70 Blacktop Obsession
"What can we help with?" Roman asked, picking up some plates, standing by Letty once they had eaten.
"Nothing. You boys go inside, we need some girl time out here." Letty said, watching Shayde light the fire pit. It wasn't quite sundown yet and Letty stopped to watch the palm trees blow in the wind, then continued to clean up.
"So how have you really been, Letty?" Shayde asked, walking up to help clear the table.
"I'm okay. I have my moments. I am doing better." Letty admitted. "I sent the boys in to go play games because they don't really help anyway." Letty laughed.
"Oh, I usually make them work but that's cool." Shayde said, sensing Letty needed to talk to her by the way she was acting. "So what's up,girl? I know you too well. Sit, let's talk. These dishes can wait." Shayde invited.
"When I went undercover to help Brian, I lost my memory in an accident. I left Dom so I could find myself." She said, looking down.
"I figured you had a reason. No judgement here, Letty." Shayde said understandingly.
"I got some of my memory back. It's been coming back. A lot." Letty sighed.
"Why don't you sound happy about that?" Shayde asked, confused.
"I don't know, it's overwhelming at times." Letty replied.
"I'm sure it is. You're lucky it's coming back though." Shadye said wistfully, wishing Kaidyns' memory would come back.
"Yeah, but I gotta talk to you." Letty took a deep breath. "Can I trust you to not say anything to anyone?" Letty asked.
"What's wrong, Letty?" Shayde asked, not sure what was clearly bothering her.
"Do you trust Carter? Like 100 percent?" Letty asked, wrinkling her nose in typical Letty fashion.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Shayde asked, her heart beating. "Hold on, Carter's calling. Hello." She picked up her phone.
"Is it clear for me to come up?" Carter asked.
"Yes, we just finished dinner." Shayde said. "You can come in. Kaidyn found her keys and took them just like I told you she would, Carter." Shayde sighed.
"What?" He asked.
"Dom texted me and she's at the beach with him. He's going to talk to her." She said, disappointed Kaidyn had tried to leave.
"Are you okay? You sound frustrated. No need to worry, she can't get off this property." Carter said, not liking how worried Shayde was sounding. "My security won't let her off of this property. There's three gates she would have to get through." He reminded her.
"You're missing the point, Carter. She still ran. She's gonna try it again and next time Dom may not be in the car. It's a problem that she is running." Shayde sighed, annoyed.
"Dom can straighten her out." Carter said. "If not, we will figure something out. She won't be able to leave this property, this I am sure of." He reassured her.
"He's too fucking blunt. Last time he tried that, she climbed a tree, we couldn't find her, I was searching the city and that happened with Tran." Shayde said, frustrated Carter was not understanding how important it was. She needed Kaidyn to not run and to feel like this was where she wanted to be. Carter was missing that point all together.
"She's gonna grow out of this." Carter assured her. "Or she will just have to learn and we will have to get a bit stricter with her." Carter said, not concerned.
"Carter, she's not your little girl anymore, she's grown up. She's not that little girl who listened to her daddy all the time like she used to. You know what, never mind. Just come home and we can talk then." Shayde said, looking at Letty who was trying to keep busy.
"See you soon. I am pulling in. I am headed upstairs to put some stuff up there. Do you need anything from the room?" He asked.
"No, I'll be in a bit. Letty and I are having a chat." She said, hanging up. She knew he already knew this more than likely.
"I don't know how you do it, Shayde. Jesse's not even our kid and some days I don't know how I get through the days and he's pretty easy going." Letty smiled.
"I just do what I gotta do. Kaidyn's a handful but I'd do anything for her. Just like you would for Jesse, I am sure." Shayde said, turning up the fire pit. "What were you gonna talk to me about?" She asked.
"When I went undercover, the feds had some pictures of Carter and Monica. I don't want to upset you but I gotta tell you, Shay. It really looked like they were into each other. They even thought that she was compromised and helping Carter." Letty said, shaking her head. "Him living in Miami and being away from you, do you really trust him?" Letty asked.
