by Regan Black
When he turned back around, he saw Nicole had gone to her mother and wrapped her arms around her. “It’s going to be okay,” Nicole murmured. Though she appeared conflicted, when she spoke, her voice sounded confident and certain. “I promise.”
He placed the coffee cup on the table in front of Fran and once again tried to beat a quick retreat. But, almost as if she had some sixth sense that warned her, Fran raised her head and pinned him with a teary-eyed glare.
“Sit,” she ordered, sniffing. “I promise to pull myself together long enough to explain.”
What could he do then but comply? At least he had coffee.
Once he was seated, Nicole jumped up and got her mom some tissue to wipe her face and blow her nose. They both waited while Fran composed herself. Nicole exchanged a glance with Kyle, her baffled expression revealing that she was just as perplexed as he was. He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever seen her mother cry. In the entire time he’d known the family, Fran had always been stone-faced, cold and remote.
Finally, Fran took a sip of her coffee and looked directly at Nicole. “Your father and I are getting a divorce,” she said.
To her credit, Nicole didn’t react. Kyle couldn’t tell if she was shocked or saddened, relieved or upset.
“But why?” Nicole finally asked, when it became clear her mother didn’t plan to elaborate. “You’ve been married a long time. You two have always seemed so…united.”
Not happy. Not in love. Not devoted. Just…united. He wondered if either woman realized how telling that was.
“We don’t love each other,” Fran finally confided. “But neither of us really wanted to rock the boat. Plus, you know our church frowns upon divorce, and for both of us, that opinion mattered more than it ever should have.”
She swallowed, again gazing into her daughter’s eyes. “Just as I let worry about what they thought ruin your chance at happiness. Your father and I forced you to marry a man you didn’t love, just to save our reputation.”
Nicole acknowledged the truth of this statement with a slight dip of her head. “What changed?” she asked, the slight edge to her voice telling Kyle she wasn’t entirely buying all this. He couldn’t really blame her either. After a lifetime of indifference and rigid inflexibility, she couldn’t process this sudden about-face. He wasn’t sure he could either, though he was not nearly as emotionally invested as she had to be.
“I don’t blame you for not believing me,” Fran said, clearly picking up on Nicole’s skepticism.
“What changed?” Nicole asked again, crossing her arms. “What made you decide to see things differently?”
“Theresa Mabry abducted my grandson.” The agony in Fran’s quiet voice made Nicole flinch. “I didn’t realize until that exact moment how much I loved that sweet baby. How much I was missing out on, just because of my stubborn pride. I wanted a do-over. But since such a thing isn’t possible, I realized I had a choice. I could change the future.”
While listening to Fran, Kyle kept his gaze riveted on Nicole. She’d already been through so much. Each time, she picked herself up, dusted herself off and continued to move forward. Right now, though she listened carefully to every word her mother said, her gaze seemed remote. As if she’d taken herself off somewhere far away, in order to protect herself from pain.
For that reason alone, Kyle decided to speak up. “If you hurt Nicole, I’ll make sure you pay,” he said, deadly calm but leaving no doubt he meant it.
To his surprise, Fran just gave a grim nod. “If I hurt her, I’ll deserve whatever retribution you deal out. But I won’t. I want to be on her side.” She turned her attention back to Nicole. “Will you give me a second chance, Nicole? Let me get to know both you and my grandson? Please.”
Kyle found himself holding his breath while waiting for Nicole to reply. But before she could speak, baby Jacob began crying, his wails signaling the fact that he was awake and hungry and needed his mother.
Nicole bolted from the room without another word, clearly grateful for the reprieve.
“That didn’t go well.” Fran sighed, picking at one of her perfectly manicured fingernails. She hunched over her coffee with a defeated air, acting as if she were afraid to look directly at Kyle.
For the first time in all the years he’d known Nicole’s mother, he pitied her. “What can you expect?” he asked, keeping his voice gentle. “You’ve spent her entire life keeping her at arm’s length.”
