Nate Hunter stormed from his cousin's home, fists trembling and sore. Getting behind the wheel of his shiny black, 1967 Chevrolet Impala, he sped out of the drive, trying desperately not to remember what he and Abigail had found when they entered Tasha's apartment.
Tasha had always seemed like a kid to him.. a little bundle of joy and fun and Abigail adored her. Though there was no blood between the two girls, they WERE family, and they had readily adopted him into their tribe of two with no reservations.
Clenching his fists against the steering wheel, he compared the image of Tasha shattered on the floor.. bruised and broken.. with her usual cheeky smirk and playful nature.
His cousin had committed a sickening and unforgivable crime.. but he had an awful feeling that with time Tasha would forgive him.. that was the kind of sweet natured person she was.
Gritting his teeth he slammed his palm against the wheel.. the very idea of her doing so made him want to turn around and go another few rounds with Blade's face! He'd known her only a short time but she was already like a little sister to him - well daughter according to her, he thought, smiling ruefully.
Sighing heavily, knowing he needed to calm down before returning to the girls, he did what he always did when he was feeling angry or stressed - he thought of his salvation and his oasis. Abigail Lane.
He smirked to himself, already feeling calmer, remembering the first time they met. He had been at another boring party, full of the same boring faces talking about the same boring things. Leaning against a wall near the bar, counting down the minutes until he could leave without it seeming like a family snub against Tasha, he had spotted Blade with a soppy looking smile on his face.
Following his cousin's eye line to Tasha and a golden haired girl inhaling cakes, he choked on a laugh as the blonde friend threw back her head and guffawed, spraying crumbs on T's hair and dress. Nate had been to hundreds of these 'celebrity' events.. people didn't usually eat and women usually acted as perfectly as possible to try and ensnare a husband!
He remembered how he had been unable to look away from her. The first thing that struck him hadn't been her beauty - though there was no doubt she was incredibly beautiful - it was the shining light that seemed to surround her.
In a grey room, full of grey people, in a grey world, Abigail had burst into Nate's life in a storm of bright colours, pulling him out of the darkness he was used to and sharing her light with him.
Nate hadn't realised how empty his life had been before her.. he hadn't known that he could meet someone like Abigail and suddenly realise that he'd been lonely his whole life waiting for her.
Pausing his trip down memory lane, Nate pulled up outside a Department Store, determined to find something that would put a smile on his girls faces. Both of them. Abigail and Tasha were a duo, they came as a set - buy one get one free - there was no doubt about that.
He knew and accepted that if you loved one of them you loved them both.. and he did love Abigail.. a deep, lasting, true love.
A men's all in one cat pyjama set, or onesie, caught his eye and he could already picture Lane's face when she saw him wearing it - probably similar to when she heard his name for the first time!
He had been watching Abigail unashamedly as she and Tasha had laughed and gorged themselves on desserts, so when she had headed to the bar alone, he knew he had to make a move.
"Did I see you with Blade's fiancé? How do you know my cousin's future bride?"
"Abigail Lane, I'm the fiancé's best friend and sister. Who are yo-------u are without doubt the most stunning man I have ever seen!"
Nate had smiled widely, never having met such a frank woman and stupidly delighted with her bold statement!
"I'm Blade's cousin Nate."
Nate still didn't know what he had been expecting when he told her his name, he pondered, but her unique reaction certainly wasn't it!
"Wait your name is Nate Night?!"
She had shrieked that at him like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard and then proceeded to cackle like a witch while Nate had snickered helplessly in the face of such guileless laughter. Most women would have been playing up to him, but she threw her head back and laughed at him, it was both amusing and appealing.
He had known then, with absolute certainty, that this was the woman he was going to marry; that she would be the mother of his children. He envisioned in that moment, and in many since, the joy and laughter that would fill their family home.
"My mum is his Aunt so we have different surnames, I'm Nate Hunter."
Nate had been taken aback when she lifted her hand to his cheek before going on to her tip toes and whispering, breathily, against his ear.
"Well, Nate Hunter, would you like to dance?"