Love & Devotion

by Jove Belle

  “She’ll think I’m hitting on her.”

  “Not if you don’t look at her like she’s an appetizer. Seriously, KC, do lesbians not know the difference between having coffee with friends and inviting them to have sex?”

  Emma and KC looked at each other, then turned toward Kendall at the same time. “Aren’t they the same thing?” Emma asked.

  “Lord,” Kendall said. “I swear, you two. Just ask if you can get together to talk sometime. Tell her Mr. Truvall is worried about her. That doesn’t sound like a come-on, does it?”

  “Give it a rest. I’ll talk to her when I see her on Sunday.” KC felt superior. No way Kendall could argue with that. There was no point in approaching Leann in public today when she could wait a couple of days and speak to her in private.

  Kendall wasn’t deterred. “You won’t be here Sunday, remember?”

  “It’s true. We’re going to Austin.” Emma wasn’t helping by throwing in her dose of reality.

  “Kendall, I don’t want to. Tell me why she can’t talk to Mrs. Truvall. Why me?” KC bordered on whiney and was irritating even herself. Still, she didn’t want to go, dammit.

  “Maybe he thinks you can teach her something about being a lesbian that you haven’t taught Mrs. Truvall.” Kendall smirked.

  “Seriously? What the hell is that even supposed to mean?” KC couldn’t believe Kendall would go there. Emma was sitting right here. Short of smacking Kendall in the head and saying shut the fuck up, she couldn’t think of a way to effectively communicate that she hadn’t told Emma about the affair.

  For her part, Emma stared at her plate, then took another bite. No reaction to Kendall’s big reveal at all.

  “It means that if you have a heart at all, you need to try to help her. Yes, it’s awkward. But think, for just a second, about how you felt at seventeen. Go talk to the girl.”

  “Okay.” KC pushed back her chair. This was such a bad idea, but she’d promised Glen. Kendall and Emma stared at her like she needed to do something. She had no choice but to cross the dining room and slide into the booth Lonnie had just vacated opposite Leann.

  “Hey.” Smooth opening. If Leann didn’t confide in her after that, she never would.

  “What do you want?” Leann looked at KC levelly, not even the hint of a smile. This wasn’t the girl who sat at the same table with her every Sunday.

  “Just to say hi.” Now that she was here, she had no clue what to say, and so far she was fucking it up. “How are you?”

  “Seriously? Our entire relationship can be condensed to a series of polite greetings, and suddenly you show up looking to be friends? I don’t think so.” She folded her arms.

  KC evaluated Leann. Whatever was going on with her, KC couldn’t help unless she could convince her to talk. “I just thought you might want to talk.” KC shrugged.

  “Christ. Did she tell you?” Leann was on the verge of yelling. “I’m fine.”

  “Actually, your daddy came to see me last night. He’s worried. I imagine your mama is, too.” KC left out the part where she hadn’t talked to Lonnie about her. She was still trying to figure out why that was, and she didn’t want to explore the details with Leann.

  Leann tossed her napkin onto her plate and crossed her arms. KC remembered doing the same moves in high school. She was trying to look bored and nonchalant, but came across as angry and pouting. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “Okay, that’s probably true. But they still are. Parents do that.” She needed to find middle ground. She couldn’t recall Leann ever being so defiant in the past. “Mine did it, too, when I was seventeen.”

  “Did they send someone around to harass you about it?”

  “Harass? Leann, that’s not what this is. I just want to help if I can.”

  “I don’t want your help.” Leann put way too much emphasis on your, and KC was starting to take it personally.

  “Okay, this is going nowhere. I promised your daddy I’d talk to you.” KC tried to sort her thoughts. Leann’s attitude was making her angry and she needed to step back. “I’m headed out of town this weekend. I’ll check with you some time next week.”

  “No. I don’t want to talk. Even if I did, I wouldn’t talk to you.”

  “Why not?” KC was done with Leann’s attitude. She needed to get over it, and soon.

  “Because,” Leann spoke through gritted teeth and leaned close to the KC, “you’re fucking my mother.”

  “Oh.” KC reeled. She had no answer for that, but so many questions. So much for discretion. She could feel the fabric of her life unraveling.

