Just a Bit Twisted (Straight Guys 1)

Chapter 1

Mrs. Hawkins was going to kill him.

Shawn glanced at his watch and grimaced. It was one in the morning already; he had promised Mrs. Hawkins he wouldn’t come home later than midnight.

Bracing himself, he opened the door as quietly as he could. Emily was a light sleeper.

Shawn closed the door, wincing when it creaked. Dammit.

“Mr. Wyatt?” Mrs. Hawkins said, rubbing her eyes and sitting up on the couch.

Shawn glanced at the twins, but they didn’t seem to have woken up. He walked to their babysitter. It didn’t take long: the apartment was tiny.

Mrs. Hawkins was frowning deeply, an unhappy look on her face.

“I’m sorry,” Shawn said before she could say anything. “I’m really, really sorry. It won’t happen again, I swear. I couldn’t get back sooner. It was a slow night, and I didn’t get a lot of tips. I didn’t have enough money to pay you for this week, so I ended up staying until I did.”

Mrs. Hawkins’s lips pursed. She sighed. “Mr. Wyatt—Shawn. I understand your situation—it’s the only reason I’m still here—but you must understand mine, as well. I have a family, too, but I spend up to fifteen hours a day here, looking after two energetic four-year-olds. You don’t pay me enough for that.”

“I’ll find another job,” Shawn said quickly, trying to squash down the panic rising in his chest. “I’ll find a better job and I’ll pay you more.”

She sighed again, shaking her head. “That’s what you said last month, Shawn.” She looked at the girls. “I admire your dedication, but it can’t go on like that. You’re just twenty. You deserve better. They deserve better, too. Why don’t you find them a good family?”

“No,” he said, his voice hard. “They already have a family. They have me.”

“They barely see you. They ask about you all the time. They miss you.”

Shawn looked down at them. Emily and Bee slept curled into each other, their chubby cheeks almost touching.

A lump formed in his throat. “I miss them, too.” He looked at Mrs. Hawkins. “Please. I’ll find a solution. It really won’t happen again.” Fishing his wallet out of his back pocket, he gave her all the money he had. “Here, take this.”

She shook her head but accepted the money. “Think about what I said, Shawn,” she said before taking her purse and leaving.

Shawn locked the door and returned to the bed.

He knelt down beside the bed, rested his chin on the mattress, and stared at the twins.

The dim light made their platinum blond hair seem almost golden. They looked like little angels.

Shawn closed his eyes. God, he was so tired, but sleep was the last thing on his mind. He didn’t need to open the fridge to know they were out of groceries: he knew how long it took them to run out. They would have nothing to eat the day after tomorrow.

Desperation clawed up his throat. Then came resentment and anger.

Shawn shook them off. Being angry with his parents for having numerous debts, dying and leaving them penniless was useless. He couldn’t afford to waste time. He needed money. Now.

But how? He already worked two jobs.

“Shawn?”

Shawn opened his eyes. One of the girls was no longer asleep. A surge of panic coursed through him when he realized he could no longer tell them apart. Was it Emily or Bee?

“Baby?” he croaked out through the lump in his throat.

The little girl sat up slowly, careful not to wake up her sister, and Shawn breathed out. It was Emily: she was more mature and considerate than Bee, who was often a clueless ball of energy.

Emily reached out to him, and Shawn lifted her into his arms. “Hey, princess,” he whispered, kissing her on the temple and breathing in her sweet scent.

“You’re home,” Emily said, wrapping her little hands around his neck. “Missed you.”

“Me, too,” Shawn murmured, stroking her back. I’m sorry. “Did you have fun while I was out?”

Emily nodded. “We played a lot, but the Hawk didn’t let us go outside!”

“Don’t call Mrs. Hawkins that.” Though he had to suppress a smile. “Anything else?”

“A big man came after breakfast. He had a letter for you, but the Hawk didn’t let us touch it.”

“A letter, huh?” Shawn got to his feet, cradling Emily to his chest, and walked to his desk. “Let’s see.”

He picked up the envelope and returned to the bedside lamp. He squinted at it and his stomach dropped when he saw who it was from.

“What is it?” Emily asked.

Shawn opened the envelope, pulled out the piece of paper inside and started to read.

“…unacceptable grades…” “…upon failure of improvement…” “…scholarship will be terminated unless the student achieves…”

The paper dropped from his fingers to the floor and he didn’t notice.

“Shawn? Something bad happened?”

He looked down at Emily’s wide blue eyes and forced out a smile. “No, pumpkin. Everything is fine.” He buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes.