Chapter 104

As she was combing through the rubble, a car pulled up in front of what was left of the house. She had just found her mother's jewelry box and her father's rifles in the glass case that was still locked up, so she didn't pay attention to who it was.
"You know you really shouldn't be here alone."
Kiki's heart sank. She would know that voice anywhere. She flipped around and she was right. Taren was standing just behind her in all his golden good looks, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Well, I just got off work and I thought I'd come over and see what I could salvage."
Taren nodded and then pointed to the gun case with the rifles, now laying on its side. "Do you have a key for that?"
"Yes, of course." She fumbled with her keychain until she found the right one. But her hands were shaking so badly that it was hard for her to manage. Finally, she gave up and stared at him. "What are you doing here, Taren?"
He stepped toward her, but she backed away. He let his arms fall to his sides. "You haven't answered my calls or my texts, and I was worried about you." He let out a deep breath. "I thought I'd come by to check on you- to make sure you were okay."
She scoffed as she folded her arms across her chest, her hard exterior from high school returning. She already hated herself for what she was about to ask, but she had to know. "Why?"
"What do you mean 'why'?" he shot back. "I haven't talked to you since- well- since we had Christmas together and I wanted to make sure you were okay." He took another step toward her, but she stepped around the gun case, out of reach. "What's going on, Kiki?"
His eyes were so concerned that she felt guilty for ever having doubted him, but then the image of Scarlett with him at the fire station rushed into her mind, spurring her on.
"I saw you at the fire station."
A crease formed between his eyes. "When?"
"Yesterday."
He thought for a moment and then asked, "Why didn't you come in? I didn't see you. Was I there? We went on a run--"
"Oh, you were there all right," she cut him off. "I made some fudge for Abby, your mother, and you and I came by to drop it off."
He smiled. "Well, that was nice. Where is it?"
She let out a deep breath. "At home- in my apartment."
His head flinched back slightly and the crease between his eyes became more prominent. "Why?"
She bit her lower lip and then released it. "Because when I pulled up, you were with Scarlett." She took a step toward him, around the gun case. "Look- I don't blame you for getting back together with her. I mean, she's Abby's mother. If she's back in your lives--"
"She's not back in my life," Taren said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion, learning back as if he had just been slapped. "And she won't be back in Abby's life either, if I have my way about it." He took a step closer to her. "I hadn't seen her since she left and then she just showed up out of the blue."
"Taren, I saw you two together--"
"And if you would have stuck around, you would have seen me tell her to get the hell out!" He turned away, obviously trying to control his anger. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "She's my ex, but I want nothing to do with her."
"But she's Abby's mother--"
"I don't care who she is!" He pointed toward his chest. "I know who she is! I was married to her! Back then, I guess I was young and didn't want to see who she really was. But when she walked out on us, not wanting to be a mother, not wanting my sweet little Abby, then I saw who she really was! And yesterday, when she showed up, I know full well who she is!"
Kiki hated herself for saying this, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. "Taren, I can't compete with her! She's beautiful! Gorgeous, in fact! And you have a history with her- with Abby! And she's Abby's mother!"
Taren took another step toward her. "She gave birth to my daughter, yes. But she's not her mother." He placed his hands on Kiki's shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Kiki, can't you see? There's no competition between you and her." Tears formed behind his eyes, threatening to spill over. "And if you don't know how I feel about you by now, I guess you never will." Then he dropped his hands from her shoulders and walked away, got in his car, and drove off.
Kiki stood watching, frozen in place, not knowing what had just happened. Was he trying to tell her that he loved her? But he hadn't said it. But then again, you can show someone you love them every day without actually saying the words. But she couldn't assume. After all, he was the school jock, the golden boy engaged to the prom queen, and she was the Emo girl from high school. But even though they weren't in high school any more, as she watched him walk away, she felt as if she was right back there again.
***
Knowing that Kiki wasn't there, Taren went by The North Pole Lodge to finalize everything with Liam White before heading back to the fire station. He had already been away long enough. New Year's Eve was the next day and it was up to him to make sure that everything was right. Although he wasn't in the mood to party, he owed it to everyone else to make sure that everything went smoothly. He owed Liam a debt, but they had been friends since high school and nothing was going to change that.
High school.
High school made him think of Kiki. He told himself that he wasn't sure why, but he knew. His heart ached when he thought of her with black hair and black eyeliner, wearing combat books, a long black trench coat, and tight black T-shirts. But now, she had grown to become a beautiful, caring woman--or so he thought. She was definitely beautiful, but when he thought of what she had just said about thinking he was getting back together with Scarlett, his heart sank.
Didn't Kiki know that Scarlett didn't hold a candle to her? In fact, when he saw Scarlett again, the old feelings he had for her was long gone. Now, he could see her for who she truly was.