“Hell. You’re not smothering me. It’s those damn tears. I don’t want to see them. I don’t want pity.”
“Well screw you, Colton Riley. These aren’t pity tears. These are tears of joy because I haven’t seen one of the most important people in my life in six years—and he wants nothing to do with me. You’re the one having the pity party. Not me.”
“Rachael.” Graham’s deep growl startled her. “Leave him alone.”
“Oh don’t worry.” She stood and walked away from Colton. “I will. Colton’s made it loud and clear he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Aw shit.” Colton spewed out another string of curses as he pushed himself out of the chair. “That’s not what I said and you know it. Christ. What happened to the girl who worshiped her brothers and did everything they told her to do?”
“You’ve been gone a long time, man. Rach doesn’t listen to any of us. Neither does Maggie. Or Sage. They all think they’re right and the hell of it is, they usually are. Hell, we’ve chosen women like Mom.”
Though inwardly softening, Rachael kept her arms crossed and her scowl deep. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, little sis.” Graham put her in a gentle headlock. “You’ve got a lot to learn about men.”
“Jake is the only man I know.”
“And she’s feisty too. I like this new Rachael. Text me when the pie is ready and I’ll send you the address.” Colton nodded to Graham and limped out the front door.
“That went well,” Rachael said as she pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I don’t even have his number.”
Chapter Fourteen
Rachael
Colton had been true to his word and texted Rachael his address the following day. She’d plugged it into her GPS and followed the directions out to a rusted out trailer situated on a big open field just a few miles past their mom’s house.
He’d greeted her stonily on the rotting doorstep, didn’t invite her inside but thanked her for the pie. They exchanged short texts off and on for a few days, and when she invited him to a family barbeque a week later, he surprisingly agreed. From what she’d heard, Colton had stopped in to see Doreen twice and showed up at Luke’s doorstep a few nights after the party. Other than that, he’d stayed recluse.
Every night Jake worked hard to comfort Rachael, wrapping her in a warm embrace and covering her with kisses. He was an excellent distraction at night, but she worried about her brother during the day while she baked in solitude of her kitchens.
Rachael climbed out of bed and got dressed for work. She hated leaving Jake’s arms so early in the morning. Sitting on the bed and letting out a loud sigh, she pouted. “Our work schedules don’t exactly mesh, do they?”
“We have some afternoons and evenings. I’ll take it.”
“I love having Mondays and Tuesdays off, but I’d rather have a day with you. It would be nice to have an entire day together. To stay out late, sleep in, and do something fun.”
“And what would you plan on doing with said day off?” Jake toyed with the strings to her apron. “Because I’m having plenty of fun during the night with you.”
Rachael slapped his hand away from her thigh. “I need to go.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“That’s because you turned it into something sexual.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Jake scooted to a sitting position, his back resting against the headboard.
“You’re relentless.” She leaned in and kissed his nose. “Dinner at my mom’s tonight. Be there at six. Colton is supposed to come.”
“I still don’t know why I can’t come with you earlier.”
“I already told you, my mom and I are making dinner and you’ll be a distraction. I can’t cook with you hovering and touching me.”
“Your mom will be our chaperone. I’ll be good. Promise.”
Rolling her eyes, Rachael stood and shook her head. “You have my mom wrapped around your finger as well. No. I’ll see you at six.”
“As well? Does that mean I have you wrapped around my finger too?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Biting back a smile, Rachael crossed her arms, ignoring his question. “Graham will probably still aggravate you and Luke will drill you with ruthless questions as well. Colton will be…well, you were great with him last time.”
“Your brother doesn’t aggravate me, and Luke was cool to me at the party. Colton isn’t going to bark at me unless I bark first. Besides, the women will be there to keep your brothers in line, right?”
“They will, which will mean more chatter, more distractions, and Luke and Graham will take the opportunities to make you uncomfortable.”
“They didn’t do this with Dylan the dickhead?”
