getting this cleaned up and getting ready to shower.”

“Oh, is that an invitation?” he huffed out as he brushed his lips against her ear right before he nibbled on it.

She moaned as heat stirred inside of her, and she leaned her head back against him. “Not tonight, Eli. You take your shower while I take mine. It’s up to you if you want to stay the night with me again.”

“Baby, I just told you I love you not too long ago. You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I will meet you in the bedroom, and we should maybe decide where we officially want to stay.”

“I can’t stay in Candice and Caleb’s room.” She jerked away from him a little.

“Hey, calm down. It’s okay. I know I’m not asking you to, but I’m thinking about doing some renovations around here.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, but you look so tired, so you go take your shower, and we’ll get to bed.” He hugged her and kissed her gently, then headed down to the basement.

She let out a shaky breath and rushed to her bedroom. She hoped she wasn’t making a mistake by doing this. She grabbed the new outfit and robe she had bought and flew into the bathroom she’d been using.

She undressed quickly and jumped into the shower. Her hands trembled so badly she almost couldn’t shave, but she managed it. She washed, got out, and dried. She looked at herself in the mirror as she dried her hair.

As her eyes raked over herself, she began to wonder what Eli really saw in her. At least she wasn’t as messed up as she was a week ago. The gashes were healing pretty well.

She finished drying, brushed her hair, and put it up into a loose ponytail, leaving a couple of tendrils hanging along her face.

She turned to grab the new outfit—if that’s what you wanted to call it—when there was a light knock on the door. “Yeah?” she answered, her voice trembling as much as her body was.

“Hey, you okay in there?” Eli’s husky voice flowed through the light wooden door.

“Um, yeah, fine.”

“Are you sure?” he asked again.

The butterflies floated around in her stomach. “I’ll be out in a minute, I promise.”

“All right, baby.”

She let out a shuddering breath as she heard him walk away. She finished getting dressed, pulled on the robe, and tied the sash around her body.

She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and leaned her head against it. Was she ready for this? What if he didn’t like it? What if he only said he loved her because of everything she was feeling?

She wrapped her fingers around the doorknob, turned it, and headed to her room. She bit her lip as she hung around in the hallway for a minute.

She took another deep breath. “You can do this,” she whispered to herself. She slowly walked to the doorway and stood there. She began to feel a little nauseous.

What if he hated it? What if everything was a huge mistake? So many things were uncertain, including this brave act.

She was driving herself mad and didn’t know what to do about it. She just lurked outside the door. Was this the right thing to do? She wouldn’t know until she tried.

But, at the same time, she was too scared to try.