You're My Rock (Brothers From Money #4)

by Shanade White

  “That wasn’t fighting.” Sebastian said, from across the room, “you’ll know when they’re fighting. Hey, Nate as long as you’re working up something for them, how about doing our cabin as well. It’s just a matter of time before Leslie starts hollering for the same thing.” He said, softening his words by pulling her onto his lap as she tried to walk past him to the sink.

  “Good save.” She said, kissing him.

  “Elizabeth, where’s the baby?” Allison asked, looking around the room. She’d grown fond of Rebecca over the last few weeks, she was a happy baby which made it easy to love her.

  “She’s upstairs asleep, she’s been running a little fever. I think she might be teething.” Elizabeth said, with a frown.

  “I thought so too.” Cinthia said, walking into the room with Jonathan right behind her. “She was chewing on anything she could get her hands on yesterday.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready for this, so much for my sweet angel.” Elizabeth said, with a groan.

  Cinthia patted Elizabeth on the back and crossed the room and to Nate’s utter surprise, gave him a hug. “Glad to see you made it home okay. I’m sorry you had to go through that. It must have been difficult.” She said, looking up at him.

  “Thank you, it certainly helped having Garrett and Sabrina with me, but I am glad to be home.” Nate managed to say through his shock.

  He looked to Allison, who only smiled, and then to Jonathan who nodded his head in encouragement. Nate was overwhelmed with emotion, suddenly right that second he felt like he was a part of this family. That he had a place here, belonged right here with these people. He still missed his parents, but the world no longer looked like the bleak place it had only months ago.

  He sat down at the table, hoping that no one could see his emotion, but naturally Allison was quite aware of what he was feeling. She sat down next to him and took his hand, giving it a squeeze of encouragement. Then sat silently next to him, letting the conversation flow around her.

  Garrett and Sabrina had been huddled in the back corner of the room where Sabrina had put her desk. Since the kitchen seemed to be the place that everyone passed through at least once a day she felt that it gave her a better idea of what was happening in the house. Sabrina, besides helping Daphne home-school the kids and running the therapy program, was in charge of the main house.

  Although they rarely had house guests, there was a constant stream of people through the house, most of whom ate at least one meal a day there. Lately, the task had become more than she could handle on her own and Allison had been taking on some of those responsibilities as well. They made a good team, and Sabrina had been partially responsible for Allison’s interest in baking, encouraging her to try new things.

  Garrett walked over to the coffee pot and refilled his cup, then cleared his throat and said, “Since we’re all here, I think this might be a good time for a family meeting.”

  There were groans, but Garrett ignored them. “First, I want to welcome Nate to the family. It was a bit of a shock at first, but now that we’ve gotten to know you I can see you’re a Terrell through and through.” He said, then added, “I think it’s time you took that ring off the chain and put it on your finger.”

  Nate had almost forgotten he’d been wearing the ring around his neck, it had become such a part of him. Pulling the chain over his head, he removed the ring and slid it onto his finger. Everyone cheered, then got quiet. “The legal department had taken care of all the paperwork, you are now a full voting member of the board of directors for Terrell Industries.”

  “What? I didn’t know I’d have to do that. I don’t know anything about business.” Nate stammered.

  “Don’t worry.” Leslie said, “I didn’t either. You’ll be fine. Everyone on the board is sitting in the room right now.”

  “Oh, okay. I guess.” Nate was nearly speechless with shock.

  Garrett nodded his head at Donovan giving him the floor. “I don’t have much except it looks like Nate’s going to be adding a new branch to the business. We’re going to have to look into forming our own construction company. If we’re going to be renovating cabins, stores, and whatever else Nate has in mind, it may be more financially sound to have our own equipment and employees. Nate you and I can discuss the possibilities later, I’d like your input.”

  “Sure, just let me know when. I’ve got free time.” Nate said, taking a deep breath, everything was happening really fast, first he was renovating cabins now all of the sudden he was heading up a construction company.

  Sebastian was clearly next, “I’ve heard back from the civil engineer about the lower pasture dam, he seems to think that it’s a total loss. That the only way to go is to build an entirely new one.”

  “But that’s not what the engineer last summer told us.” Garrett said, gritting his teeth. “We’ve got to do something and fast. As it is, I’m not sure it’s going to hold for spring runoff. Did he have any suggestions for temporarily shoring it up?”

  “He seemed unwilling to even consider the possibility, said it would be a total waste of his time. The guy was a total jerk.” Sebastian said. Then looked at Nate, “I don’t suppose you know anything about building a dam?”

  “No, not really.” Nate said, “What’s the problem?”

  “Let me show you.” Garrett said, spreading out his maps on the table.

  Nate was happy to be distracted by Garrett’s maps, his head was spinning with everything he’d just been given. But as he listened, he realized that if the dam at the bottom of the upper pasture was to give, the entire ranch would be under water within minutes. “Explain that all to me again.”

  By the end of the morning, Nate had suddenly accumulated a long list of things he needed to do. But, all those thing were going to wait for a few days until he’d satisfied his need to be close to Allison. He hadn’t been kidding when he said, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight for forty eight hours.