“I take that back. You fit in perfectly with them.” Rachael gathered her hair and tugged it back into a ponytail. “As for Dylan, they never got a chance. I kept him a secret and then took off for California. You can bet they won’t let you or anyone else slip through the cracks.”
His face hardened and he jumped out of bed, backing Rachael to the wall, her hand trapped in her hair. “Just me, Rachael. No one else.”
“I didn’t mean…I…” Rachael lowered her head and he tilted her chin until her eyes met his. She wasn’t scared of his sudden movement or being trapped. Jake’s eyes held her hostage, but it was the cloud of doubt and insecurity in them that had her softening.
“Shit. I didn’t mean to sound so territorial.” Jake lowered his hands and rested them on her hips. “I don’t like thinking of any man coming after me. I love you. I have promises I want to make to you. Not now. Not when you’re rushing off to work or I’m hurrying to a class or a job site. When we have those long, leisurely days we’ve been talking about, I’ll share those promises with you. I may not be perfect, but I’m a man of my word.”
“I’ve never doubted you, Jake.” She settled her palms on his chest and placed a kiss over his heart.
“Yes, you have, and I gave you good reason to. When I make you promises I don’t want you to have any trace of doubt in your eyes. Or in your heart. When you’re ready, I’ll make them to you.”
Jake kissed the top of her head and drew her into his arms, holding her so tight she could feel their hearts beat as one. Heat and passion and calmness rushed through her simultaneously. That’s what Jake did to her. Caused a mess of emotions, mostly good, yet sometimes confusing. She’d never felt so loved, so complete, so satisfied, as if all the crazy, windy roads she’d taken over the past few years finally came together into one direct path.
To Jake.
“I need to go,” she said with regret. “The strata isn’t going to make itself.”
“I know. I’ll see you tonight. I’ll make you proud. That, I can promise.”
“I have no doubt.”
***
The hum of a motorcycle brought a grin as wide as the Atlantic to Rachael’s face.
“Boyfriend’s here,” Lucy stated the obvious.
“Go greet him. I’ll keep an eye on the pies.” Doreen waved her away with a dishtowel and lightly swatted Lucy’s backside with it. “Shush, you. We don’t want to scare the poor man away.”
“Oh, she’s tried, trust me, Mom. Jake can handle Lucy. It’s your sons I’m worried about.” They had been on their best behavior at Maggie and Graham’s shower, but tonight was a more casual gathering. At least, that was the intent.
Tonight, however, she was more concerned about Colton than Jake.
“Imagine if Blake were here as well.” Lucy, a fan of family arguments, grinned.
Rolling her eyes, Rachael hurried to the front door, hoping to catch Jake before her brothers came through the house. She stepped out on to the front porch just as Luke, Graham, Sage, and Maggie rounded the corner from the backyard.
“Nice bike.” Luke brushed his hand across the handlebars, giving them a closer inspection. “You customized it?” He gave the bike a thorough once-over before maki
ng eye contact with Jake.
“Yeah, it’s sort of customized, but that’s only because I used whatever parts I could get my hands on.”
He had told Rachael the story of the bike, how it had belonged to his grandfather who rode it every Sunday until his arthritis got too bad. When he died Jake was still in prison and the bike had been left in the rain and neglected. It gave Jake a purpose when he got out. Rebuild the bike, work with his hands, keep himself out of trouble.
“You’re not getting a bike, Luke,” Sage warned.
“You’d look hot on the back of one. I know you’d love it once you went for a ride.” Luke grinned.
“Want to take her for a ride?” Jake held out the keys.
Luke’s excitement was contagious and Sage had to laugh. “Fine. But only up and down the road. And no wheelies or anything stupid.”
“Think that toy can hold you?” Graham teased.
Jake tossed Luke the keys and handed his helmet to Sage. “Sorry. I didn’t bring another helmet. You’ll need to wear this.”
“Damn straight I am.” She shoved the helmet over her head and strapped it on.
“Definitely hot.” Luke kissed her before jumping on the bike.
