Love Me Tender

by Wendy Vella

  Jack laughed his way up the steps after Rory spoke.

  “He put you up to that,” Ted said, shrugging out of his coat.

  “No, I decided all on my own your shoes are ugly,” Rory told him, somewhat pityingly.

  “Take off your coat,” Jack held out a hand.

  “I’ll keep it on, thanks.”

  “Why?”

  “Because.” Then I can make a run for it when the chance arises.

  “And again, why?”

  Ignoring him, Rory looked around the entry and felt a pang of longing so acute she turned her head so the men couldn’t see her expression.

  Wood paneling, plenty of white paint, and polished floorboards covered in rugs was her first impression. Christmas wreaths and swags of greenery were strung up everywhere. Home, she thought. This was a real one, unlike the place she’d grown up in. Her mom had the decorations done professionally. The Haldane siblings had always decorated their grandmother’s tree however, and Rory had liked that one best.

  “Hustle it along, Princess, a man’s hungry here.”

  “And a woman wants to go home.”

  “Don’t be antsy.” He pressed a hand into her spine, urging her forward.

  She soon found herself in a large open-plan kitchen. The cooking range was letting off blissful heat and there were plenty of benches and cupboards. An island separated the kitchen from the dining area. Warmth and delicious scents wrapped around her, increasing her feeling of longing.

  A woman stood at the sink with a little girl beside her in a highchair. She wore a Santa hat, and a long gray braid ran down her back. When she turned, Rory saw she was a Trainer. It was there in the bone structure. She was tall too.

  This, Rory knew, was Jess Trainer. Another one who would be angry with her, she was sure. Exhaling slowly, she prepared for what was to come. Maybe the younger Trainers weren’t riled with her anymore, for whatever weird reason, but this one had a right to be... well kind of, if you were into the sins of the father, which plenty in this town were.

  Taking a step back as the woman’s eyes turned from the child to her, she landed on Jack’s foot.

  Chapter 14

  “Who knew you weighed that much.”

  Jack grunted for effect and then placed his hands on Rory’s shoulders and held her still as she tried to go around him and back toward the door.

  “Hey, Aunt Jess, we won.”

  With her usual smile in place, his aunt came to kiss his cheek. Jack loved this woman because she’d been the first adult who’d cared about him.

  “Well done, boy. But then I never doubted it. No one’s as good at basketball as my kids.”

  “This is Rory Haldane.”

  “Well now, look at you, aren’t you a sweet little thing.”

  Aunt Jess smiled gently, then took Rory’s hands in hers.

  “It’s all right, I don’t bite.”

  “Good morning... afternoon.” Rory’s eyes shot to the clock on the opposite wall.

  “She’s had a rough few days from some of the locals. Her name inspires a mix of emotions, and not all of them are good. The tires on her car were slashed today.”

  “Oh no, that’s a horrid thing to have happen. I’m sorry, Rory. People have long memories, but what happened had nothing to do with you, and that behavior is just plain mean if you ask me.”

  “Really?” The word was a whisper, and the shoulders beneath Jack’s hands rigid.

  “Really. Now you come on in here and let me hug you, because I think you need it.”

  “Oh no—”

  Jack nudged her into his aunt’s arms. He knew from experience those hugs were special and healed any number of things.

  “She’s got a cold, Aunt Jess, and Mr. Goldhirsh said you’d fix her one of your drinks.”

  “Have you? That’s no good.”

  With her maternal instincts kicking in, Aunt Jess ushered Rory to a seat around the table.

  “You go on and wash, Jack, you smell. And take Ted with you.”

  He pointed Ted to a bathroom, then found his and washed quickly. He was soon dressed in jeans and a sweater, pulling thick socks on his feet. Jack headed back to the kitchen. The other team had headed home due to the weather, so only his was straggling into the house to sit around the table.

  Bailey and Joe were chatting to Mr. Goldhirsh and Aunt Jess. Ted was drinking coffee, his hands cradled around the mug. Rory was sipping from hers too. His aunt had wrestled her out of her coat. Seated between Pip and Joe, she looked small and vulnerable.