  As everyone scattered to their respective responsibilities, Allison looked at Nate, clearly wondering what they were going to do. “Feel like taking a trip to town. I think we need some supplies for the cabin, some food, dishes, pots and pans.”

  “Okay, that sounds like fun. A shopping spree.” Allison said, laughing.

  “I guess so.” He said, taking her hand.

  Several hours later, they arrived home with a car full of supplies and a few treats including a new flat screen television for the bedroom. They had to carry it all the way out to the cabin from the parking lot by the main house and Nate promised himself that the first thing he was going to build was a driveway to the cabin. Maybe a garage that looked like a barn, his mind began to wander with all the possibilities.

  While Nate hung the new television in the bedroom, Allison put away the new dishes they’d picked out in town. She had to hand wash them all since the cabin didn’t have a dishwasher, making her more on Elizabeth’s side than ever. It also occurred to her that there wasn’t a washer and dryer either, that meant taking the laundry to the main house or the laundry mat, another point on Elizabeth’s side.

  Allison was so lost in her thoughts about the Terrell’s and their lives, that at first, she didn’t notice how quiet it had gotten in the bed room. She was sure that she’d find Nate asleep on the bed or watching some sports program, but instead she found him sketch book in hand leaning against the headboard of the bed.

  He was so absorbed in what he was doing, she had time to just study him. His face was relaxed, all trace of the pressures of life gone, the little lines beside his eyes and mouth making him even more handsome. His blonde hair was ruffled and Allison could see a few silvery strands at his temples. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized just how much she loved him.

  She hadn’t wanted him to leave, but it had actually been a good thing for them. It had slowed things down and allowed them to connect on a deeper level. Sex with Nate was beyond anything she could have imagined, but
she also craved the emotional connection that their separation had facilitated. Now that he was back, their desire for one another had reached a more normal level, a level that would allow them to build something more.

  She walked further into the room, amused that Nate was so completely absorbed in what he was doing. She laid down on the bed next to him, and threw her leg over his, watching as he sketched. Slowly, he became aware of her, but didn’t stop what he was doing. Instead, he began to sketch over the original building, creating a new design that not only kept the integrity of the old, but allowed for the new, pointing out the changes he was making, he walked her though the new design.

  Allison listen and watched as Nate turned the little cabin into a proper home, including a small barn for a couple of horses. “That’s amazing. It’s perfect.” She said, impressed.

  “Well, it still needs some work. That’s just a rough sketch, I’ll have to use my computer to create real designs, but you can see how it would look.” Nate said, setting the sketch book aside, suddenly a little embarrassed by her praise.

  “It looked good to me.” She said, sitting up to give him a kiss, knowing when to leave something alone. He’d come to see how talented he was soon enough. She’d seen some of his designs when she’d moved his stuff from the main house and he was very talented.

  She started to pull away, but he grabbed her and rolled her onto her back, “I was going to ask what was for dinner, but I think I might want my desert first.” The look of love in her eyes minutes ago had awakened his passion, he needed her now, needed to feel the love radiating between them.

  So much had happened today that he needed to feel connected to her in the most primal way. When their bodies were joined, the rest of the world and its problems faded into the background. For those few precious stolen moments all he had to think about was Allison and the passion she’d brought to his life, a passion he’d thought he’d never find.

  Chapter 11

  Later that night after they’d made frozen pizza for dinner, one of the treats they’d brought home with them. Allison was curled up in Nate’s arms in the big bed, while they watched an old black and white movie on television. They’d discovered they both liked old movies, the sappier the better. One of Allison’s favorites was just finishing, as always the tears were streaming down her cheeks.

  Laughing she sat up, wiping the tears away with the heel of her hands. Nate reached over and handed her a tissue, which she used to mop up the rest of the tears. Suddenly Allison realized that not only had she remembered the movie, but she remembered watching it with her mother when she was a little girl.

  Nate, seeing the strange look cross her face, was suddenly concerned. He knew that look, it meant that she was remembering something. “What’s wrong?” He asked, sitting up and pulling her into his arms.

  “I remember that movie.” She said, pointing to the T.V. “And I remember watching it with my mother when I was a little girl. My mother loved old movies, that’s why I do.” She said, starting to hyperventilate.

  “Okay, take a deep breath. This is good.” He said, rubbing her back.

  “I’m scared.” She said, burying her face in his shirt. “Those other memories are there, just waiting to come out. What’s going to happen when they do?”

  “Hey.” He said, raising her chin so he could look into her eyes. “I’m going to be right here with you when they do. Nothing you remember can hurt you and if you remember who did this to you, I can guarantee you he’s going to be sorry.”

  Allison had been avoiding thinking about what else she’d remember, like a husband somewhere or even some kids. “Nate, have you ever been married. We’ve never talked about your past.” She said, deciding that now was the time to have this discussion.

  “I was, but it was a long time ago. It didn’t work out, she thought I was her ticket out of the small town we lived in. I had planned to stay, help take care of my parents, settle down there and have kids of my own. We parted ways after only six months. Last I heard, she was in the city still single and happy.” He said, shrugging his shoulders.

