Kane

by Douglas, Cheryl

  “Here, let me help you,” he said, jumping up.

  “No, it’s okay. I’ve got this.” I could do more and more by myself each day, and thankfully the hospital hadn’t been willing to release me until I could go to the bathroom by myself.

  He helped me up before resting his hands on both sides of my face. “I want more nights like this with you, Mace. I want every night to be like this.”

  Even though we’d just been watching TV, it was somehow enough. Being with him made me feel warm and safe and… loved. Even if he wasn’t ready to say the words.

  ***

  Kane was at the hardware store when my sister popped by the next day to surprise me with takeout from our favorite Chinese restaurant.

  “You’re looking better every time I see you,” Riley said, giving me a careful hug. “That must mean that sexy husband of yours is taking good care of you.”

  “I’m glad you don’t hate me for keeping that from you,” I said, slowly leading the way into the kitchen. “Though I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

  “You know I could never hate you,” Riley said, making sure I was seated at the table before she took the chair across from me. “I love you way too much to stay mad. But I’m not going to lie—I was a little hurt that you kept something that huge from me.”

  If only she knew what else I was keeping from her. With every day that passed, what had happened with Brendan was weighing more and more heavily on me. I wanted to tell the people I loved, to get their advice about how I should handle the situation, but I knew the fallout would inevitably impact every area of my life.

  I watched Riley reach inside the bags to retrieve the containers and set them between us. “I didn’t really even have a chance to get used to the idea before Kane told me it was never going to work.”

  “Because of us,” Riley said, wincing. “If we’d known you two were married, we never would have interfered. I hope you know that.” She went to the cupboard to retrieve plates before riffling through the drawers for cutlery.

  “I feel bad. I should be the one waiting on you. This is my ho—” No. It wasn’t my home. It was Kane’s.

  Obviously sensing what I’d stopped short of saying, Riley gave me a long, hard look. “Do you want this to be your home? I mean, honestly, do you want to stay here with Kane?”

  “Let me get us some water,” I said, trying to avoid the loaded question.

  “Sit,” Riley said, resting her hand on my shoulder before I could get up. “I’ll get it.”

  When she returned to the table with two bottles of water and a wry smile, I knew she had no intention of letting me off the hook. I piled my favorites onto the plate, suddenly ravenous… or maybe just looking for a distraction.

  “Okay, fine,” I said when she was still staring at me. “You want to know if I want to stay here with Kane? Yes, okay. Are you happy now?”

  Riley clapped, squealing. “Yay! My baby sister’s going to live in the same city as me again! Does he know yet?”

  “We talked a little bit last night. He said he wants me to stay, but I didn’t think it was fair to commit to anything yet. We’re still getting to know each other. We have to be sure we’re compatible.”

  “Give me a break,” Riley said, digging into her fried rice. “We’re not talking about a guy you’ve been on a couple of dates with. You’ve known Kane for years. And you said yourself you’ve been crushing on him since you were a teenager.”

  It was still embarrassing to admit that. “You make it sound like I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him,” I said, twisting the cap off my water bottle. “I did have a life, you know.”

  Riley took a sip of her own water. “Speaking of your life, have you heard from Brendan since the accident?”

  “No, and I don’t expect to.”

  “Why not?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What about all of your tour dates? Won’t you have to rebook them after you recover?”

  “I can’t keep working with Brendan.” I knew that the time had come to confide in someone about what had happened before the accident, and since Riley had always tried to be supportive, she was the logical choice.

  Riley let out a low whistle. “Wow… when did you decide that?”

  “Right before the accident…” I swallowed, thinking there was no way to break it to her gently. I just had to come out with it. “He, uh, said some things.”

  Obviously sensing my distress, Riley covered my hand with hers. “What kind of things, Mace?”

  “He said that if he couldn’t have me, no one could.”

  Her hand fell away as she sucked in a breath. “Oh my God! Are you saying…?”

  “That he meant to kill both of us?” I nodded miserably. “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

  “Does Kane know about this?”

  “No.”

  “You have to tell him!”

  I pushed my plate away, my appetite gone. “I don’t want to keep it from him, but you know what he’s like—crazy-protective of the people he cares about. He’ll lose it if I tell him what Brendan did.”

  “I still can’t believe he steered off the road on purpose,” Riley said quietly. “When we heard what happened, we wondered how he went over that embankment and rolled the car, especially since there were no other vehicles involved and road conditions were perfect.”

  I’d never forget that moment as long as I lived. The sound of my own blood-curdling scream as I came to the realization that my life was going to end and I’d never again get to see the people I loved most. The sight of the ground coming up to meet the windshield. My fear and panic.

  “Thank God Brendan’s out of your life. When I think of what could have happened…” Riley cringed. “I’d like to kill him myself for what he put you though.”

  My mind was still on the accident when I said, “I thought of Kane. Of course I thought of you guys too, but Kane’s the last person I remember thinking about before I blacked out.”

