by Jen Talty
“Just that you come from a long line of military men, that we work together, and you’re a nice Christian boy.”
His moist breath tickled her skin, sending warm pulses to the places he’d played like a harp that glorious night.
“I’m nice, but I’m no boy,” he teased.
“Yeah, I know,” she whispered. Her chest tightened, and her muscles turned to putty.
His mouth hovered centimeters from hers. His gazed dipped between her lips and eyes.
“Declan?”
“Yeah,” he whispered.
“Are you going to kiss me?” She held her breath, not understanding why she’d asked the silly question, or why she needed to feel his skin on hers. Comfort. That’s all it was. The need to feel connected to another human.
He nodded just as his tongue slipped between her lips. An audible groan filled her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders. Her fingers dug into his thick muscles. The smell of strawberries filled the inside of the car, making her dizzy.
Tap, tap.
She jumped back, turning her head, coming face to face with her baby sister, Lilly, who stood with her face scrunched against the window, giggling. Her bonnet covered her long, blonde hair. She danced in a circle with her blue floral dress twirling around her skinny body. At eleven, she was still so pure and innocent. Part of Becca had to appreciate the lifestyle to which she’d been born just for that reason.
“She’s cute,” Declan mused.
But she focused on her father as he stepped from the front door. He stood tall at six two and had an intimidating, broad frame. At fifty, he looked fitter than most men half his age. His dark, curly hair touched the collar of his blue button-down shirt. His beard, trimmed short, was dotted with grey hair. His turquoise eyes caught the sun, making them a sharper green that commanded respect.
People who didn’t know her father might be terrified of him, but he was really a big, old teddy bear. Loving, kind, generous, and always the voice of reason. His family had lived more in the modern world than her mother’s and it had caused some friction in the family, but as the years went on, she believed her mother had seen that the twenty-first century wasn’t as horrible as she thought.
“Is that your father?”
“That’s him.”
“I think I’ll drop you off here and go find a hotel,” Declan said with a slight tremble to his voice.
She laughed. “His bark is worse than his bite.”
“I doubt that, and he thinks I’m your boyfriend?”
Lilly lifted her dress and raced up the porch steps. “I saw them kissing!”
“Shit, I’m a dead man walking.”
Chapter 3
Declan had met many a father over the years and not a single one intimidated him like Dr. Knowles. Declan had no idea what it was about the man that made him want to run and hide under a rock like a little boy who’d just sloshed mud all over the house.
He sucked in a deep breath and held out his hand. “Dr. Knowles,” he said hoping his tone sounded confident and worthy of being the man for Becca in her father’s eyes.
“You must be Declan. Thanks for bringing my daughter home.” Dr. Knowles gripped his hand, perhaps a little too firmly.
Declan did his best not to wince. “My pleasure and I’ll do whatever it takes to find Trisha.” One thing he’d learned is that her family used their full names, not the shortened versions, so he figured he should do the same.
Lilly had jumped up on Becca, wrapping her legs around her waist. “How long are you home for?” she asked.
“I only have a couple days off of work.” Becca gave her sister a butterfly kiss.
Declan smiled, remembering his mother doing the very same thing every night after bedtime prayers.
“We might be able to get a few more if we need them,” Declan added, and quickly wished he hadn’t when Becca glared at him.
“Lilly, why don’t you go get some tea and some of Mom’s banana nut muffins,” Dr. Knowles said.
“Sure thing, Daddy.” Lilly raced off into the house, letting the front screen door slam shut.
Her father offered one of the rocking chairs and Declan eased back, squirming a little as Becca sat down next to him, with her father next to her, his emerald orbs eyeing him suspiciously.
“I can’t believe how much she’s grown since I was home last.”
“I’m just glad she’s still daddy’s little girl. I’m dreading when she blossoms into a young woman,” her father said, wiping his brow.
“It happens to all of us,” Becca said.
“Well, you wait. Someday you two will have kids—”
“Dad. We’ve been dating a month. Really.”
Declan felt his cheeks heat, remembering the one night they had together. Their naked bodies tangled up against her counter.
Hearing her call out his name as she orgasmed in his mouth. Nothing had ever felt so right than being with her, but he’d screwed that up.
And if he didn’t get his mind out of her pants, he’d end up making an ass out of himself in front of her parents.
“Becca tells us your family’s roots are actually Quaker.”
“Well, my great-grandparents were Quakers. My grandfather received a recommendation for the Air Force Academy and left, though he never really left the church. My dad also went to the Academy, met my mom, who is Lutheran, and that’s how I was raised.”
“You still go to church?” her father asked.
“Dad, can we save the twenty questions, please?”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” Declan said, taking in a deep breath. His religious upbringing had been a bone of contention with Vivian from the get-go. He didn’t expect her to believe, but he at least wanted her to respect his family and their lifestyle. Answering her father’s questions was the least he could do to help ease the man’s mind.
Even if right now he was the fake boyfriend, something he intended to remedy.