“I know. And I did everything I could to split you two up.” She’d been rigid and unyielding, stern and distant. When Nicole had most needed a mother, Fran had let her down.
“Not to mention forcing her to marry Bill Mabry while carrying my child,” he pointed out. “Instead of supporting her, loving her, you foisted her off on a man she barely knew, never mind didn’t love.”
“That was her father,” Fran replied, her voice weary. “When he found out she was pregnant, he became enraged. He wanted to throw her out into the street, with nothing but the clothes on her back. I argued against this, and came up with a solution I believed he’d accept.”
“Marrying Mabry.”
“Yes.” She sighed, rubbing at her red and swollen eyes with her fists. “Bill Mabry had been after Nicole since they were little kids. He was obsessed with her. I reassured myself that at least he loved her, so much so that he was willing to marry her knowing she was still in love with you. He was a good man,” Fran continued. “He was even willing to raise another man’s son as his own.”
This remark had Kyle clenching his teeth. He pushed to his feet, more to keep from saying anything he shouldn’t than anything else. “I think you’d better ask Nicole about that,” he said. ‘Maybe she could tell you exactly what kind of man he was.”
Though she nodded, she pursed her lips and didn’t speak again.
While he really didn’t want to sit in his kitchen with her, he was afraid to leave her alone. He had to hope Nicole planned to return as soon as she’d gotten Jacob taken care of. Otherwise, he’d have to be the one to send Fran Shelton packing.
CHAPTER 14
Taking care of her son, Nicole battled the urge to cry. She wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, but part of her couldn’t help but feel like it was all a huge trick, one more horrible hit on her heart to attempt to break her. She took pride in her strength and resilience, but her mother acting so completely out of character shook her.
And there was that little matter of divorce. Fran had said she was divorcing Nicole’s father. Since neither of them believed in divorce, Nicole wasn’t at all sure how to take this statement.
Jacob cooed, coaxing a smile from her. One thing Fran had said resonated to Nicole’s core. Her mother claimed she loved Jacob, that she desperately now wanted a relationship with her grandson. Nicole had wished for that very thing for so long that she was now afraid to trust it. If it happened, when it happened, the thought brought her the potential for so much joy. Or so much anguish, if she were to learn the possibility had been a lie.
Finally, once Jacob had been changed, fed and burped, Nicole carried him with her back to the kitchen. Fran sat across the table from Kyle in silence. Kyle jumped to his feet the instant he saw her, mumbled something about needing a shower and bolted for his room.
Fran looked up, her dejected expression disappearing when she caught sight of Jacob. In fact, she visibly softened. “There’s my little man,” she cooed. “Nicole, can I hold him?”
Instead, Nicole continued to hold her son while she studied her mother. “He’s three months old now, Mom. Don’t get me wrong—I’m thrilled that you’re taking an interest in him now. But I want to know what’s really changed?”
Another woman might have pretended ignorance. But Fran Shelton had always stood by her convictions, wrong or right. She lifted her chin and met her daughter’s gaze straight on. “I’ve changed,” she said. “
It would be easy to give you an excuse for the way I acted before, but there really isn’t any. Looking back, I realized I don’t like the person I was.”
Nicole nodded, but she still couldn’t make herself move. Though she’d spent her entire life longing for her mother to be more…well, motherly, this change in attitude seemed to come up out of the blue. She was afraid to trust it. Because if she let herself believe, even with a tiny fraction of her being, and then Fran let her down, she knew the pain would be much, much worse. In fact, she didn’t know if she could bear it.
“I understand you’re skeptical,” Fran continued. “But I mean it, Nicole. I’m starting over. I’ve quit the church, I’m leaving your father and I’d love it if you’d allow me a second chance with you and Jacob.”
“This is a lot to take in, all at once.” Still Nicole prevaricated. “Where are you going to live?”
“I’m keeping the house,” Fran answered. “Your father has agreed to move into an apartment in town. I think he’s a bit shocked, but more relieved than anything.”