  “Sit, Jack.” Mr. Goldhirsh was helping Aunt Jess, the other love of his life after running, with the food.

  “While I was at the grocery store this morning I ran into Miss Marla. She was upset some lowlife had come into Tea Total and stolen her favorite teacup and saucer right off the shelf.” Aunt Jess shook her head. “It’s one of those tourists for sure.”

  “Not the one with the little blue flowers?” Bailey asked.

  Aunt Jess nodded.

  “Assholes,” Jack snarled.

  “That will be enough of that language at my table, nephew.”

  “Sorry, but I don’t like to think of the Robbins sisters upset.”

  Everyone was in agreement there.

  “So, Rory, I hear you’re a vet?” Bailey said as a huge platter of burgers and fries was lowered to the table.

  “I was.”

  “Was?”

  She nodded, watching as everyone lunged at the plates of food.

  “Why aren’t you now? Seems to me being a vet is a vocation you don’t walk away from,” Dylan asked as he dropped a load of fries onto his plate.

  She was cornered and would have to say something. Jack was happy about that. She intrigued him, and he wanted to know more about her life.

  “I had to look after my dad.”

  “And you couldn’t do both?”

  She shook her head.

  “What about the rest of your family?” Luke asked in between stuffing half his burger into his mouth.

  She shot Jack a look which he guessed meant, please help. He looked down at his plate, bastard that he was.

  “My brothers work away from where we lived.”

  Her words didn’t invite more probing, but that had never deterred a Trainer.

  “How about your mom? How’s she doing?” That came from Aunt Jess, who would have known her.

  “She passed away.”

  “Oh, now that is sad, Rory. I’m sorry for you, love. How long ago?”

  “A few years after we left Ryker. She had a stroke and never recovered.”

  That had to have been hard on the Haldane children. One parent in prison and the other dead. How the hell did they cope, seeing as before they’d left they’d been spoiled and handed everything they wanted?

  “Did your dad get sick in prison?”

  She nodded to Pip.

  The Haldanes had been punished and then some as far as Jack could tell, and it was time people gave this one a break.

  Enough. Jack shared a look with his family, and soon they were moving on to other subjects.

  “We could do with another vet in Ryker,” Mr. Goldhirsh said. Like Jack, he was watching Rory cut her burger into four pieces.

  “I’m not looking for work at the moment, and I haven’t practiced for a while now.”

  “You looked at Arthur and seemed to know what you were doing,” Jack said.

  “Sure, and you don’t forget what you learn, but I don’t want work, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be here yet.”

  She hadn’t raised her voice, still kept the same cool tone, but she looked cornered and clearly wanted this conversation done with.

  “You win the lottery or something?” Fin asked. Maggs was seated beside him stealing fries off his plate.

  “I’m having a break.”

  “Nice for some. You planning on selling the property?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Jack will buy it. He’s been after that place fo
r years.”

  Rory’s eyes swung to Jack.

  “Sure, it’s no secret, and she knows.”

  She looked away, but didn’t add anything, and he wanted to know what was going on inside her head.

  “How’s Ava going, Dylan?” Jack asked, changing the subject again. He had two sisters, and one of them was going through rehab for drugs.

  “Really good.”

  “I knew Ava,” Rory surprised him by saying.

  Dylan smiled. “She’s coming back to town next week. I’ll tell her you’re here.”

  “How come you knew her? Wasn’t she a few years behind you in school?” Jack asked.

  “It’s a small school.” Rory shrugged.

  “Oh come on, Princess Aurora May would not have dirtied her hands with someone beneath her,” Pip scoffed, making them laugh and lightening the mood. Rory even smiled.

  “It’s no big deal. Mrs. Doppler usually held detention,” she shrugged again.

  “She taught us to knit. Ava and I were the only ones who enjoyed it.”

  “My sister was in detention?”

  “A few times, and then we kind of enjoyed it and went a few more times.”

