Lovebird Café Box Set

by Dylann Crush

  I nodded, clutching the box close to my chest. Trouble was one thing I needed a lot less of in my life. With firm resolve to send Dustin on his way, potential big balls and all, I pushed through the front door, ready to find out what kind of wild animal had tried to move into my borrowed truck.

  5

  Dustin

  I could tell Ryder had warned her by her cautious approach. That right there was why I hadn’t been home in so long. Why bother when everyone already had their minds made up about me? And with my recent snafu during prime time, it was probably going to be fifty times worse than it might have been if I’d come back when my mom had asked me to. Any one of the million times she’d begged.

  “I found the problem.” I pressed my palms on the front panel of the truck, waiting for Harmony to reach me.

  “Is it birds?” Her eyes crinkled at the edges and a worried frown caused all kinds of creases to form on her forehead. She looked like someone had just forced her to take a bite of something gross.

  I bit back a smile and shook my head. “No birds. You’ve got raccoons.”

  “What?” Her eyes went wide, and I wanted to laugh at her reaction.

  “The mama must have carried her kits over. They can’t be more than a few weeks old.” I pointed at one of the tiny squirming creatures nestled against its siblings.

  “How? Why? I don’t understand why a raccoon would have hid her babies in my truck.” She peered into the depths of what remained of her truck’s engine compartment.

  “Who knows? The good news is I found them, so now we can get them out of there and you can be on your way.” I reached for the box and propped it on top of the fan.

  “But… what about the mom? If we take her babies away, how will she know where to find them?”

  “She won’t. Unless you want to sit around here with the babies in a box to see if she’ll come back. Your best bet is to find a wildlife rehab place to take them until they’re big enough to be on their own.”

  “Any ideas?”

  “Google it? In the meantime, they ought to be fine if you keep them in here.” I lifted one of the raccoons out of the engine and placed it in the box. It moved around, bumping into the sides of the box, eyes shut tight.

  “They’re so little.” Her expression softened. She reached into the box to run a hand down the raccoon’s back. “I don’t know anything about taking care of raccoons.”

  “It’s not that hard. When I was a kid we found a few of them living next to our compost bin. Just get them something to eat and they’ll be fine until you can get them to the wildlife place. The feed store up the street ought to have kitten formula. That’s all you need for now.”

  “But…”

  I held out one of the raccoons. Its leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Her hands wrapped around the fuzzy little creature before she cradled it against her chest.

  “What happened to this little guy?”

  “Must have gotten tangled somehow.” I didn’t know much, but years of being on my own in one of the most cutthroat places in the world had provided me with the talent of reading people. She was a nurturer, I was sure of it. The way she’d tended to my hand coupled with the way she nestled the tiny ’coon against her breast told me she was one of those people I needed to avoid the most—the kind who wanted to heal everyone they met.

  “What can we do about it?” Those blue-gray eyes yanked at something deep inside my chest.

  “Let me see.” I left her standing by the truck mumbling gentle words to the baby raccoon while I rummaged through my tool box. For someone who’d been hurt as many times as me, I’d picked up some basic first aid along the way. I never knew when I’d have to tend to a sprain, a cut, or a break, so I typically had a few supplies on hand.

  Harmony had the little guy nestled between her chin and her neck when I returned.

  “Let’s see if we can splint him. Can you hold him out so I can take a closer look?”

  “Do you have any experience with this?” A flicker of concern passed across her face.

  “Beyond patching myself up, not really.” I gave her a smile that was meant to reassure her. “But I’ve had plenty of practice at that.”

  I cut the craft stick to fit the length of the little coon’s leg then secured it with a few adhesive bandages.

  Harmony waited until I was done, then snuggled the little guy against her chest again. “You think this will work?”

  “Better than not doing anything at all.”

  She nodded. “Thanks.”

  “There’s one more.” I set the third baby down in the box. “I’d suggest finding a way to secure the lid. You don’t want them crawling all over.”

  “But what about my truck?” She surveyed the lot. Pieces of her engine spread across the tarp I’d laid down.

  “I’ll get it back together before I head out.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it. Can I pay you for your time?” She set the animal in the box with its siblings before reaching into the front pocket of her apron.

  “No. It was my pleasure. Just make sure you take care of them, okay?” I might not do very well relating to people, but I had a soft spot in my heart for anything with feathers or fur. My sister and I used to care for all kinds of critters we found on our family’s land when we were kids.

  “How about that massage? I’ll do the first one for free.”

  Just hearing her talk about it made my back tighten. “You really don’t have to do that.”

  “I want to. It can be my way of saying thanks for helping me out. Plus, I get the feeling you don’t think I’ll do a good job, so it can also be a chance to prove myself.” Her eyebrows lifted, almost like she wanted to dare me to say no.

  I let my head hang while I figured out how to respond. Hell, I didn’t have anything to lose. If she wanted to give me a free session, that was her choice. I knew I needed it. “All right. Sounds good.”

  “Great. Shoot me a text when you want to set it up.” She gathered the box in her arms. “I’m off in a bit. I’ll just tuck these guys into the storeroom until my shift is over.”