Nicole sank into a chair, still holding Jacob. She wasn’t sure what to say.
“Please.” Fran swallowed. “I’m not sure what else I can do to convince you. But you should know this. I will defend you and my grandson to anyone who dares say anything now that his true parentage is known.”
“Will you?” Nicole locked gazes with her mother. “And what about Kyle? Will you defend him too?”
For once, at the mention of Kyle’s name, her mother didn’t look away. “Yes,” she answered. “I will. If you love him, I’ll learn to love him too.”
Telling herself she would not cry, Nicole held out her one free arm. “Come here.”
They hugged, Fran taking care not to hug too hard and smoosh Jacob. They’d just broken apart when the front door slammed open and Kyle rushed into the kitchen.
“The Mabrys just pulled up,” he said. “Do you want me to send them away?”
Nicole looked at her mother, who shrugged. “Maybe you should call the police,” Fran said.
“No. Mom, will you hold Jacob? I’ll go out there and see what they want. I’m not letting them in the house anywhere near Jacob.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Fran frowned. “This can’t be anything good.”
“I’m sure.” After handing Jacob over to her mom, Nicole took a deep breath, trying to quiet her pounding heart.
“I’m going with you,” Kyle announced. “Because I agree with your mother. The Mabrys are most likely looking for trouble. I won’t let them hurt you.”
This comment gave Nicole pause. Before Theresa had tried to kidnap Jacob, Nicole never would have believed her in-laws to be capable of violence. “Good idea,” she told Kyle. “Make sure you have your phone too, just in case we need to call 911.”
Fran’s eyes grew huge. “Okay.”
Right before Nicole reached the front door, Kyle grabbed her arm. “Are you absolutely certain you want to do this?”
“No,” she admitted. “I’m terrified. But I have to face them sometime. I refuse to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder for them and trying to hide. Except for recently, after the death of their son, I always found the Mabrys to be reasonable people. I hope once I explain, they’ll understand.”
His steady gaze searched her face. “I’m not counting on that.”
“One can only hope,” she replied.
With him right behind her, they headed out the front door.
Dan and Theresa had gotten out of their car, though they hadn’t yet made it out of the driveway. Dan had Theresa’s arm and appeared to be trying to argue with her. Since she had her back to the house, Dan caught sight of Nicole and Kyle first.
Before he could say anything, Theresa spun around to face them. The stark pain in her face was not what Nicole had expected. But then again, she’d had no idea what to expect.
“You…” Words apparently failing her, Theresa took a few steps toward Nicole. Her husband kept hold of her arm, probably as a precaution.
Just like Kyle stayed close to Nicole’s side.
“Hello, Theresa,” Nicole said quietly.
With her jawline tight, Theresa came closer. “I want to know if what your mother claimed was true. Is Jacob really that man’s son?” Her gaze swept over Kyle, registering her distaste.
“Yes. I’m sorry. But I can assure you, Bill knew. I told him before I accepted his marriage proposal.”
Twin spots of color bloomed in the older woman’s pale cheeks. “I don’t believe you.” Still the cold and measured tone. This worried Nicole almost as much as if Theresa had been screaming.
“Believe me or not, it’s the truth. I’m sorry you had to hear it the way you did. I’d planned to tell you eventually, but—”
“Did you?” Theresa glared. “You money-grubbing, hateful little b—”
“Enough.” Dan cut his wife off before she could utter the insulting word. “Theresa, you insisted we come here so you could hear the truth from her mouth. You have. We’d best be getting home now.”
But Theresa didn’t move. “I want you out of my son’s house. You and that bastard child of yours.”
Nicole gasped. But before she could speak, Kyle stepped forward. “You need to get off my property. Now.”
“Glad to.” Still gripping his wife’s arm, Dan tried to steer Theresa away.
“I’m not finished,” she said, attempted to jerk herself free.