Jake opened up the pouch on the back of the bike and withdrew a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers before they took off.
“Don’t get any ideas,” Maggie warned Graham. “You have your toys in the sky. Let Luke and Jake have theirs on the ground.
“I’ve got you, Mags. What else could I possibly need?”
“Oh, gag me,” Lucy whined behind them.
Once Luke and Sage were out of the driveway, Jake turned to Rachael. “Well, hello.” He kissed her briefly, and tastefully, before turning to the others. “Nice to see you all again.”
“Nice trick there, buying my brother’s approval by letting him take your bike for a spin.” Graham tried to come off as abrasive, but the shine in his eyes gave him away.
“Works every time.”
Rachael swatted at him playfully and he pinned her arms behind her back before kissing her again.
“Enough with the lip-lock. This is a family establishment. Now give me those flowers before you crush them to death.” Lucy huffed before stomping back in the house.
“They’re for your mother,” Jake called after her.
“She needs to get laid.”
“Graham!” Maggie reprimanded and pushed him away.
“I’m talking about Lucy, not Mom. That’s gross.” Graham jogged away before Maggie could slap some manners into him.
“Come on, Rachael. Let’s go inside and let the guys be…guys.”
The evening couldn’t have gone better if Rachael had scripted out the scene. Granted, Colton remained aloof, but he was there sitting in a camp chair around the fire with his brothers. The men made sure there were no chili or cornbread leftovers before cleaning up the kitchen.
Proving his mother did raise him right, Jake offered to help in the kitchen, but Doreen wouldn’t hear of it. “You’re our guest. And you brought me beautiful flowers.”
“You always told me flowers were a waste of money,” Graham whined.
“That’s because you would send me some ostentatious display instead of coming to visit me. Besides, you know me better than that. Simple is best. The wildflowers Jake picked out are perfect.”
“Kiss ass,” Graham mumbled.
And just like that, Jake fit in to the realm of the Riley family. Jokes, sarcasm, support, and friendship. When the last dish was dried and put away, Rachael opened the oven and retrieved the tray of pies keeping warm. Maggie found the vanilla ice cream in the freezer while Sage grabbed a pile of paper plates and forks from the pantry.
This was one of Rachael’s favorite memories growing up. Having a fire and hanging out in the backyard. On special occasions they’d roast marshmallows and even set up their tents during warm summer nights.
“Remember that time we had the baseball team over and camped out here?” Graham started after tossing his dirty plate into the fire. “We must have had six tents and three or four people in each. Rach was so mad that she couldn’t camp with us.” At the time she’d been the only girl in the house; Lucy hadn’t been adopted until Rachael graduated and by then the boys had moved on to college, the military, or work.
“I don’t see what the big deal was.” Rachael nestled into Jake’s lap, his arms cocooning her tight.
“Colton found her in Brad’s tent and nearly shit a brick.”
“These stories are better told without me. I’m going to head in for the night.” Doreen got up from her chair and everyone stood.
“Thank you for having me and for the wonderful dinner.” Jake stood, plopping Rachael on her feet, and Doreen drew him in for a hug. Rachael watched his body relax in her mother’s arms and her heart glowed.
“Rachael deserves the thanks for dinner. All I did was provide the table. You’re welcome any time, Jake.” She passed around hugs and kisses to everyone before heading inside. Colton didn’t get any special treatment from Doreen, just the same five-second hug and kiss on both cheeks as everyone else.
“So tell me about this Brad guy,” Jake said once Rachael was cozy on his lap again.
“That’s not necessary. Let’s hear about the time Colton hid a snake in Blake’s bed or the time Graham got caught with two girls. Twins.”
“Graham Riley!” Maggie scolded.
“Rach. You really want to go there?”
Smug that she had the upper hand, she twisted her body sideways so she could see the fire and Jake while she listened to Graham stumble over the story. It really wasn’t as bad as it sounded. He’d been dating Emily Bishop, but she wanted to date Colton so she asked her sister Molly to pretend to be her. Molly had been crushing on Graham forever so it was no hardship for her, but when Colton turned Emily down she went back to Graham. And then he found he had his hands full. The Bishop girls had no problem sharing him, but he wasn’t into the ménage thing, thus breaking the hearts of both of them.