  Allison was silent for a long time, happy that there wasn’t some other woman out there with designs on Nate. “What are we going to do if I have someone out there?” She whispered, hating to say the words, but relieved she finally had.

  “Well, the way I see it, if there’s someone out there that you’re supposed to belong to, they haven’t done a very good job of taking care of you and they don’t deserve to have you.” He said, then added, “But if there is, I’m going to fight for you. What we have is special, don’t tell me you don’t see that. Maybe this was fates only way of bringing us together.” He said, a pleading look in his eyes.

  “I don’t think there’s anyone out there looking for me and that makes me sad.” She said, looking down, embarrassed.

  Nate kissed her on the temple, “Well, if you disappear tomorrow I can think of a lot of people who will be out looking for you. You’re not alone, you have me and the Terrell’s, who already consider you family. So no matter what happens, you know you have people who love you and will protect you.” Nate said, his words soothing Allison’s fears.

  They sat in silence for a long time, his arms wrapped around her trembling body. Nate broke the silence, “Jonathan said the Terrell men are especially protective of the women they love. I wasn’t sure what he mean until now.”

  Allison heard his words but wasn’t sure that he knew what he’d just said. “What did you say?” She asked, looking up into his impossibly blue eyes.

  “You mean the part about loving you. I thought that was obvious, but I thought I’d say it out loud just in case you didn’t know for sure. Allison, I love you and always will. I want you here with me, sharing that cabin I’ve been designing. We’ll get through this, one step at a time. Any man out there who thinks he’s going to take you away from me is going to have a fight on his hands.” His said, his mouth coming down on hers in a kiss so possessive Allison felt it in her soul.

  This must be what it feels like to belong to someone she thought as Nate slowly undressed her, murmuring words of love into her ear as he made love to her more gently than he ever had before. When he entered her, she felt complete, whole for the first time in months. Secure in the knowledge that Nate’s heart belonged to her and only her.

  “I love you too Nate.” She said over and over again, clinging to him as the tears ran down her cheeks.

  They couldn’t have known that right then, the man who would try to take Allison from him was planning his move in his quest to punish her. Matt had been forced to attend to business at the farm, with race day fast approaching he had to make sure his investment was going to pay off. He pushed the Allison problem to the back of his mind. She was clearly hiding from him and posed no immediate threat.

  That didn’t stop him from nursing his fantasies of what he would do to her when he finally got his hands on her, which he was sure would happen eventually. Once he’d secured his horse’s spot in the Kentucky Derby which was still weeks away, he began calling what contacts he had in Denver. Now that he knew she was there for sure, he’d send Curley and Gus out there to search for her.

  It wouldn’t be as easy as Vegas, but with some luck, they’d track her down. He’d given up looking for her car, if it hadn’t been found by now, it wasn’t going to be found. Waiting was never his strong suit, but at least he’d be waiting in the luxury of the plantation house on the property. Eventually, Allison would be found and he could close this chapter once and for all, and have a little fun in the process.

  *****

  As spring came to the Rockies, the snow turned to rain and the mountains began to thaw, only the highest peaks seemed unaffected by the warmer weather. Nate had so much on his plate that he hardly noticed what was happening around him. Weeks passed, his designs for the cabins were almost finished, but he was nervous to show them to the family.

  He’d also been working on the pro
blems with the dam, although it wasn’t something he’d studied, he had some friends at the university who were working on the problem for them, not only designing a new structure, but emergency plans to fix the current one before the worst of the flooding started. Time was running out, so he’d been learning as much as he could about dams.

  Thanks to Elizabeth, who’d served Allison’s pastries at a town council meeting, what had once been something to keep her occupied, had suddenly turned into a business, the demand for her pastries and cookies had become overwhelming. She suddenly found herself with more orders than she could fill. The kitchen looked like a bomb had hit, every counter covered with dirty dishes, flour and powdered sugar. The dining room table was covered with sweet sugary confections waiting to be delivered by the kid she’d been forced to hire a week ago.

  Allison stood surveying the mess in the kitchen when Sabrina came into the room, unable to hide the gasp of horror at the mess. “I know, I think I’ve outgrown the kitchen.” Allison said, “I’ve started something that’s gotten out of control.”

  “I hate to say this right now, but Allison you have to get out of my kitchen.” Sabrina said, pointing to the door.

  Allison laughed, “Would you like me to clean up the mess first?”

  “That might be nice. But seriously, I want you to go into town tomorrow and find yourself some retail space. There’s bound to be something that will work, we’ll get you whatever you need to get things going.”

  “But...” Allison stammered.

  “It’s a wise business investment Allison. We’ll figure out the money side of it later, now clean this up and stay out.” Sabrina said, hugging Allison on the way out the door.

  She cleaned the kitchen up in record time, thinking that there was still time that afternoon to get into town and see what she could find. Questioning Sabrina’s decision was a waste of time, she knew all too well how difficult it was to change Sabrina’s mind once she’d made it up. Instead, she was going to take the offer and open a pastry shop.