Gaze narrowed, Kyle shook his head. “Keep it up, Theresa. I might have to ask the fire department’s arson investigator to consider you a suspect in the fire at Nicole’s house. Since they were legally married when they bought the house, now that she’s a widow, that house does belong to her. Community property.”
Theresa’s mouth worked, but no sound came out.
“Leave,” Kyle reiterated. “There’s absolutely no need for you to treat Nicole like this.”
“No need?” Dan spoke up, a kind of calculated fury in his eyes. “All this time, she’s let my wife and me believe Jacob was our grandson. I just don’t understand why she—and our son—didn’t tell us the truth.”
“Because of this,” Nicole answered softly. “Jacob is a baby. None of this is his fault. None of it. We’d agreed to wait to tell him until he was older.”
“Come on, Theresa.” This time, Dan’s attempt to redirect his wife was successful. Without another word, the couple got into their car and drove away.
“Is that true?” Kyle asked, once they’d gone. “The reason why Bill didn’t tell his parents the truth?”
“It was my truth.” Nicole sighed. “Bill and I never discussed it. Honestly, I assume he didn’t inform his parents because he felt it would make him look weak.”
Once they’d gotten inside the front door, Kyle stopped. “I’m going to go out for a while,” he said. “Will you be all right here with your mother?”
Slowly, she nodded. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about.” With that, he walked away.
After he’d gone, Nicole took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself back down. She knew her mom would have questions, and she wanted to be able to answer them as clearly as possible.
* * *
Since from what he could hear, Nicole and her mother were getting along just fine, Kyle felt no qualms about leaving them alone together. He needed to get out and clear his head. All the time he’d been in Afghanistan, when he’d thought of his hometown, he’d thought of peace and quiet. He’d always regarded Anniversary as a sort of bucolic place, isolated and insulated, serene and restful. Not a place of murder, arson, intrigue and nonstop drama.
Since it was a small town, everyone knew everyone else, and as a result, gossip sometimes ran rampant. He’d figured boredom drove people to find something interesting to talk ab
out and, like everyone else he knew, took the gossip in stride.
Funny how rapidly that outlook changed when talk was about someone you loved.
Instead of taking his truck, he thought he’d take his Harley for a spin and head into town. Since the accident, he’d been a bit leery of driving the bike, but he knew he had to get back on soon or he’d never ride again.
He’d barely gotten his garage open when a marked squad car pulled up and blocked the exit to his driveway.
A uniformed sheriff’s deputy emerged and walked up to Kyle. Tall, thin and bald, he wore mirrored aviator sunglasses and walked with authority. Kyle didn’t recognize the man, which meant he must have been hired during the time Kyle had been away.
“Kyle Benning?” the deputy asked. His name badge read Deputy Perkins.
“That’s me. Can I help you?” Kyle asked. Now what?
“I need to talk to Nicole Mabry. Is she here?”
“Yes.” Kyle pulled the garage closed. “Can I ask what this is about?”
“I need to speak with Ms. Mabry.”
Of course. Kyle turned and headed back toward the front door. “Follow me.”
When he walked into the kitchen with the deputy right on his heels, Nicole looked up, her initial smile freezing. “What’s going on?” she asked quietly.
“We apprehended Dan and Theresa Mabry a block from here and they’ve been taken into custody,” Deputy Perkins replied.
Nicole gasped. “Why?” she asked. “What did they do?”
The deputy heaved a sigh. He hadn’t removed his sunglasses, despite being inside the house. Kyle found that both annoying and amusing.
“Sheriff Cantrell asked me to inform you in person, since this will be all over the evening news.” Perkins pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and began to read. “As of ten a.m. this morning, the ATF, in conjunction with local authorities, conducted a widespread sting operation. Part of this operation centered on Mabry Trucking Company.” He paused for dramatic effect before continuing. “Several refrigerator semitrailers were apprehended, as well as over 500 pounds of marijuana and several million dollars of cocaine.”