  “I never knew Ava could knit.”

  Dylan had been estranged from his sisters after leaving Ryker at a young age. They were now forging bonds.

  Rory nodded.

  “You still knit?” Jack asked her.

  “Not often.”

  “Your grandmother was a knitter. One time I went to help her with her firewood, and she made me learn.”

  “You knit?” She raised a brow.

  “He does. You wait right there, and I’ll show you.”

  “Aunt Jess,” Jack groaned. It wasn’t something he did often, but it was a hell of a thing: when his head was all over the place or something was bothering him, he would knit a few rows and it soothed him. Aunt Jess usually started something, and he worked on that occasionally.

  “Your value just went down,” Ted said, looking at him like he was some kind of weird object he couldn’t work out. “Bailey, if you want to bump me to last on the auction list now, instead of this loser, I’m good with that.”

  “Are you kidding me? The women will love that he has a softer side.”

  “There is nothing soft about me,” Jack drawled. “And I have no problem with people knowing I knit. I have enough masculinity to cover it. There’s also the fact my footwear is all male.”

  “How very Zen of you, Jack,” Maggs said, still eating Fin’s fries.

  Aunt Jess bustled back in with a bright pink sweater, gloves, scarf, and matching woolen hat.

  “We made these for Grace. Jack did the front, hat, and scarf, and I did the gloves and back of the sweater. Grace loves them.”

  Jack smiled as his niece waved her burger at him. Leaning forward, he took a bite. She puckered up. Grace loved giving kisses.

  “Come here, baby.” He lifted her onto his lap and snuggled. There was nothing like a little warm body who loved you unconditionally. Her hands went around his neck and she snuggled in.

  Jack caught the look Rory sent him. He couldn’t be certain but thought there was longing in her eyes.

  “Say hello to Rory, Gracie.”

  “’Lo.”

  “Hello, Grace.” Rory smiled. It was genuine and sweet, and hell, he felt it right in the place under his ribs where he got indigestion.

  “Tomorrow night is quiz night at Apple Sours. You all need to come and bring as many people as you can find,” Bailey said. “It’s the start of the fundraising for the kids’ trip.”

  “We’ll be there,” Joe said, hugging her.

  “And, of course, the bachelor auction is gaining momentum, especially with the main attraction, Jack, last.”

  “Aww, Bays, we’ve been through this, I really don’t want—”

  “Don’t be a selfish ass, you’ll make the most money, and it’s for a good cause,” Pip said, taking the last burger Jack had his eye on.

  “Why did that sound insulting?” Jack looked around the table.

  “Not insulting, truthful,” Maggs said. “You’re the hottest ticket in town, according to most of the women under the age of forty, and a few over it.”

  Rory laughed, but it turned into a cough. Fin passed her water, and Pip rubbed her back.

  “So, is that a yes?” Bailey looked hopeful.

  “He’s struggling with the notoriety,” Ted said. “Everywhere he goes, women are telling him they’re saving to buy him.”

  “You’re not serious?”

  “You stay out of this,” Jack told Rory.

  “Like you stay out of my stuff?”

  “That’s different, I’m well-meaning.”

  “Well-meaning, my ass!”

  “Don’t swear in front of the child,” he said to needle her. He felt alive sparring with Rory Haldane, something he hadn’t felt with a woman in a long while.

  “Sorry.” She shot a look at Pip, who waved her words away.

  “Don’t give it another thought, she’s surrounded by males who constantly speak that way.”

  “Please, Jack. We need the money you’ll bring in.”

  Mr. Howard and Mr. Goldhirsh added their weight to the argument, and Jack guessed that was only because they didn’t have to participate.

  The problem was, he didn’t like saying no to his sister-in-law. She’d had a tough life, and, well... he loved her.

  “I can’t understand why you’re fighting this,” Joe said as he ran a finger down his wife’s cheek. “And Luke, Ted, and Fin have already agreed.”

  The married members of his family were always touching.

  “Under duress,” Fin muttered.