  “KC, how nice to see you.” Lonnie had returned from the bathroom and waited at the edge of the table for KC to relinquish her seat.

  “Perfect.” Leann made a disgusted noise and slid out of the booth. “I’ll wait in the car.”

  “Leann, wait.” KC called after her, but Leann didn’t slow.

  “Let her go, sugar.” Lonnie touched her shoulder and her hand threatened to melt right through her skin. Lonnie squeezed, then shifted to the seat Leann had vacated. She smiled, predatory and wanting. “I’d hoped you would follow me.” She left the statement open like a question.

  “Leann knows.” With that knowledge fresh in her mind, KC couldn’t flirt.

  “Knows what?” Lonnie pitched her voice low and smooth. The subject of conversation had shifted, but Lonnie’s thoughts were single-track.

  “About us.” KC worked to keep her face neutral. She felt exposed and dirty. “She knows about us.”

  “I’m aware of that.” Lonnie sat posture-perfect, her hands folded in her lap. Her voice no longer oozed seduction. “I told her.”

  “What?” KC was incredulous. Lonnie had made her promise, over and over, to tell no one. Their future depended upon discretion. She shook her head and asked again, “What?”

  “Glen came to your house last night, right?” Lonnie asked.

  KC nodded. She wasn’t able to connect her question to Lonnie’s. It answered nothing.

  “She’s confused and scared and angry. I thought knowing that I understand what she feels like—”

  “Are you fucking kidding me, Lonnie?” How could learning her mother was having an affair help a fucked-up kid cope? Even as self-absorbed as KC had been recently, she was sure that wasn’t the answer.

  “I was desperate.” Lonnie shrugged like it was no big deal.

  “And you didn’t think to tell me?” KC was numb. This was a disaster.

  “Relax. I’m not in the habit of talking to you about my family problems.”

  “Your family problems?” KC shook her head, speechless. “I gotta go.” She didn’t try to keep the anger out of her tone. She was flat-out pissed off, and Lonnie seemed clueless as to why. Or she just didn’t care.

  “Wait, sugar, I want to see you later.” Lonnie was back on point toward seduction.

  “I already have plans.” KC shook her head and walked away. Lonnie wasn’t the woman KC believed her to be.

  Breakfast had been delivered while she was gone. Kendall and Emma were halfway through their pancakes and French toast respectively. Emma smiled, sad and sweet, and kept eating.

  “Everything okay?” Kendall asked.

  “Yeah. Thanks.” KC hands shook when she unfurled her napkin. “Tell me about our plan.”

  “It’s not very complicated. We wait until nine thirty, then head over and hijack Trina.”

  “She really doesn’t know we’re coming?” KC didn’t agree with this part of Kendall’s plan. Trina was a grown woman. She deserved a say in her fate.

  Kendall shook her head. “She’d tell us not to.”

  “What about Mama and Daddy?” KC picked at her oatmeal, her appetite gone.

  “Daddy’d shoot him,” Kendall said.

  To KC’s mind, that wasn’t a bad thing. Except she’d like to torture him first, draw it out a little before letting Daddy do him in. “Let him.”

  “I agree.” Kendall finished eating and dr
opped her napkin on her plate. Nerves always made her eat faster than normal. “But let’s get Trina out of the blast zone first.”

  “Makes sense,” Emma said.

  Life was a mess. KC supposed she should be thankful things hadn’t blown up completely. She’d had a year to enjoy Lonnie. She’d always known the relationship was destined to end, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to let go. As much as she needed to sort it all out, the troubles with Trina were much more immediate. Her own problems could wait.

  Kendall looked at her watch and dropped a couple of bills on the table. “Nine twenty. Time to go.”

  All hell was about to break loose. KC focused on her family, resolved not to give Lonnie another thought.

  Chapter Seven

  “Emma’s here.” Trina let the curtain drop back into place over the kitchen window. Since Trina had moved in, she’d been hypersensitive to any unusual sounds. A car pulling into the driveway sent her on high alert.

  KC unlocked the side door. They’d added deadbolts to both entrances. KC had debated an alarm system as well, but Trina resisted. Trina worried about the cost. KC worried about Trina.