“Sounds like the Riley siblings have a lot of stories to tell.”
“How about you, Morgan? Got any skeletons in your closet you’d like to share with us?”
Jake tensed and surveyed Rachael for a clue. “I haven’t told them anything,” she said softly, only for his ears. “I swear.”
She read the struggle in his face. He could laugh it off as if he didn’t have any stories to hide, or he could open up and let her family see where he’d come from and how he’d changed. Just as all of them had dug themselves out of some dark, hopeless hole.
“Actually, as of three o’clock yesterday, I’m a free man.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Rachael stroked his face, his ear, his neck, turning him toward her.
“You don’t have to do this,” she said into his mouth.
Jake kissed her back and pulled away with a sad smile. “Yeah, I do.” He laced his fingers with Rachael’s and kept his gaze on the fire, avoiding eye contact with her brothers and sister.
“When I was a teen I was a punk. A total loser.”
“Join the club, man,” Graham called out.
Jake nodded. “I got myself into some serious shit. Drugs. Alcohol. Theft. You name it. I dropped out of high school. Anyway, Julia, my twin sister, she went off to college and I stuck around here working odd jobs, never holding one down for too long. Bosses tend to get pissy when you don’t show up to work on time, or show up drunk. Or hungover.”
“Been there, done that too. Although I think Blake may hold the record for most jobs lost,” Graham said. Blake and Colton had gotten into the most trouble as teens, nothing too serious, but enough to keep the police at the Rileys’ doorstep almost weekly.
“I was high or drunk for pretty much the entire time my sister was away at college and grad school. On the night of her graduation…” Oh, Rachael’s heart swelled with pride. With sorrow. With love. “I took off to go to a bar with Squeek, Snake, and Wolf.”
“W
hat?” Colton leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees.
“Sorry.” Jake squirmed in his seat, tightening his hold on Rachael’s hand. “The crowd I ran with. We didn’t use names. I honestly don’t know if we actually knew each other’s real names. Didn’t care.”
“What was your nickname?” Lucy asked, just as intrigued as everyone else. Rachael was as well; this was part of the story she hadn’t heard.
“Spider. I was quick. Good at climbing fences, walls. Escaping the police.” Letting out a deep sigh, he continued. “Julia just wanted to hang out with her brother. She thought she could save me, you know? She followed us to a bar in Portland and I yelled at her for dancing with Snake. Next thing I know he slithers out of there with her. Too pissed off to care, I drank nearly a fifth of Jim Beam.”
Rachael could relate to Julia, just wanting to fit in and spend time with her brothers; they were connected in so many ways.
“Next thing I know, I’m waking up from my hangover and my phone has blown up with messages from my parents. They’d been at the hospital all night. Julia had been in an accident. I stayed by her side for nearly a week. When she came to from her coma and was diagnosed with brain damage, I went looking for Snake. He’d been the last one to see her. She had traces of opiates in her blood. Julia didn’t do drugs. Ever. Next thing I hear, Snake’s moved outta state with his bimbo girlfriend, so I took my anger out on the next best thing. Wolf happened to be there. He was an asshole anyway. I caused some permanent damage to him and did time for aggravated assault. Since it wasn’t my first time, the judge went pretty harsh on me. But I can honestly say, I’ve been sober and non-violent ever since.”
Rachael smoothed her hand up and down his arm, doing her best to ease out the tension in his body.
“However, if I ever see Snake again…”
Colton let out a string of curses and shoved awkwardly to his feet. She didn’t like the rage she saw in his eyes. “What is it, Colton?”
“Nothing.”
The tension in the air, not from Jake’s story but from Colton’s rapid breathing and flaring nostrils, scared her.
Strawberry Kisses (A Rocky Harbor Novel Book 2) Page 18