"I don't have a reason to doubt him. He's never done anything to make me doubt him." Shayde said, her mind reeling. She wasn't going to let Letty know this and she pretended to work on the fire pit more.
"Monica told me he said he had an obligation to his family and couldn't leave them and that's why they couldn't be seen together. He pretty much said he couldn't get out of it." Letty said, her voice quiet. "I am sorry, I don't want to start anything because I know you have your hands full but you are my family and I feel like I have to tell you." Letty said, shaking her head. "I wish I hadn't had to have that memory back." Letty said, feeling bad.
"Thanks for telling me. You did the right thing." Shayde gave her a hug.
"I'd want to know about it if it were me because I know Dom cheated on me enough." Letty said, her voice soft.
"Letty, I am not aware of him ever cheating on you. I know he has eyes and looks but I think I would know more than anyone if he cheated." Shayde said, shocked to hear Letty say this.
"That makes me feel better." Letty said.
"Shay, I can't find Kaidyn." Hector came out, looking at the girls. "Uh Oh. Girls talking. This can't be good." he joked. He started to go back inside. Letty walked over and playfully punched him, then gave him a hug. "How are you, Chica?" he asked.
"I'm good. Good to see you." Letty nodded with a smile.
"She's with Dom because he busted her trying to drive off in her car." Shayde said, throwing a marshmallow at Hector for his joke.
"Of course, she tried running. I knew something was up." Hector shook his head.
"She's most likely getting an ass chewing." Letty laughed. "He's good at those with Jesse and her." She added.
"For sure getting an ass chewing." Shayde corrected with a smile.
"Carter's here. You girls want to come have a drink?" Han stuck his head out the patio door. "Resident bartender at your service." He grinned. He had worked on his bartending license while waiting on the girls to get to Florida.
"Sure, make it a double would you?" Shayde asked, getting up.
"Cherry Vodka Sour?" He asked with a nod.
"Yeah, sounds good. Thank you, Han." Shayde replied.
"Letty?" Han asked.
"I'll just have a Corona." She smiled.
"I don't know how you guys drink that." Shayde admitted, wrinkling her nose. "I'm more into liquor when I can drink." She admitted.
"I have to keep the boys on their toes so I don't drink much either." Letty agreed.
"Hey Sweetheart." Carter embraced Shayde when she walked in. He gave her a kiss. "This feels different being able to hang out in our house." He gave her a grin. "I could get used to this." He said with a smile.
"Yeah, it's different alright." Shayde smiled, putting her arm around his waist as she took the cherry sour from Han. "Thanks." She said, taking a big drink.
"Still worried about Kaidyn?" Carter asked, whispering in her ear.
"Yes. Dom is gonna be very harsh on her." Shayde bit her lip. Carter lifted her face and looked her in the eyes.
"Yes, he will be because I asked him to. Since I can't." Carter said, making Shayde look at him with worry.
"Why would you do that?" Shayde asked, "Why would you do that, Carter? I just got her past his last talking to. He went too hard on her." She shook her head. She pulled away from him, irritated.
"You wanted Dom and I to get along, mhmm? This time we both feel the same way and the one time we agree, you feel this way? He'll say the right things to her. As you said, she's not that little girl anymore." He said, throwing her words back at her.
"Way to use my words against me. Han, I need another drink." she said, getting up.
"Dom and I are on the same page, I thought you'd be happy." He coaxed.
"When it comes to Kaidyn, it should involve me. You know how I feel about how he sometimes gets with her. He doesn't mean to and I know he loves her but I need her to be okay and she's not been herself. I don't need anything setting her off." Shayde explained.
"Shayde, come on. Let us take the worry for tonight. You just relax. I promise everything is gonna be fine." He said, grabbing her arm as she got up and pulled her back to him.
"Don't promise me anything you can't keep." Shayde warned, her head held high. "You know how I feel about that. If anything happens, I am kicking both of your asses." She promised.
"Nothings gonna happen. Relax." He kissed the top of her forehead. She stiffened, still upset he would go over her head and talk to Dominic about Kaidyn.