Chasing Ella (Love Ever After 1)

“You are here now. That’s all that matters.” A brief pause passes between us where Mrs. F continues to cut the meat, and I try not to pass out from the shock of the situation.

Once I collect my thoughts and get my breathing to return to normal, I ask, “Did you say your name is Katherine?”

“Yes, but most people call me Kay.”

I hold my hand over my mouth, my eyes wide in shock, and lower it slowly back to my side. “Auntie Kay.” My eyes fill with tears. “You practically raised my dad. He said such nice things about you. I even have pictures of you two together.”

She nods and gives me a closed lip smile. “Your grandmother was a horrible mother. She was mean and cold like your stepmother. With your grandfather working as much as he did, he was never around to help. I doubt he would have bothered even if he had the time. He did just about anything he could to get out of raising his kids, and your grandmother was no better.”

“My dad said she was a big drinker.”

She snorts. “That’s an understatement. Pamela could drink grown men under the table. My brother was just as bad. When he wasn’t out cheating on Pamela or hiding in his office, he was fixing himself another bourbon. It wasn’t until he shut out your grandmother that she picked up one of his many bad habits.”

For most of my life, I only had my parents and the memories of their pasts. I was too young when my

mom died to get to know her as well as my dad. He often spoke of his Auntie Kay, and at times, he would show me aged photographs of them together. Hearing him call her that, even at his age, had always made me laugh. Now, I can see why he did. Mrs. F feels like an Auntie, and it suits her.

“Are you ready to eat, my dear? I don’t know about you, but I am starved.”

“Yes, Auntie Kay,” I say with a smile that she returns.

“It has been a long time since anyone called me that. I like that much better than Mrs. F.”

Everything in my life is finally starting to make sense. I thought it was weird for a complete stranger to come out from my bushes to save me at the perfect moment. I never had much luck. Between Auntie Kay and Finch, my luck is changing for the better.

Shawn

As I pull up Mrs. F’s driveway and park in the semi-circle out front of the door, my heart pounds with nervous anticipation.

I worry about Ella and the witch she lives with, keeping my fingers crossed that she made it out the back door. I step down from my SUV and tug at the tie that has all of a sudden become too tight around my neck.

For several reasons, I am nervous. Getting Ella out of her house is my primary concern. But the wrath of her stepmother if she finds out terrifies me even more. Now that Ella has family on her side, I can only hope that Mrs. F has done her part and helped her find the entrance onto her property.

Before I reach the door, Ella comes outside in a white wool coat that goes down past her knees. Her legs are bare, so she must be wearing a dress underneath. With chattering teeth, she dashes toward me and into my arms, wrapping herself around me like a koala.

I kiss her cold lips and say, “We should continue this in the car where we have heat.”

She smiles and peels herself from my body. “You look handsome, Shawn.”

“You look gorgeous, as always.” I tilt my head to the side, and my eyes travel up the length of her legs. “I can’t wait to see what you have on beneath this coat.”

Ella admires my dark slacks, dress shirt, and tie that peek out from beneath a leather jacket. I only get dressed when I have to attend formal fraternity functions. Otherwise, I stick to my usual jeans, shorts, or track pants and T-shirts. But tonight is special. I had envisioned this night in my head before I had known for sure that Ella was the masked girl.

After I help Ella get into the SUV, I hurry around to the driver’s side and get behind the wheel. We rub our hands together in front of the heater, staring at each other with wicked grins.

“So, where are you taking me?” Ella asks to break the silence. “You said to wear a dress, so I imagine it must be someplace fancy.”

“Maybe I just wanted to see you in another dress.”

“You just want to get me out of it,” she declares with a wink.

I move the shifter into gear and loop around the circle and down the long driveway. “I’m not in any rush, Ella. We can take things however fast or slow you want.”

“Because I’m a virgin.”

I see her nose wrinkle out of the corner of my eye, as I exit the property and head toward the city.

“Yes, that has something to do with not rushing things. But I don’t want you to feel as though you have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I have no expectations for tonight. All I want is to take you to dinner and spend some time with you away from school. That’s it. And I want to kiss you, of course. There will be lots of kissing.”