  I nodded. “Good luck.”

  “You, too.”

  Somehow, I knew I was going to need a hell of a lot more good luck than she could muster if I wanted to survive the next few days in Swallow Springs.

  An hour and a half later, covered in grease from restoring Harmony’s engine, and battling to keep my eyes open, I pulled onto the long, gravel road that led toward home. I hadn’t set foot on my family’s land since I left town nearly fifteen years ago. As I eased the truck to a stop by the huge outbuilding we used as a garage, the front door opened. Mom stepped out onto the porch. She held a hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the harsh afternoon sun. My gaze swept over her before I climbed out of the cab. Poor woman didn’t deserve a son like me. I’d broken her heart when I left.

  I took in a deep breath as I covered the distance between us.

  “Dustin, oh my stars, it is you.” She wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me close.

  “Careful, Mom. I’m all dirty. Sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

  “Shh. I’m just glad you’re here now.” She swiped at her cheek, brushing a few tears away. “Welcome home.”

  I pressed a kiss to her temple, wishing I could offer her more than a lame-ass apology. “Thanks. I’m glad to be here.”

  “Really?” She studied me, making me feel like she could see right through me. What would she find? Could she tell how nervous I was about being back in Swallow Springs? How scared shitless I was about facing the demons I’d left behind so many years ago?

  “It’ll be good to see everyone.” I nodded, trying to convince both of us that I meant it.

  “Coffee’s on. Let me grab you a mug and we can catch up a bit. Or are you tired? You want to take a rest?”

  I would have loved nothing better than to retreat to the trailer I’d hauled all the way from California. But Mom deserved my full attention first. “Coffe
e would be great. And then maybe a shower?”

  She smiled, linking her arm through mine. “I think we can handle that. Will you be staying for a while?”

  Her eyes shone with hope. I wasn’t going to disappoint her right off the bat. “We’ll see. I’m out of commission right now. Can’t ride for a while.”

  “What you do, it’s too dangerous.” She clucked her tongue. “Your sister told me about that accident. I didn’t want to see the pictures.” She guided me through the front door and into the kitchen.

  Something else to be thankful for. At least my mom hadn’t seen the video, even if the rest of America couldn’t get over it. Based on what Mav had been telling me, the video of my wipeout had garnered more views than my winning run in the Extreme Games last year. Just goes to show, people sure do love a good fuck-up.

  I entered the heart of our home. Mom’s kitchen had always been the center of our lives. The smell of fresh baked bread surrounded me. The same cheery yellow curtains hung over the window by the sink. The refrigerator whirred and an old school bluegrass tune floated out of an ancient radio.

  “Where’s that tablet I sent you?” I scanned the counter tops, looking for the wireless speaker system I’d sent for Christmas last year.

  “Oh, that was way too complicated for me. I gave it to Scarlett.”

  “Mom, that was supposed to make things easier for you.” I moved to the sink to wash my hands. She’d always enjoyed listening to the radio while she spent time in the kitchen. My fondest memories involved listening to Johnny Cash while waiting for something to bake in the oven. Of course all that changed after the accident. After my dad walked out on us. After she had to get a full-time job to put food on the table.

  “Things are easier when they don’t change.” She ruffled my hair like she’d done when I was younger, then set a steaming mug of coffee in front of me.

  That was Mom. I’d tried to get her to move to California to be close. She preferred to stay in the home where she’d raised her family. At least she didn’t have to worry about making payments any more. I’d paid off the mortgage, and the second and third, a few years ago. Now she’d always have a place to call home.

  “So when will I get to see Scarlett and the kid?” I leaned back in the oak chair—the same one I used to sit in for supper.

  “We didn’t know when you’d get here, so she said she’d just plan on coming over for supper tonight. Does Rob know you’re back?”

  “Nah. I didn’t want to tell him since I wasn’t sure I’d make it.” And since I wasn’t sure how Rob would take the news. Years had passed. Some would say it was water under the bridge. But since I still held myself one-hundred percent responsible for the death of Rob’s older brother, who once upon a time had been my very best friend, neither that water nor that bridge had budged.

  “Tell me everything.” Mom sat down next to me. Her hand reached across the table to cover mine.

  I rubbed a thumb over her soft skin. It had been so long since I’d touched her. I wanted to savor the moment, pack it up and save it somewhere in the recesses of my mind so I could pull it out whenever I needed to be reminded that someone somewhere still loved me. But then again, wasn’t that a mother’s job? To love her child no matter what he’d done? No matter how big a fuck-up he was?

  “Not much to tell. I work. I ride. That’s my life in a nutshell.”

  “All those movies. All those competitions. Scarlett keeps me posted. I can’t bear to watch anything live.” She put a hand to her heart. “You scared me enough when you were a kid with those stunts you pulled. How was I to know they’d only get more dangerous over the years?”

  “I take precautions. There aren’t any guarantees, but I do what I can to make things as safe as possible.” At least I tried. Sometimes that didn’t work out so well.

  “You always were one for taking risks. Why, I remember that time you hauled that old dirt bike to the top of the barn, convinced you could jump all those hay bales if you just had a good start.”

