by Sharan Daire
I shot upright, grabbing at the robe that had fallen open during the night. "Who's here? The sheriff?"
"Yep." Bubby's eyes gleamed with excitement and he could barely stand still "We're going fishing, just like he promised. He's making coffee now."
I swallowed hard. He was here. Like inside the cabin.
The man I'd had incredibly hot dreams about all night that involved that majestic tub. Well, one of the men in that dream. My cheeks scorched and I felt lightheaded. I rubbed my temples with both hands, trying to get a grip on my blood pressure before I gave myself a stroke.
"He brought our bags up from the car," Bubby continued, oblivious to my distress. "Here's yours. Allie's still asleep. I was real quiet."
"What time is it?" I groaned.
"Seven. I got up at six just in case he did decide to come. He was sure surprised to see me up." Bubby raced for the door, calling back over his shoulder. "We're leaving now. He wanted me to tell you first."
"Be safe!" I yelled after him. "I love you!"
"Love you, Mom. Bye!"
"I don't know how long we'll be out." Derek's low, rumbly voice made me shiver. I clutched the robe shut with one hand and frantically tried to smooth my messy hair with the other, but he didn't come inside or even peek around the corner. Smart man. "I want to be sure and catch something if at all possible. But if you need us back for some reason, just let Everett know. He'll call me."
I stared hard at the doorway, watching for any hint of movement. "Okay, thanks."
"Kaleb's already hard at work on Bessie, so he'll look you up once he knows more. And don't worry about Liam being too cold out on the lake. I swung by Angela's and grabbed some of her kid’s older winter gear. I think it'll work fine for Liam."
I blinked several times, trying to process everything he'd said. I was glad he'd thought ahead enough to make sure my Texas-born son didn't freeze, but who the fuck was Angela?
And why did I care so much?
I didn't say anything, refusing to play any games with him. I wasn't going to get riled up just so he could laugh, or leap to outrageous conclusions. If that was his goal...
"Angela's our baby sister. She came home to help take care of Pop before he died, and then stayed on. I like to check in with her every morning unless I'm running late."
I didn't know what to say. On one hand, I felt guilty for leaping to assumptions that he might have been trying to play me against another woman. But on the other, it was so damned sickeningly sweet that I wasn't sure I could believe it. They were all so... so... happy. Normal. Like a family on The Andy Griffith Show or Happy Days.
Gorgeous thirty-something-year-old single men didn't check on their sister every morning on the way to work. Did they? Not any man I'd ever known, at least.
"Liam's outside yelling at me to hurry." Derek laughed softly. "He's some boy, up at the crack of dawn all by himself. You sure have done a good job raising him, Shelby. I'll bring him back to you safe and sound."
My throat closed off and my eyes burned hotly. When had anyone told me that I was doing a good job? As a mother, or even as a basic human being? I couldn't remember ever hearing those words before. By the time I'd pulled myself back together, he was gone, shutting the front door behind him. Outside, I could hear my son's excited questions about the lake and what kind of fish they were going to try and catch. Derek's easy answers back. I waited until I heard the engine turn over before I got up to dress. My self-preservation instincts were working in overdrive, insisting I be extra careful.
I changed into clean clothes and sighed at the rat's nest my hair had become. I never should have gone to bed with wet hair. My hair had just enough curl to go frizzy and poofy rather than elegant spiral curls. There was one leave-in product I liked pretty well, but when it ran out over a year ago, I hadn't bought any more. I could buy several cans of soup and a bag of apples instead.
The ends were too frizzed out to look good in a ponytail, so I settled for a simple braid instead. Tonight, I'd go through the fancy bottles and samples to see if there was anything that might help tame my hair down a little.
"Mooooooommmmmmy."
"Coming, baby." I stared at myself a moment longer in the mirror. I was usually too much in a hurry to actually see myself. Or too ashamed of my situation. Life wasn't supposed to be so fucking hard.