“My work often prevents me from attending every Sunday, but it doesn’t prevent me from staying close to my roots or having a relationship with God.” His mother would be gushing with pride if she’d heard him right now. She’d always worried he’d become hardened, but truth be told, religion, and God, gave him a sense of being grounded. A purpose bigger than himself. “Becca—I mean Rebecca—and I have gone a few times together.” That hadn’t been a lie and he'd been grateful for her company.
Becca’s thick lashes fluttered over her blue-green eyes as she folded her hands in her lap. It wasn’t a gesture of shame, or even embarrassment. More like sweet innocence. She glanced up and smiled.
“Don’t feel like you need to use her full name. We know she prefers Becca, and we try to call her that.”
“Not often enough,” Becca said with a teasing tone.
Declan let out a long breath. His heart thumped unevenly in his chest.
“Did you know that Lilly wants to be a firefighter, just like her big sister? There was a fire in town last week while we were all there, and Lilly couldn’t wait to go talk with the firemen,” Dr. Knowles said with a sense of pride as he puffed out his chest.
“I bet that really upset Mom,” Becca said.
“Actually, she told Lilly that she thought it was a great idea if maybe she stayed close to home to do it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Becca said with her mouth gaping open. “Mom is encouraging such a male-dominated profession for her little girl?”
Declan couldn’t help but smile. It was rare that anything shocked Becca, and he enjoyed how her sweet eyes grew wide with surprise.
“Your mother is very proud of you, just neither one of us liked how you did it, so we’re trying to be a little more supportive of Lilly and her dreams. She’s so much like you that it’s uncanny. She’s not afraid to be herself, and honestly, that’s a breath of fresh air after dealing with Trisha. She’s so busy trying to shock us, that she’s never had the chance to find herself.”
&nbs
p; “Dr. Knowles—”
“You’re a grown man who happens to be dating my daughter. While I appreciate the gesture of respect, please call me George.”
“George,” Declan said, swallowing, trying not to cough on the word ‘dating’. “Becca had told me a little bit about what is going on, and we’ve got a former Navy SEAL, who is the best in finding people, helping us. He’s already got some information on the young man you believe Trisha left with.”
George ran a hand down his face, scratching at his beard before bringing his thumb and forefinger together at the tip. “We thought what Becca went through was some serious rebelling, but Becca was never disrespectful about it. She did everything she was supposed to do. She got good grades, did her chores, worked the farm or at the store. She just had dreams that weren’t part of our lifestyle.”
“And I up and left in the middle of the night, setting a bad example,” Becca said.
“You did what you had to, and we know now that we were wrong in trying to get you to be something you’re not.” George’s eyes glazed over. “Just a few months ago, Trish said she wanted to be a lawyer. We decided we needed to encourage that and then she met Byron and things got worse.”
“It’s not your fault,” Becca said, leaning over and resting her hand over her father’s.
“It’s hard not to blame ourselves for Trish’s problems. For not seeing them soon enough.”
“I spoke to Trish before she met that jerk, and it was just normal teenage angst. I think she was scared she wouldn’t get into college, or that you wouldn’t let her live on campus. When I talked to her last month, after she started dating Bryon, she barely even spoke of college.”
Declan glanced around the farm that stretched on forever. It was a beautiful piece of land, something he had no concept of growing up north of New York City, except for the few summers he’d spent in Lake George. But otherwise, his youth was filled with houses on top of one another, street ball, and he never lacked for a neighbor to play with.
It was both good and bad because half the neighborhood was nothing but trouble. The other half, like him, trying to walk that fine line between being good and being a kid.
He imagined this lifestyle was both good and bad as well.
“I forbid her from seeing that man, and she thought it was just because he wasn’t a Mennonite, but he’d been busted selling drugs to kids near the school.”
“Dad, you did the right thing there. What our friend found out isn’t good.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” George said.
“Someone want to open the door, please?” Lilly yelled, breaking the growing tension and fear that filled the air like a thick fog.
Declan leapt from his seat, helping the young girl with a tray filled with a pitcher, glasses, and muffins that smelled as if they just came out of the oven.
His mouth watered.
“He’s handsome” Lilly said, giggling in her sister’s ear.
“Yes, he is,” Becca whispered.
Her smile sucker-punched Declan. He took a sip of the sweet tea, glancing down the road as a brown SUV came into sight.
“Here’s your mother.”
“Mom is driving?” Becca’s voice screeched.
“You haven’t been home for a while,” her father said with a tinge of a smile. “Things change.”
“I can’t believe it.” Becca rocked back and forth on the rocking chair with her little sister on her lap. “When did she get her license?”
“About a year ago, but it’s only been in the last six months that she’s been going off alone.”
“Go, Mom,” Becca said, pushing her sister off her lap. She stood, took one step, and tripped, though Declan had no idea on what.
Her arms flapped about wildly.
He reached out to catch her, but it was too late. She did a face-plant on the porch with a thud and a groan.
George burst out laughing.
Lilly plopped herself on the wood floor next to her sister, brushing back her hair. “I hope you don’t do that when you fight fires. That would be bad.”
“You okay?” Declan asked, trying to bite back a laugh.