  I smiled at the memory. I’d been so stupid then. So naive. I’d thought I was invincible. We all thought we were. But we’d been so wrong.

  “You know what, Mom? I think I am going to crash for a bit.” I needed to make peace with being back in Swallow Springs. And if I was going to be subjected to my sister and nephew in a few short hours, some time alone would help. I pushed back from the table and stood. Although the kitchen hadn’t changed, not even down to the salt and pepper shakers on the wooden table, it seemed smaller.

  “We’ll have plenty of time to catch up. I’m so glad you’re home.” She stood, wrapping her arms around me. “You want to stay in your old room?”

  “Nah. I brought the trailer with me. Figured I’d be more comfortable out there.”

  “Whatever you need, sweetheart. I’m just so glad you’re here.”

  I leaned into her hug, letting myself feel her strength. Filling up on her faith in me, no matter how misplaced it was.

  6

  Harmony

  The warm May breeze drifted through the window while Liam balanced the box of baby raccoons on his lap for the half-hour drive home. I’d thought about putting them in the back of the truck but that didn’t last long. Liam had been thrilled to find out I’d managed to rescue the critters from under the hood. And even more excited to learn the name of the pseudo hero who’d come to my rescue—Dustin Jarrett.

  I knew I’d heard the name before. He was one of those extreme athletes Liam idolized. Liam binge-watched online videos of the stunts Dustin and his colleagues performed and knew all his stats by heart.

  “Do you think we’ll see him again?” Liam asked.

  “I don’t know. He didn’t fill me in on his plans.” Maybe he’d call for that massage, maybe not. I hadn’t made peace with the fact that daydreaming about Dustin and that twisty ink of his had distracted me to the point I’d screwed up the giant coffee machine again. I’d barely cleaned it all out and put it back together before Liam showed up.

  “But Mom, you think Uncle Robbie knows him? Maybe he can introduce me.”

  I cringed. Robbie and Dustin did know each other. But how could I explain to my son, who wasn’t that much older than Robbie had been at the time of Jeffy’s death, that there was too much heartbreak between them? At least that’s how it seemed. Dustin appeared to be locked up tighter than a vault, but there was something about him—the energy that surrounded him—that told me the man was in a dark place.

  “We’ll see, okay? Now let’s talk about these guys. What are we going to do with them?” I’d had a chance to call the vet earlier. He told me until I could get them to a rehab center to feed them kitten formula like Dustin had suggested. “Where did you say that wildlife rehab place is?”

  Liam glanced at my phone. “The one I found looks like it’s around Kansas City.”

  “Oh, there’s got to be somewhere closer than that.” With all the woods and nature surrounding us, there had to be somewhere we could take the raccoons that wasn’t an hour-and-a-half drive away.

  “That’s what it says. But we don’t have to take them anywhere. I can take care of them.”

  “Honey, no. It’s too much work. I don’t even know what baby raccoons need.”

  “They need to be fed every two to three hours.”

  “How do you know that?”

  He held my phone out. “Says so right here. I think they’re probably only a couple of weeks old. Can’t we keep them until they can be safe on their own?”

  “Where are you going to keep baby raccoons?” Robbie had been kind enough to let us stay at his dad’s old place for free. I doubted there would be anywhere suitable to house a family of nocturnal scavengers. “And don’t even think about saying they can stay in your room.”

  “Aw, Mom. Can’t you think about it?”

  “I’m calling the rehab place as soon as we get home. If that really is the closest one, maybe we can drive up on Sunday afternoon or something.” I’d have to work
the morning shift. Sunday was the busiest day of the week, and I couldn’t afford to go without tips.

  Liam stuck out his bottom lip and faced the window. Some moments he seemed like such a grown-up and others I was reminded of just how young he still was.

  I was about to try to make peace when the shrill ring of my phone interrupted us.

  “It’s Reva.” He held my phone to me.

  “Can you put her on speaker?” I needed to keep my eyes on the road. Driving this stretch of highway made me nervous. Out here in the middle of nowhere, anything could be waiting around the next curve.

  Liam rolled his eyes but pressed the speaker button for me.

  “Hey, how goes the battle?” I asked. Reva was like the sister I’d never had. We’d met at massage school and hit it off right away. Leaving her behind was one of the worst things about moving to Missouri.

  “Swell. I think I’m going to quit though. I can’t keep up with the schedule they’ve got me working at Massage-ology. It’s madness.”

  “Don’t leave until you have something else lined up. You can hang in there.” A pang of guilt pinched my gut. Part of the reason she was so busy was because I left.

  “They expect me to work like a machine. I just did a solid two hours for some B-list actor. An emergency session. I had to go into Burbank and meet him on the set of his show.”

  “What happened, did he tweak a muscle or something?” It wasn’t unusual to have to travel to an appointment. While most customers came to the studio, quite a few valued privacy and convenience and were willing to pay a little extra to insure both.

  “No. His car was being detailed and he didn’t have any wheels. I busted my ass, took my table on the bus and spent an hour round-trip on public transportation because his Tesla needed a wax.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “I hope he was a big tipper.”