  “And I didn’t agree,” Ted said. “I said you could use the lodge.”

  “Same thing.” Pip waved a fry at him.

  “Whatever.” Jack didn’t want to do it, but knew he’d have to or they’d make his life hell.

  “I thought you’d enjoy all those women talking about you. It doesn’t usually bother you,” Pip said.

  “How do you know?” he said before he could stop himself.

  His family all stopped what they were doing and studied him. Rory, he noted, was staring into the mug she still held in her hands.

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “When is this event? I need to make sure I’m out of town by then,” Rory said, surprising him by speaking, which took the focus off Jack.

  “You’ll enjoy it, Rory. We have so much fun entertainment prepared,” Bailey said. “There’s an auction of other things too, besides bachelors. It’s in a few weeks. Plus, you have to come to the quiz night.”

  “Do you have plenty of stuff for the auction?”

  “It’s coming in.”

  “I may be able to get a few things,” Rory added. “I’ll see if there’s time.”

  “Really? That would be amazing.” Bailey looked excited.

  “What things?” Jack asked.

  “Things.” She tried to glare at him, but as her eyes were watering, the effect wasn’t good.

  Jack raised a brow.

  “I know some people.”

  “We don’t want anyone killed.”

  “Ha, you’re hilarious,” she rasped.

  “But seriously, what you got?”

  She looked around the table and noticed she had everyone’s attention.

  “Tyrone Field is a friend. I could maybe get a small painting or something.”

  “No way!” Maggs squealed. “I love his work and have a piece in my gallery.”

  “Just something small,” Rory rushed to add. “I saved his dog once.”

  She was uncomfortable with the attention, Jack noted. In fact, she wasn’t comfortable sitting here surrounded by his friends and family, which told him she’d spent a lot of time alone. Had it been just her and Jackson Haldane for a while?

  “I also know Declan O’Donnell and Rosanna Howling.”

  “Now you’re messing with
us,” Ted said. “They’re two of my favorite writers.”

  Rory shrugged. “I visited them in Lake Howling before coming here.”

  “The sheriff of that town is a friend of Fin’s. Small world, isn’t it?” Joe said.

  “I’ll contact them. Now, if it’s okay with you, I need to head home.”

  “I’ll take you, I’m on duty soon,” Luke said, getting to his feet. “I’ll drop Ted too.”

  “You got enough wood?” Jack asked Rory.

  “Yes.”

  “Food?”

  “Yes again.”

  “Call if you need anything,” he added. “Do you have my cell?”

  “No, and I don’t need it, but thanks.” The last was tacked on reluctantly.

  “Give me your cell phone.” He held out his hand.

  “No.”

  “Now!”

  “I don’t have to.”

  “I’ll get it myself if you don’t.”

  She muttered but got it out. He put his number in, then handed it back.

  “Stay warm,” he added as she headed out with his brother and Ted.

  “What was that about?” Joe said after they’d left.

  “What?” Jack took the coffee Mr. Goldhirsh handed him.

  “The wood, food thing. The cell phone thing. In fact, all the above and some other stuff.”

  “I was just being neighborly.”

  “Sure, but that was more,” Pip said, giving him a look Jack knew well. The interrogation was about to begin.

  “It wasn’t more, and may I remind you that you wanted me to be nice to her because of the way you behaved that day in the cafe.”

  “Me!”

  Jack winced as she squealed.

  “Children,” Aunt Jess warned.

  “I’m telling you, he’s acting weird around Princess Aurora May, and it’s scary,” Piper said, undeterred.

  “I’m not acting weird,” Jack gritted out. “I’m being nice because someone has to. The woman’s alone, for Christ’s sake! I found her underneath a mattress the day Bas rang me to go help carry her stuff inside. Underneath!” He hadn’t meant to roar but it came out that way.

  “You said that already,” Dylan added. “And for the record, I think Pip’s right.”

  “Only because you’re married to her—and scared,” Joe added, making a clucking noise.

  “You can talk, Trainer, you’re totally whipped.”