“I’m fine,” Becca muttered.
A tall boy—no, man—no, wait—a boy, stepped from the vehicle. He looked just like George, only scrawny, sort of. His hair was lighter, and he had no beard, but he was still a force.
“Hey look, it’s klutzbutt,” the boy said, pointing. He wore a short-sleeved blue button-down shirt with dark slacks.
“Don’t call your sister that.” A woman with long, blonde hair, much like Becca’s, emerged from the driver’s seat. She wore a modest, long, plaid dress. She carried herself with style and grace.
“Well, she is a klutz,” the boy said, jogging up the stairs, carrying a couple of bags. He dropped them by the door.
“Doesn’t mean you should call her names,” George said. “Declan, this is my youngest son, James, and my beautiful bride, Laurie.”
“Nice to meet you both, though I’m sorry for the circumstances.” Declan helped Becca to her feet, looping his arm around her waist, resisting the urge to kiss her.
Laurie pulled Becca in and hugged her tight. She squeezed her eyes closed, and Declan wondered if she would ever let go.
“So, you’re the guy my sister is dating these days? I should warn you, she falls down a lot,” James said.
“I know. We had a birthday party for a buddy of ours, and she face-planted right into the cake.”
“Classic klutzbutt.”
“James Michael Knowles. What have I told you about picking on your sisters?” George said with a stern voice that made Declan stand up straighter.
“Sorry, sir,” James said.
“Why don’t you and Lilly go out to the barn and finish your chores.”
“Now?” James protested.
“Now,” George repeated.
James took Lilly by the hand and scoffed off down the porch steps.
“Now that they are out of earshot, I think we need to discuss the hard, cold facts,” Declan said, staring at mother and daughter as they hugged each other for dear life.
Chapter 4
“You look different.”
Becca stepped from her mother’s embrace and swallowed. Her mother had always been able to read her emotions and sense changes that her body went through. Two days before she’d gotten her period for the first time, her mother entered her bedroom with a box of various sanitary women’s products. While her parents were old-fashioned as hell, they did have all the necessary talks with their children, often to the point of embarrassment.
“I can’t put my finger on it, but something has changed,” her mother said, holding Becca by her biceps, rubbing her soft, motherly hands up and down. “Maybe it’s this young man?”
“Enough with pushing Declan and I, okay?”
“I’m not pushing.” Her mother narrowed her eyes, tilting her head, as if she peered into Becca’s brain, plucking out the fact she was pregnant. “But you sounded so excited about him when we last spoke,” her mother said as if Declan wasn’t even standing across the porch.
Becca stole a glance in his direction. He had shoved his hands into his pockets, with his chin lowered, but his gaze was all on her as if he was trying to figure out what her mother had meant.
“Laurie, it’s one thing to make our daughter blush, but something else entirely to make her boyfriend uncomfortable, who happens to be a guest in our home.”
Her mother nodded, kissing Becca’s cheek. “He’s quite handsome,” she whispered, hopefully so softly that Declan didn’t hear.
Poor man must feel like a slab of beef at this point.
“I don’t mean to be so forward, but do you mind if I go through Trish’s room? We’d like to head over to Byron’s last known address before it gets too dark.” Leave it to Declan to get right down to business and thankfully, change the damn subject.
“Not at all,” her father said. “Honey, why d
on’t we let them search, since we’ve already done so.”
“And you found nothing?” Becca felt a sudden sense of nausea. She gripped Declan’s forearm for support. There weren’t too many hiding places in their bedrooms. They had no doors on their closets. Not because of lack of trust; the house had just always been that way. There were only two bathrooms upstairs, and all five kids had to share one, while her parents had the other. There was a single water closet on the main floor that also housed the washer and dryer.
Her mother shook her head, sniffling. “I shouldn’t have yelled at her.”
“Ma don’t do that to yourself. Trish had no right to treat you and Dad like she has been.”
“I don’t know where I went wrong with—”
“Don’t talk like that.” Instinctively, Becca covered her stomach. A mother’s role was to love and protect, teach and lead by example. Her parents walked the same line they talked. There was nothing fake about them, and they were always loving and kind, even when they had to discipline their children.
Just a little on the rigid side and overbearing, but thinking about the life growing inside her belly, Becca could actually understand why.
“You did nothing wrong, and we’ll find Trish and hopefully talk some sense into her.”
“You’re a good child.” Her mother cupped Becca’s cheek and gave it a good pat. “It’s getting close to the dinner hour. I’ll go make you some sandwiches for the road. I’ve also made up Edwin’s old room for Declan.”
“Thanks.” Becca took Declan by the hand and led him quietly through the foyer, down the hall, and up the one staircase near the kitchen. Their parents had taken down the dated wallpaper and finally painted the walls various earth tones that she’d picked out years ago. Light browns, tans, a russet red in the dining room, a mustard yellow in the kitchen, and as she passed her old bedroom, she had to do a double take.
“What is it?”
“My parents finally painted my room a light green. I’d always wanted a green room instead of the floral wallpaper I’d grown up with.”