Working long hours for minimum pay meant I never had enough. Not enough sleep, food, time, rest, money. Nothing. I usually had giant bags under my eyes and my skin was the color of weary, ancient parchment, stretched too thin by exhaustion and hunger. I didn't have laugh lines. Only the worry ridge between my eyes and a few tight creases around my mouth from the forced customer service smiles, even when I wanted to scream or cry and quit.
But today... I looked different. Maybe it was a long night of rest that made such a difference. I couldn't remember when I'd slept so long without one of the kids waking me up, or having to get up for work. I usually worked either super early or late, maximizing as many hours as I could while my kids might be asleep. I wouldn't say I looked fresh or youthful. Far from it. But rested, definitely, and maybe a slight spark in my eyes that hadn't been there before.
I refused to give the smoking hot sheriff the credit. In fact, I rolled my eyes at the thought. In time, he'd show his true colors, just like every other man I'd ever known. But it was nice to be in such a beautiful place and so well taken care of. It was especially nice to feel wanted. Or at least admired and respected. Derek probably only wanted a quick one-night stand, and that was fine. Good, even. I didn't want a relationship, not after my ex. I wasn't sure that I even wanted to get to know him more at this point. It just felt incredible to see the way he looked at me. To know that he'd wanted to kiss me. That he'd wanted me. Even if only for a casual fling.
I had the chance to sleep in the most comfortable bed. Eat delicious food. Wait in safety and comfort while someone actually tried to help me. So yeah. I was going to enjoy the hell out of it, because I, more than anyone, knew that life was short. All too quickly, reality would set in again. I'd be on the road with my kids, hoping the grandma I barely remembered would let us stay with her until I could figure things out.
But for now...
I was with a man, no, men, who treated me like a queen, and I was damned well going to enjoy it.
EVERETT
I watched her coming up the walk toward the main building, holding her daughter's hand, and it was like the sun came out simply to shine on her and make sure I saw exactly how beautiful and special she was.
There was something otherworldly and yet also down-to-earth about her. Silly and overwrought like a romcom movie, I knew, but she reminded me of an angel who'd been cast from heaven and forced to work in drudgery and grime. But I could see through her illusion. She wasn't just a down-on-her-luck girl from Texas. She laughed at something her daughter said, and I reflexively crumpled the receipt I'd just printed out for a customer.
No wonder Derek had brought her here. Home. To us.
I forced myself to turn away from the window and asked Gabby to print the receipt again. Nodded and made some inane reply to the waiting client as I strode toward the door. I opened it just as Shelby reached out her hand to grab it. She wasn't looking, and started to stumble a little, caught off guard when the solid door suddenly wasn't there.
I caught her elbow to steady her. She glanced up at me, big hazel eyes wide and vulnerable. Her cheeks were rosy from the frosty air. She didn't have a coat on, just a sweatshirt. Derek said she'd driven up from the Dallas area. No wonder they weren't prepared for our winter. "Come in before you freeze. Good morning, Miss Shelby, Miss Allie. I hope you enjoyed your night at Sugarfoot."
"It was great!" Allie skipped inside. "How'd you know to have my favorite cereal in the kitchen?"
I grinned. "Just lucky, I guess." Leaning down closer, I whispered, "It's my favorite too."
"I was just wondering if you'd had any news about my car," Shelby said.
"
Not yet, but if anyone can fix it, Kaleb will."
Her lips quirked but she winced slightly at the same time. "I've heard that before. My only concern is at what cost."
I didn't give a fuck what it cost. If we could keep her here another night, week, month... Until she wanted to stay forever... Then I'd invest in a dozen cars. Anything she wanted. The most ostentatious car on the planet. That wasn't what she wanted to hear, though, so I changed the subject. "Can I get you a cup of coffee? Maybe some hot cocoa for you, Miss Allie?"
"Yay!" The child hopped up and down. "Please, Mommy? I'm cold."
"Okay, baby."
"Let's get you closer to the fire then. We have all kinds of games over here that we can play. Do you like checkers?"
"I don't know how to play."
"Let's you and I play your Mommy then, okay? I'll show you how to beat her."
