Worlds Apart Ch. 2
Any character engaged in sexual or intimate acts are 18 or above.
*A reader pointed out that stories in present tense are a little awkward to follow, so if that's a problem for people, please let me know and I'll do the chapters moving forward in past-tense.
*More smut in this chapter as promised, but still a lot of fluff and building. Please drop a comment, follow or whatever!
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Tia sighs as she closes her phone and rubs her temple, looking ahead.
"It didn't sound like that call went well...." I say from the driver's seat of my Lincoln as we wait for Lola to get out of school. Tia had already called and informed the secretary that they'd be picking up Lola. The school had also been informed of Connor being nabbed by Sheriff Jonah, which brought a relief to the school's intense but short nightmare.
"I was given a sick day, but...." Tia pauses and drums her fingers on her plush thighs. "My boss is very upset at the amount of absences I have. He kind of understands how tough I have it but he's also running a business. I get that, but he's such an okole," Tia spits.
"I'm sorry. I'd be able to talk him down if you were injured helping me with something, but this was a personal accident...."
"I know Mace. I can't and I wouldn't ask you to lie for me," Tia says, lacing our fingers together as we hear the school bell ring. In just a few short moments, kids are bursting out the doors. I look down at our hands, and then I look over to Tia to see what she'll do, to see if I can read an expression. Sometimes this woman has the most expressive features I've ever seen, and sometimes she has a face of slate.
Care is what I see in those big brown pools, and I feel her squeeze my hand... before letting go. My heart sinks, but I understand. Are we hiding from Lola? Kind of. But we're also trying to decide what we actually are.
I fingered and ate Tia out only this morning, and helped her take a shower because of her sprained ankle. We're 90% leaning towards admitting we've become a couple, but we want to be 100% before we talk to Lola. Sometimes flings just happen, but this feels like a hell of a lot more.
As Lola hops into my backseat, she tells Tia and I "Aloha 'auinala!"
"Good afternoon, Lola," I say back and tip my hat, making her giggle.
"You're getting good, Marshal," Tia says proudly and takes my hat off so she can ruffle my hair, making me shake my head and Lola to giggle again.
"I'm familiarizing myself with greetings and common words," I say as I pull us out of the school parking lot, but we're stuck in the after-school traffic.
"Lola, would you be okay going to the Marshal's house for a bit? Scratch tripped me on our run and I sprained my ankle. I can't go into work today, and putting weight on it hurts so Marshal Keats offered to make us dinner."
Lola scrunched her face, probably at the idea of a haole making her dinner. "What are the chances of pizza?" she asks, and I laugh.
"Lola, that's rude!" Tia says over her shoulder. "Marshal Keats used to be a cook. Give him a chance. What's on the menu anyway?"
"I was thinking crab cakes, garlic parsley potatoes, cheddar biscuits and honey glazed carrots," I offer.
"Mmmmm, doesn't that sound good, Lola?" Tia says, dramatically rubbing her belly. "I think it sounds delightful, Marshal."
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After a successful dinner with the Pelekais, I get the leftovers together for them and help Tia back to my car with Lola and Scratch in tow.
Back up the hill, I help Tia back to her house by giving her a piggyback ride. Lola didn't want to miss out on a free ride, so I gave her one as well. I won't ever try to replace Tia and Lola's dad, but Lord knows Lola got robbed of her share of being carried.
"Tia, we need to talk about tomorrow. You can't wait tables like this. You can't walk on your own yet and you won't be able to work a 4 to 10 p.m. shift," I tell her as I carefully put her on the couch.
"I know, Mason," Tia huffs as she scootches further up the couch so the pillows support her back. She rubs her temples and sighs. "I don't know how he's going to react when I call in tomorrow."
I sit down on the floor in front of her, leaning against the couch and holding her hand. "He's really that close to letting you go, huh?"
She squeezes my hand and let's out a deep breath. "Yeah... and if I had something else lined up, I'd be happy to...."
Tia's cut off by her phone ringing. We look at each other curiously, wondering who would be calling her at 8:30. She digs the phone out and her eyes widen.
"Mr. Puloki, is everything okay? What did Lola do?" Tia pauses and then her lips quirk into a smile. "Oh, that's terrible. I'm so sorry she's moving. Lola loves her. Oh? Am I interested in the position?" She's grinning fully and starting to bounce on the couch, her chest bouncing with her. "I can start Monday?! Yes, Mr. Puloki! Yes I'm interested, thank you! Okay, I'll see you on Monday. Bye!"
I look at Tia expectantly, waiting for her to tell me what's happening, but she's breathing deeply and trying to calm herself down.
"That call was an answer to my prayers, Mason! That was the local hula academy teacher. His assistant instructor is moving, and he offered me her position!"
"Tia, that's fantastic!" I beam back at her. I get off the floor and offer her a hug, which she enthusiastically escapes. "And you start Monday? You'll be walking again, which should be enough to start on, right?"
Tia still hasn't let me go. She pulls tighter, almost hurting my neck. "I can finally stop working at that luau and for that perv!"
"I'm happy for you, Tia. I'm really happy," I tell her and she finally lets me go. "I bet he'll just write you off the schedule if you call in for the rest of the week," I chuckle.