  “That says it all, doesn’t it?” Riley asked, drawing her chair closer to mine. “You’re in love with him.”

  It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t even try to respond.

  “Which means you have to be honest with him about what happened with Brendan,” she continued. “You can’t start your relationship with him on a lie, sis. That wouldn’t be fair to either one of you.”

  “I know.” I’d already come to that realization, but every time I thought about telling him, I imagined the fallout and the words got stuck in my throat.

  “He’ll think you don’t trust him if you wait much longer to tell him,” Riley said gently. “Especially if he finds out you told me first.”

  “I know you’re right. It’s just not easy.” The fact that Kane was a cop and Brendan had committed a crime only made it worse. “I’ll do it though. I promise.”

  She set her hand on my knee. “Now I understand why you’re in no hurry to go back to Nashville.”

  Riley had questioned me when I told her I wouldn’t be renewing the lease on the apartment, but I hadn’t been ready to fill her in then.

  Boots sauntered into the room and rubbed against my leg before dropping at my feet.

  “Someone looks at home here,” Riley said, smiling at my cat. I was grateful she could tell I needed a subject change.

  “Yeah, he’s settled right in. And Kane has been great, not even complaining about the fur sticking to everything he owns.”

  “He’s in love with you,” Riley said softly. “I don’t know if he’s told you yet, but I could see it in the way he reacted when he found out about your accident and how he took charge at the hospital.” She giggled. “You should have seen the way he handled Mom and Dad. It was fun to watch.”

  I smiled, wishing I’d been well enough to see it. “Speaking of our mother, she left a message saying she wanted to come over for a visit later.”

  “Oh,” Riley said, jumping up. “I just remembered I have a meeting.”

  I watched her pack up
the uneaten food and put it in the fridge. “You’re such a coward.”

  She groaned. “It’s not that I don’t love her, but she’s driving me crazy. Every time I see her, she adds more wedding guests to the list. I’ve tried telling her we finalized the list weeks ago, but she doesn’t get it. Finally Brody told her we’d elope if she didn’t back off.”

  I laughed, grateful I could laugh without pain now. “Good for him.”

  Riley bent to kiss my cheek. “I love you. Call me if you need to talk, okay?”

  “You know I will.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kane

  Macy had told me her mother would be stopping by later, but I didn’t know I’d have to entertain her while Macy finished up with Kendra.

  “Uh, can I get you something to drink?” I asked after I’d taken her coat and explained that Macy would be another fifteen minutes or so.

  “A tea would be lovely,” she said, curling her hand around my forearm. “Thank you, dear.”

  Dear? What the hell? As far as I knew, this woman couldn’t stand me, so why was she being so nice all of a sudden?

  I gestured to the kitchen table before sorting through a basket of coffee and tea pods. “Herbal or good old-fashioned Earl Grey?”

  “Chamomile would be nice, if you have it?”

  “Sure.” Since that was one of Macy’s favorites, I always kept plenty on hand. After brewing the tea and making a coffee for myself, I set both mugs on the table before going back for the cream and sugar.

  “So how have things been going?” Mrs. Myers asked, peering at me over the rim of her cup.

  “Okay.” I didn’t want to give away too much, especially since I didn’t know how she felt about her daughter shacking up with a man she’d married on a whim in Vegas.

  “Just okay?” she asked, looking disappointed. “I’d hoped you’d have better news to report by now.”

  “I’m not sure I follow,” I said, sitting down across from her. “What do you want me to say?”

  She leveled me with a look, but when my gaze didn’t waver from hers, her lips twisted in amusement. “Macy needs a strong man like you. I always thought Brendan was too wishy-washy for her.”

  “I thought you didn’t like me?”

  “You have to understand,” she said, resting her hand against her chest, “my husband and I were in shock in Charlotte. Not only had our daughter just been in a life-threatening accident, but we found out she had a husband we knew nothing about.”

  “I can understand why you were stunned,” I conceded. “But you need to know I’ve taken very good care of Macy and would like to go on taking care of her for as long as she’ll let me.”

  She licked her painted lips before wiping at the faint crimson mark on her cup with the pad of her thumb. “That won’t be easy. She doesn’t like to admit she needs anyone. She’s always been like that, fiercely independent.”

  “I happen to admire that about her,” I said, determined to let her mother know I wouldn’t change a single thing about Macy.

  Her lips curved into a reluctant smile. “I’m sure you do. Tell me, Kane, how do you feel about Macy’s career?”

  “I just want her to be happy,” I said before taking a drink of my coffee. “I’ll support whatever decision she makes.”

  “Even if that means going back to Nashville?” She sighed when I didn’t respond. “That’s disappointing. I thought you cared enough to fight for her.”

  “Let me get this straight,” I said, shaking my head. “You want Macy to stay here with me? I thought you and your husband would be dead set against the idea.”

  She sipped her tea. “We’ve thought about it and discussed it at length, and we’ve decided our daughter could do much worse than you.”

