Alpha Hero - Hope Ford Page 0,6

could be because he just got out of the shower. “Never better. Now what’s the plan, boss?”

Mack

I know she heard me in the shower. I know because her once friendly self is now a little restrained. And she hasn’t touched me once. Not to help guide me, not when she hands me the cane, nothing.

She goes through helping me make food, knowing where everything is arranged, and everything else, but I can tell it’s awkward for her.

Finally, when she’s gone on and on about doing laundry, I finally stop her. “Jane, I’m sorry. About what happened in the bathroom…”

She stutters, “Uh, yeah, uh.”

I start to reach out for her and then drop my hand at the last minute. “I shouldn’t have touched you like that…”

I know I have the whole shower scene to apologize for, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Hell, it’s the best release I’ve had in a long time.

“No, you caught me. It wasn’t your fault where your hands landed. No need to apologize at all.”

I wish I could see her face. I wish I knew if she was blond, brown or red-headed. I wish I could see the curves I felt. “Well, I apologize. Uh, so, do you have someone at home that I should be apologizing to?”

She doesn’t say anything for a minute and I wonder if I’ve pressed my luck. When she does finally answer me, she tells me softly, “Uh, no, no one.”

It should relieve me, but it doesn’t. I don’t know anything about her and I want to know it all.

The rest of the day she seems more relaxed, but she still doesn’t touch me. And I’m really wishing she would talk to me about herself, but she is pretty focused on making sure I’m okay.

The doorbell rings and I hear her stand up. “That’s probably the night shift.”

I hold my hands up. “Wait, you’re not staying?”

I can feel her gaze piercing me. “No, uh, I work days and you have someone come in at night to stay and help. But don’t worry. I know Josh. He’ll help you, but he’ll also stay out of your way.”

I reach out and thankfully, I grab her hand instead of something else and stop her. “But I want you to stay.”

Her hand squeezes mine before she gently releases it. “I can’t, I’m sorry. But I’ll be here early in the morning.”

When she releases me, a coldness goes through me. I hear her talking to someone and she briefly introduces us before leaving.

Josh comes over and sits on the chair across from me, the coils creaking under his weight. He asks me, “So have you had dinner?”

Ignoring his question, I ask him one instead. “Tell me about Jane.”

He doesn’t answer and I’m sure I’ve caught him off-guard. “I want to know everything, Josh. What does she look like, how long she’s been a nurse, anything and everything.”

He cracks his knuckles. “Well, she has brown hair. She’s short, like really short. She’s pretty. She has been a nurse for just a few years…”

I listen to him go on about Jane and a feeling of possessiveness fills me. I start counting down until I see her again.

5

Jane

I could barely sleep last night. I finally fell asleep around one this morning and then woke up with a start at five. I don’t have to be at Mack’s house until seven, but already, I’m sitting in his driveway questioning if I should just go on in and relieve Josh.

To be honest, I hated leaving him. I already feel an attachment to him and I know that’s not good. But here I am, ready for work.

I send Josh a text and explain I’m outside if he wants to leave early.

Not a minute later, Josh is walking out the door and Mack is standing in the doorway behind him.

When Josh gets to me, he stops. “When he found out you were here, he kicked me out.”

Surprised, I look up at Mack, and although he can’t see me, I can tell he’s trying to seek me out.

“See you tonight,” Josh tells me and I tell him bye before walking up the steps of the porch.

I stop before I reach Mack. “Hey.”

“Hey, Jane. Come on in.” He stands to the side and I have to brush against him when I walk through the doorway. Whether he planned it that way or not, I don’t know. But I feel his swift intake of breath as I pass him.

I go straight to the kitchen