  “You sure you’ll be okay alone this weekend?” KC was torn. When she’d agreed to go with Emma, she’d had no idea that Trina and Buddy would be moving in. “Emma would understand.”

  Trina deftly answered around the question. “I know. But this is a big deal for her. You should go.”

  “I’d feel better if we had an alarm system.” They still had time to call the sales guy. He’d promised it could be in and operational by end of business Friday. Today was Friday and she would make him keep that promise. All she had to do was convince Trina.

  “KC, stop. It’s been three days. If Jackson was going to do anything, he would have already done it.” Trina made a good point, but rationalizing the actions of another human was never the safest bet.

  Emma entered carrying a large shotgun and a small puppy. “Hey, y’all.” She kissed KC on the cheek, then Trina. “Here.” She handed off the shotgun to KC and the puppy to Trina, then fished a box of shells from her pocket.

  “What’s this?” Trina spoke more to the squirming pit bull than to Emma.

  “This,” Emma pointed at the shotgun, “is for this weekend. And he’s to keep you company.”

  Trina ignored the gun and cuddled the puppy. “What’s his name?”

  “That’s up to you.” Emma shrugged. “I signed him up for obedience training. If you don’t have time to take him, I can at least get him started before I move.”

  “I’ll take him. It’ll give me something to do.” Trina smiled wistfully. “I’m going to go introduce Buddy to his new pal.”

  Buddy was playing in his bedroom, formerly KC’s office. Clearing it out had proved to be time well spent.

  Emma watched Trina walk down the hall, a concerned frown on her face. “How’s she settling in?”

  “Fine, I guess.” KC wished she knew the answer. “How are women in her situation supposed to act?”

  “Good point.” Emma reclaimed the 12-gauge. “Let’s get this onto your gun rack.”

  The formal gun rack for hunting rifles and the large gun safe in KC’s living room were left over from her grandfather, who’d preceded her grandmother in death by twenty years. KC barely remembered the man, but he’d left a mark on her life nonetheless.

  “I’d rather put it in the safe.” KC knew how to use a shotgun, just like any other good Texas woman, but she just preferred not to—a quirk left over from time spent in the liberal, tree-hugging Northwest.

  “I’d rather Trina not have to fiddle with a safe when she should be feeding in shells.” Emma bypassed the safe and set the shotgun on the empty rack. It hung high enough on the wall that Buddy wouldn’t be able to touch it.

  “You honestly think Trina would be able to use it on Jackson?” KC doubted it. Of the three sisters, Trina was the hunter. She was far more comfortable and accurate than KC. “It’s not like Jackson doesn’t have a whole slew of handguns and rifles at their place. If she wanted to shoot him, she’d have done it by now.”

  “I don’t know, KC, but better safe than sorry.” Emma set the shells on the ammo shelf. “I’d hate for her to need it and it not be here. Besides, the shells are filled with rock salt. My daddy loaded them for her. She can’t kill him, but she’ll sure as hell get his attention.”

  “Well, let’s hope she won’t need them.”

  When they’d gone to Trina’s house Tuesday, it had been a surprising non-event. Trina didn’t argue. She just packed her clothes, the things she needed for Buddy, and climbed into Kendall’s car without comment. KC and Emma followed in Trina’s car. The entire time KC waited for something to happen, for the big explosion, but it never came. None of the neighbors interfered. Jackson hadn’t arrived home in a rush and demanded an explanation. Hell, Buddy hadn’t even fussed about being taken away from Sesame Street. It all felt artificially calm, and KC still expected the floor to drop out at any moment.

  “If you want to stay…” Emma slipped her hand into KC’s.

  “She doesn’t want me to.” KC wanted to protect her baby sister, but she wasn’t willing to treat Trina like she was incapable of making her own decisions. She’d been mistreated enough. She needed to be trusted to think for herself.

  Emma led the way to the bedroom. She was there to help KC finish packing, and then they were heading out.

  “Sorry to spring the puppy on you without asking. It just seemed like the right thing to do.”

  “Let’s hope she has him potty trained before I get back Sunday night.” KC wasn’t hopeful.

  Her open suitcase lay on the bed. She’d managed to get one pair of jeans and her socks packed before Emma arrived.