Shelby arched a brow at me in challenge. "You think you can beat me? I was the checker champion in the third grade."
I settled them on the floor around the low coffee table, and then I set the game board out. “What color do you want to be?” I asked Allie. “Red or black?”
“No purple? Purple’s my favorite.”
I made a mental note to see if I could find purple checkers somewhere. “No, sorry, just boring black and red. What’s your mom’s favorite color?”
Allie dropped down on her knees in front of the low game table. “I don’t know. Mommy, which one do you like?”
“You pick, baby. I don’t have a favorite color.”
She said it so matter-of-factly that it kind of broke my heart. As if she’d never in her life had a reason to ask for something special. That she wasn’t allowed to have a request or preference.
“Let’s be red, Mr.—“ Allie looked up at me. “What was your name again?”
“Everett will do just fine.”
“Okay, Everett. Let’s be red.”
We played the first game slowly so Allie had time to learn how to play. One of the staff brought the hot drinks, and the little girl squealed with delight at the hot cocoa with whipped cream on top like she’d never seen such a wonder. But that was nothing like the sweet cry of glee that escaped her lips when she saw Wally trotting in beside Kaleb.
Bemused, I glanced toward Shelby and could only stare for a heart-stopping moment at the look of pure, raw emotion on her face. Love for her daughter, the soft look of amusement and pride as she watched Allie jump up and wallow the dog, who wagged his tail affectionately. But also soul-sucking grief. Shame. Regret. The darker emotions were gone quickly, but I’d seen the tumult darken the joy in her eyes. I wasn’t sure of the cause until she asked, “So... What’s the damage?”
Her car. Of course, she’d be worried sick about how much the repairs would cost.
“Good morning, Alliebear,” Kaleb said.
“I’m not a bear, silly.” Now that the dog was here, she had no further interest in our game. I started to put the checkers away. Shelby’s fingers brushed mine and I froze, glancing up to meet her gaze.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her eyes still sad and grim. “It means the world to me that you’d take the time away from your busy job to play with her, even for a little while.”
She took the time to thank me, when she didn’t realize how much light and hope she’d brought to the lodge just by being here.
“I’ve got good news and bad news about your car,” Kaleb said, and I wanted to murder him on the spot because she jerked her attention to him, but not before I saw the overwhelming dread flash in her eyes. “Which do you want to hear first?”
“The good news!” Allie said.
“I can fix Bessie right up and she’ll purr like a kitten when I’m done with her.”
“And the bad news?” Shelby asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly. “How much is it going to cost?”
I watched her face, the way her delicate jaw flexed, her mouth hardening with determination. Her shoulders braced.
Kaleb shrugged and swung Allie up into the air, making her whoop with glee. “Dunno yet, but don’t worry about it.”
Shelby leaped to her feet, her hands fisted at her sides. “I am going to worry about it. You’re a mechanic. You know how to estimate. At least tell me the cost of the parts.”
Ignoring her, Kaleb continued to entertain Allie, swinging and dancing her around so she kept laughing. Wally jumped around them both, barking with excitement. The front door swung open and Liam came running inside, swinging a string of fish, with Derek right behind him.
“Mom, look! Look at all the fish we caught!”
“Whoa, Liam, that’s amazing!” Kaleb set Allie on her feet and she raced around the room, Wally barking on her heels while she shrieked and laughed. “How many keepers did you get?”
“Three! Derek says they’re big enough we can have a feast tonight.”
“That’s right,” Derek’s voice boomed in the cavernous room. His gaze immediately lasered in on Shelby, who was still pale and tense, glaring at his brother. “What the fuck did you say to her?”
“Nothing!” Kaleb protested. “I promised to wait until you were back.”
She marched closer to him and planted her fists on her hips. "So you've talked to your brother about it but not me? How much, Kaleb?"
He grinned like an idiot. "I love it when you say my name, Shelby."
She stepped closer and glared up at him like a spitfire little dragon. "Give me the keys. I'll take Bessie somewhere else."
