Page 25 of Harboring Shantae

She needed to think about something else. Then it clicked. She remembered what she needed to know to help settle in.

"What time do you think your roommates are going to be getting in?"

"No one lives with me anymore. Hollywood was the last, but he just finished remodeling his house and moved out right before I got your letter."

Wait, what?

No one else lived with him.

"I thought you had several roommates?"

Oh no, no. This wasn't good.

Abort mission. Abort mission. Nothing was as she thought it would be.

"I used to, but Falcon moved out when he attached himself to Trista. Blue moved out because she couldn't stand living with us anymore. Then she met Jaxson. That left just me and Hollywood, but as I said, he and Abby just finished remodeling the house they bought, so besides grabbing a few things they still need to move, they're gone too."

Things were suddenly more complicated than she realized, and Shantae wasn't sure she could handle that.

Chapter 12

Thehousewasquiet.Too quiet. Panther almost forgot that was going to happen now that Hollywood and Abby were moved into their newly renovated home. Despite not wanting to, he had gotten used to Luey's little feet running around the house, and his laugh first thing in the morning. He found himself seeking out the little guy more and more the longer Luey was in his life.

Panther quietly slipped past Shantae's closed bedroom door. He thought for sure last night, when she realized it would just be the two of them living at the house, that she would jump out of a moving vehicle. Her entire face had drained of color. It was that look that had him tossing and turning all night, barely able to get enough sleep to act like a functioning adult. If he were a coffee drinker, he would be beelining it straight for the kitchen with the intention of sticking his head straight under the drip, but alas he wasn't. No amount of convincing from his teammates could get him to stomach the stuff.

So instead, he dragged his tired ass into the kitchen and set about making his protein shake. He was a bit of a health nut; he avoided as much processed food as he could. Which reminded him he would need to make a grocery store run. Since Hollywood had moved out, there weren't the usual snacks filling the fridge. Anything junk food related went to the new house with Abby. Panther had insisted on it. Now he wished he had asked them to leave something. If he remembered correctly, Shantae had a fondness for cereals. The sugary the better.

Panther looked in his cabinets anyway, secretly hoping that the grocery fairy made a delivery while he was gone. No such luck. They were just as bare as he remembered. He was contemplating a quick run to the store when he heard the distinct squeak of a step. The third one from the bottom on the left side. He and his team contemplated having it fixed, but nixed the idea when they realized it woke all of them up when they heard it.

He knew to avoid it, but Shantae didn't yet. It was an advantage he was going to make full use of so he wasn't caught off guard with her around.

"Good morning." He did his best to portray himself as relaxed as possible, despite the fact he was anything but.

"Oh." Shantae sounded disappointed, and startled, to find him already in the kitchen. "Uh, good morning."

What was with the frown? Panther had made sure to put on shorts and a shirt before leaving his bedroom. Even though he much preferred to walk around in just boxers.

He thought after Abby moved out, he would finally get the chance to be comfortable again, but nope. He was back to walking on eggshells and looking around to make sure he was properly dressed before leaving his room. It was weird.

"I was just about to make myself a shake. I'm sorry I don't have anything else breakfast-wise to offer you. A trip to the grocery store is on the list for today."

"That's okay." Shantae's voice wobbled in a similar fashion to her legs as she climbed up onto the barstool. "I'm not really hungry, so a shake sounds perfect."

Panther went about his normal routine. Trying to distract himself from the nerves radiating off Shantae by immersing himself in the familiarity of cutting fruits and adding ingredients. By the time the blade was swirling everything together, he felt he had a better handle on how to help Shantae feel more comfortable living with him.

He turned the blender off and poured the cold beverage into two glasses.

"I ..." Panther spun with the glasses in his hand and crashed into a soft body. Pink liquid sprayed across his white shirt. His usually good reflexes were just a second off-kilter, causing the two cups to slip from his fingers and shatter against the tile floor. Tiny splinters of glass hit his bare ankles as the cold puddle pooled around his feet, soaking his socks.

"Oh my God," Shantae screeched. Her hands flew to her mouth as she dropped to the floor at the same time as him. Their heads clanked together, sending Shantae off-balance. Panther shot his hands out to steady her, but only managed to bring them both down, just inches from where the former shake was now spreading across the floor.

"I'm so sor—"

"Shit, I'm sorry."

They both spoke together, but unlike in movies, there was no giggling or funny laughter about a jinx. Instead, Shantae looked on the verge of tears and Panther could feel the small shards of glass cutting into his ass and legs.

"I felt weird just sitting there while you served me, so I thought I could help, but now I made a bigger mess."