  “Am I supposed to say thank you? Because I’m not even sure that was a compliment.”

  She laughed lightly, patting my forearm. “I know we can seem a little too opinionated and judgmental where our daughters are concerned, but you have to understand we only want what’s best for them.”

  “And what makes you think I would be best for Macy?” I couldn’t say why I was looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I needed to understand the reasons behind her sudden approval. “Is it just because you want her back in Tampa and I seem to be the easiest route to making that happen?”

  She gave me a long, hard look before reaching for a paper napkin. Folding back the edges of it, she said, “We wondered whether Macy would ever find a man strong enough to stand up to her and for her. You did that in the hospital.” She looked at me through a veil of side-swept silver bangs. “You stood up for her and for yourself. You made us understand that you were committed to her whether we liked it or not.”

  I hadn’t said or done anything to try to win their approval, so it was ironic that I had. “I had no choice. Macy’s my wife. Granted, our marriage may be unconventional, but in my mind, it’s a real marriage, Mrs. Myers.”

  “I’m happy to hear you say that. The question is, does Macy feel the same way?”

  “Why don’t you try asking me that question, Mother?” Macy was standing in the doorway, looking beautiful and slightly defiant.

  “Did Kendra leave?” I asked.

  “She did. You must have been so wrapped up in your little chat you didn’t hear her.”

  Ah, so she had overheard some of our conversation. I wondered if Macy would be upset that I’d opened up to her mother about our relationship.

  “Um, I think I’ll hit the gym,” I said, standing. “Give you ladies a chance to chat.” I smiled at her mother. “It was nice to see you again.”

  “You too, Kane.”

  I took my cup to the sink, poured the contents down the drain, and deposited the mug into the dishwasher.

  When I walked past Macy, she surprised me by drawing me in for a hug and whispering, “Coward,” in my ear.

  Brushing a kiss across her cheek, I said with a smile, “Be good while I’m gone.” That translated to: don’t fight with your mother.

  She lifted a shoulder. “I’m not making any promises.”

  ***

  Macy

  I crossed my arms, staring at my mother. “Why were you interrogating Kane?”

  She laughed lightly. “Me? Interrogating him? That’s his specialty, not mine.”

  “If you wanted to know about our relationship, why didn’t you just ask me?” I moved slowly toward her, using the fridge handle and counter for support since I’d left my cane in the other room.

  “Do you need help?” my mother asked from the edge of her seat, ready to hover at the first sign of trouble.

  “I’m fine, thank you,” I said between gritted teeth.

  I was being stubborn, but even if I’d been crawling, I wouldn’t have asked for my mother’s help. She’d always taken advantage of any sign of weakness, believing that her girls needed more help than they wanted if they ever admitted to being human.

  I made a chamomile tea before shooting a look over my shoulder. She was admiring Kane’s spacious, newly renovated kitchen, probably thinking this would make the perfect nest for her baby bird.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” I said, trying not to react when she jumped up to take the tea from me so I could make my way to the table unaided. “Why did you ask Kane about us instead of asking me?”

  “I couldn’t very well ask you how he felt about you, could I? That had to come from the man himself.”

  The gentle massage Kendra had just given me, as a favor, to relax me, had been in vain thanks to my mother’s nosiness. “And?”

  “It’s obvious he cares about you. Very much.”

  I forced myself to take a sip of my tea before drawing a deep breath. “Whatever happens or doesn’t happen between myself and Kane is up to us. You have to let me figure this out on my own.” When her eyes filled with sadness, I reached for her hand. “I know you and Dad love me, and you want to protect me. But I’m not a little girl anymore. You have to let me decide
what’s best for me, to let me live my life the way I see fit.”

  Her gaze traveled to the open family room, which was dominated on one side by a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and a built-in cabinet on the other. The furniture was neutral in color, large in scale, and slightly masculine. The house was comfortable but definitely lacked a woman’s touch, which was probably what my mother was thinking as she took in the dark window panels hanging alongside each of the large windows.

  “This is a nice home,” she said as though she thought I’d been waiting for her stamp of approval. “I’m surprised. The neighborhood is older, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, the houses are about fifty years old. Kane said his brother Gabe helped him renovate when he moved in.”

  “Ah, so he’s handsome and handy,” my mother said, smiling. When I rolled my eyes, she ticked his favorable points off on her fingers. “He has a good job, can certainly take care of you—”

  My patience slipped further out of reach. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. That’s your deal, not mine.” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. “Mom, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  “It’s okay,” she said with a slight shake of her head. “You were speaking the truth. I have been dependent on your father for far too long.”

  My jaw dropped. “What does that mean? You’re not thinking of leaving Dad, are you?”

  She laughed before patting my hand. “Goodness, no. When we took our vows, it was for life. Divorce isn’t an option.”

  I was strangely relieved to hear that. As much as I hoped my mother would spread her wings and become her own person, I wanted her to do that with my dad, which I realized made me no better than her, for sticking my nose into her business. “So what are you saying?”