"Now, sugar, don't say that. I'll fix her better than anyone out there. She and I have come to an understanding."
"Stop playing games with me!" Her voice rose with each word. "Just tell me the damage, or I'll find someone who'll be honest with me."
"Honestly? The costs will outweigh her current value."
Shelby stared up at him. Her bottom lip quivered. Her shoulders slumped.
And I wanted to fucking murder him with my bare hands.
9
Shelby
Heartsick, I could only stare up at him and try not to cry. I didn't know why I was so surprised. I'd known Bessie was too old to sink much more money into, but she was all I had. My last bit of independence. It was easier to get to a job if I had a vehicle, rather than having to rely on public transportation. Some of the smaller towns didn't have a bus, and I liked to keep my options open.
A new male voice boomed from up above somewhere. "What the fuck is going on down there?"
My kids froze. That tone of voice brought back too many bad memories. Their dad yelling about a mess. They were making too much noise. His dinner wasn't ready. Some bill was due, and we didn't have the money.
Somehow, it was always my fault.
We'd all learned to fear that tone and volume.
Kaleb dropped down to one knee between my kids. "Remember what I said, Alliebear?"
"Don't be scared," she whispered.
"That's RIGHT!" He swooped her up and twirled around and around until she started to laugh again.
A door thudded from above and someone with a heavy tread started down the stairs. Ignoring all the commotion, Derek strode toward me with a scowl on his face. "What'd he tell you?"
"Bessie's so broke down that it's not worth fixing her."
"Liar!" Kaleb leaned over my shoulder from behind, making me jump. "I never said any such thing. She's a fine old gal, and it'll be a blast to fix her up."
"But you said..."
"Her costs exceed her current value," Kaleb said. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't fix her."
"But I can't afford that. What's wrong with you? I've been very clear in that regard."
I was so involved with the twins that I'd forgotten the other man. That was a mistake. Huge.
He wasn't a man to be easily forgotten or ignored.
He strode into the room and came right for me. Whether he meant to intimidate me—or he merely went straight to the twins from past experience with them, I wasn't sure. A thunderstorm brewed i
n his eyes, with a heavy scowl on his lips. "Who’s this?"
I wasn't sure who he was asking, because he was looking straight at me. I opened my mouth, but only a squeak escaped. This had to be Chris, the one friend they'd warned me about. He was larger than life, taking up so much space and air that it felt like I couldn't breathe. He wasn't physically larger than the twins, though he seemed like a giant. An electric charge buzzed through me as he neared, so strong it was almost painful.
"Shelby Kent," Derek answered easily, not concerned at all by the glower on his friend's face.
"Bring her."
He whirled on his heel and strode out of the room, not the way he'd entered, but through a back door. Derek offered his arm to me in an oddly formal elbow-out pose. Kaleb gave my shoulder a gentle nudge. "Go. I'll watch the kids."
"Go where?" I whispered fiercely.
"Chris wants to show you something." Derek took my hand and wrapped my arm through his. "He's a man of few words."
"Yeah, I can tell," I muttered. A headache was starting between my eyes. My dream-come-true miracle lodge trip was veering off into something I couldn't even wrap my mind around. A mechanic who refused to provide an estimate, even to jack up a non-existent bill. A cop who could fish with my son all day. A former attorney who played checkers with my daughter. To a belligerent man who had silenced the entire room with a few words, and even the beefy sheriff leaped to do his command.
My heart thudded with dread as Derek pushed open the door and guided me through. "This is the private section of the lodge where Chris and Everett live."
Chris strode ahead, a man on a mission. So great was his trust in his friend that he didn't even look back to make sure we were coming. I glanced around as we hurried down a hallway, catching a glimpse of sleek, modern furniture very un-lodge like. The giant log walls were smoothed and covered with sheetrock and painted a soft dove gray. Elegant marble covered the floors. Polished chrome brightened the otherwise dark interior, but nothing softened the hard lines. Unlike the cozy patchwork and gingham of Sugarfoot, this space seemed to belong better in a New York flat than Little Cyrpus Lodge.
