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The front door slammed, and heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs.
Kristen winced at the sound, pausing stirring the chilli she was making for dinner. Haiden was home, and the volume of the noise he was making to announce his arrival told her he wasn’t happy about something.
Perhaps she would have left him alone before they’d slept together, but now she felt like he might need her in more of a capacity than simply providing a roof over his head and meals on the table. If something was bothering him, she wanted him to confide in her.
She turned down the heat under the chili and climbed the stairs. That familiar buzz of a phone ringing while it was on silent filtered through his bedroom door, and she frowned, wondering why he never answered it. What had happened with his family before he’d left that made him not want to speak to them?
Lifting her hand, she knocked lightly on the door. “Haiden? Is everything okay?”
His gruff voice came back to her through the wood. “I’m fine.”
“Can I speak to you? You’re worrying me.”
To her alarm, the door flew open, and he stood in the space, dwarfing it. “Not everything has to be about you, Kristen,” he snapped, his blue eyes hard.
She drew back, suddenly intimidated by his size. She wasn’t used to this. He’d never made her feel this way before.
“No, I’m... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to turn things around to me. I was just worried about you. That’s all I meant. Something has clearly upset you.”
He slammed his fist against the side of the doorframe, and she jumped. “It’s this damned course I’m doing. It’s not what I was expecting.”
“It isn’t?” This wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned that he was struggling. She’d hoped things had got better, but they clearly hadn’t improved.
“No, the knowledge I’m expected to have doesn’t tie in with what they’re running. We’re having a bit of a...” he paused as he searched for the right word. “Disconnect.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” What did this mean? Would he be looking to leave early? She didn’t know how she felt about that. Not only did she not want to lose the money from his housing, she also didn’t want him to leave either. “Do you think you’ll be able to sort it out?”
Haiden exhaled a sigh, and his shoulders relaxed. He reached out and laced his fingers through hers, and excitement danced through her at the contact. She wished she didn’t have such an instant reaction to him, but she’d been starved of any kind of affection for years now, and suddenly there was this handsome man in her home, and he genuinely seemed to like her.
“I don’t know. Everyone there seems so different to me. Honestly, you’re the only person I’ve made any kind of connection with since I arrived in the UK.”
“Are people not being friendly? I thought there were plenty of others from other countries studying with you?”
“There are.” Another sigh escaped his lips. “Maybe it’s just that the only person I want to be around right now is you.”
He tugged her towards him. She was aware of Ollie in his bedroom, reading on his bed, but she couldn’t help smiling. “Haiden...”
He pressed himself closer, the fronts of their bodies grazing. “What?”
She still didn’t pull away, but tilted her head to the side, gazing up at him from beneath her eyelashes. “You know what.”
Ollie stepped out of his bedroom, and they jumped apart.
Instantly, she spun towards her son. “Hey, sweetie. Everything all right?”
“I’m hungry,” Ollie complained. “When’s dinner?”
“Soon. I’m just finishing it up now.”
She exchanged a glance with Haiden, who threw her a wink. The tension that had been between them dissipated. He wasn’t angry with her or doubting their relationship. This was purely about his education.
They ate dinner together, and once they were sure Ollie was finally sound asleep, they curled up together on the sofa in the pretence of watching television but spent most of the evening making out like a couple of teenagers. Kristen constantly had one ear out for any sign of movement upstairs, but with Haiden this close, there was no way she could resist. She put out of her mind how intimidated she’d been when he’d been standing in the bedroom doorway, and the hard look to his eyes.
Haiden had become like a drug, and she was well and truly addicted.
***
KRISTEN WOKE WITH A start.
Realising the time, she exclaimed in annoyance. She’d stayed up too late with Haiden the previous evening and had slept in late.
She hated that frantic moment where she realised the morning was going to be a rush now to get Ollie to school on time. Ollie hated being rushed, too, and she knew there were going to be tears before she’d even managed to leave the house.
If only Haiden had knocked on her bedroom door before he’d left for classes that morning. He must have realised she’d overslept.
Perhaps he figured she needed some rest after all the physical exertion.
She pressed a smile between her lips at the memory.
Working on fast forward, she got Ollie out of bed and shoved some breakfast at him, half throwing on his clothes while he ate. Her breakfast could wait until she got back from the school drop off. She wondered if she might hear from Andrew about her suspension today.
They made it to school, scraping in on the bell, and Kristen kissed her son goodbye and hurried home again. She’d barely managed to brush her hair before she’d left the house and was dying for a cup of tea.
Her home phone was ringing as she walked in the door, so she rushed to pick it up. “Hello?”
“Is that Kristen?”
It was a female voice—one she recognised but couldn’t quite place. “Yes, it is. Who’s this?”
“Kristen, it’s Lisa. Stephen’s wife. New wife, I mean.”
Her stomach twisted. “Lisa? Is everything okay?”
Lisa never called. She’d spoken to her on the odd occasion where Kristen had called the house when Ollie was staying over there, but that was all. They’d never really had a proper conversation about anything other than Ollie and a couple of passing niceties.
“No, it’s not,” Lisa said. “I’m afraid Stephen—” Her voice suddenly sounded strangled, and alarm jumped inside Kristen.
“Stephen what? What’s happened?”
“He’s been hit by a car,” she sobbed. “He was out on his run this morning, and he didn’t come home when he was supposed to. I got worried, but then the police turned up and said he was in hospital. Someone found him on the side of the road and called an ambulance.”
“Oh my God. Is he going to be okay?”
“We don’t know yet. He’s suffered a head injury and it looks like some broken bones as well.”
“Jesus. Do they know who hit him?”
“No, the bastard just left him there for dead.”
Her world spun, and she lowered her head, trying to make sense of what Lisa had told her. Stephen had been involved in a hit and run. While she had no love for him anymore, she’d never have wanted him to be hurt. Her heart tightened as she realised she’d have to tell Ollie his daddy was in hospital.
“What can I do to help?” she finally managed to say.
“Nothing, really. My mum is taking the kids, so I can be with him.”
“What about Ollie? Should I bring him in?”
“No, don’t. Stephen’s got tubes coming out of his nose and mouth, and he isn’t awake. It’s not a pretty sight, and I think it would only scare the children.”
“Yes, of course. Stupid of me.”
“Not at all. I’ve had a couple of hours to get my head around what’s happened. This is brand new to you. I wasn’t thinking straight at first. Thank God for my parents—they came over immediately.”
“You’re lucky to have them.” Crazily, she discovered herself to be jealous of a woman whose husband had just been involved in a hit and run. She shook the thought out of her head. “Please, will you let me know if there are any changes? And if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask. I mean it, Lisa.”
“Thanks, Kristen. That’s kind of you.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
They said goodbye, with promises to keep in touch, and then Kristen sank down onto the sofa. She felt shaky and distanced from her surroundings, as though nothing was quite real.
Stephen was badly hurt. What would she do if he died?
She ran back over what had been said, making sure she hadn’t missed anything.
If Lisa had already had a couple of hours to let the news sink in, the accident must have happened early. Sometime between six and seven in the morning, she guessed. Christ, since when did Stephen start jogging? He never jogged when they were together.
She suddenly felt horribly alone.
Reaching for her mobile phone, she typed in a message.
Something has happened. I need you.
And then she sat back and tried to figure out how she was going to break the news of Stephen’s accident to their son.