  “Is this all you plan to wear?” Emma nudged the jeans with her finger.

  “Depends. You haven’t told me what our plans are.” That was partially why KC hadn’t finished packing. She had no idea what would be appropriate.

  “Well, we have to go dancing at least once.” Emma held up a tiny black dress that was barely decent. “You want to wear this or jeans?”

  “Jeans.” No contest for KC. She wasn’t looking for a date, and her ass looked great in jeans without anyone being able to see up it. “That way I can wear my Ropers.”

  Emma looked disappointed when she returned the dress to the closet. “And I have a meeting with my new boss. You’re free to roam the city for the thirty minutes I’ll be tied up.”

  “Duly noted.”

  “I need to find an apartment, too. Can’t move there without a place to live.” Emma sat on the bed and gave up the pretense of helping.

  KC sat next to her and pulled her into a side-arm hug. “I can’t believe you’re really doing it.”

  “Me either.” Emma leaned into KC’s embrace for a moment, then straightened. “That suitcase isn’t going to pack itself.” She patted KC on the knee, the signal for her to get moving again.

  KC finished in short order. A few shirts, a few pairs of jeans, panties, bras, and toiletries. She was set.

  “Let me just check in with Trina before we take off.” KC zipped the suitcase and lifted it off the bed. She’d inherited the hard-side Samsonite with the house, solid and indestructible. KC rolled it into the kitchen and found Kendall sitting at the table talking to Trina.

  “I didn’t hear you come in.” KC gave Kendall a quick hug. “How long have you been here?”

  “Just a few minutes. I decided to escape my husband and children and have a girls’ weekend with Trina. Owen’s taking Buddy to Mama’s and that leaves just the two of us.”

  KC’d never been happier to see Kendall. Apparently she wasn’t the only one having a hard time leaving Trina alone so soon.

  Trina sat with the puppy in her lap. “I’m going to give her a makeover.”

  “There’s a bottle of Absolut in the freezer. The Jack and Jose are in the cupboard over the stove.” KC was all in favor of a makeover, accompanied by some
serious drinking. That was enough to solve any problem under the sun. KC gave the dog a pat on the head. “Pick a name yet?”

  “Berty,” Trina said. She snuggled the puppy for a moment then set him back in her lap.

  “Where’d you get that from?” Emma asked.

  “Liberty. I know it’s cheesy, but it felt right.” Trina shrugged.

  “Perfect,” KC said.

  Emma took KC’s suitcase and headed toward the door. “I’ll wait in the car. Bye y’all.” She waved at the sisters and exited.

  “Kendall.” KC paused. Her heart was full of so many things she wanted to say, but it all boiled down to one word. “Thanks.”

  “Of course.” Kendall smiled. “I want to be here.” Kendall felt bad about not being able to take Trina in at her place. She’d said it to the point of annoyance over the past few days. This gave her the opportunity to assuage her guilt and get away from her kids for a brief sanity break. Total win-win. “Besides, Owen is going fishing next weekend. He owes me.”

  “Trina, if you need anything, you have my number. Kendall, don’t drink all my vodka.” KC was halfway out the door when she remembered the other half of Emma’s presents earlier. “And there’s a shotgun on the gun rack. Shells are on the shelf below.”

  KC waved good-bye and headed out the door.

  *

  Emma looked more relaxed than she had in weeks. She had the top down, her sunglasses on, and her hair held back in a long braid. A few long strands worked their way free in the wind, and she tucked them behind her ear. When she’d graduated from UNLV, her dad had given her a Mini Cooper that he’d picked up used at a police auction. Emma jokingly referred to it as her blood-money car since he’d given it as an I’m sorry for leaving you and your mama with no money and no way for her to support you. Emma had taken the car, but KC didn’t think she’d ever truly forgive him for the way he’d gone.

  “Thanks for letting me come with you.” KC spoke with a formality that was typically missing in their casual relationship, but she wanted to make sure Emma knew she loved her. She appreciated her friendship. She laced their fingers together and held Emma’s hand. The smooth press of Emma’s palm comforted and calmed her. The past week had been filled with stress. Emma was her oasis.